Bedfordman

Last year at our annual test in the UK (General Safety Check) I had an 'advisory' note that there was some play in the upper suspension.

When in the USA last month I bought a pair of Steel replacements -- 928 Motorsports. They certainly look great piece of engineering. Now installing, ball joint freed off, etc, BUT:
What is the trick of getting the 2 inboard nuts undone, ?? -- the one holding the A-Arm in place. -- hard to get any purchase on them either from the top or underneath.

Peter

FredR

Peter,

You will get different responses on this one. I did a dry run last cool season in preparation for changing my bushes out hopefully in a few weeks time. I suspect it is much more difficult when working from jack stands compared to working with a lift. I will have to work from the former and I figured it is more doaable if one drops the alternator and power steering pump console out of the way on the driver's side [LHD] and drop the a/c compressor on the passenger side. Assuming you have a UK RHD not sure how the differences impact you but much the same I suspect.

Some of our heroes seem to be able to do these things without removing anything but heavens know how.

Weds

I've had the same on my MOT for the drivers side for the last 2 years, been contemplating changing them myself but keep getting frighted off with the problems of access..

Carl Fausett

It can be an access animal to get at those nuts.
Also dependent on which motor mounts you have (aluminum or rubber) and whether or not you have headers installed.

I usually can get the box end of a large combination wrench onto the nut from the bottom and break torque.
We also have a socket we shortened here to minimum height to do the job, and I can sneak that in from the bottom with a long-handled rachet on some cars.

jheis

I have no experience with RHD cars, but on LHD cars, I've found that it is relatively straight forward (but not easy) to get a wrench on the mounting nuts on 16 valve cars.
32 valve cars are a different story because the cylinder heads are in the way. On the GTS that I attempted it on, I only managed to get a wrench on ONE of the four nuts and only managed about a quarter turn on that nut before conceding defeat. Frankly, I don't think it is possible to do the upper arms on a 32 valve car with the engine in place....
James

SeanR

It's not that hard on a 32v. Breaker bar with a shorty socket to break them loose. Then use a ratchet and socket to get it loose enough to use your fingers. You have to go at it from above and below.

M. Requin

Wasn't there a tool suggested for this not too long ago (within the past year or two IIRC)? My notes have a ref to a spline drive wrench, here's a link to one brand (Klutch - no affiliation etc) https://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...2501_200612501

Landseer

That would be perfect, but the nuts are unfortunately 22mm

FredR

Marty,

I think you may be thinking of the thread about loosening the bolts on the top of the bell housing- someone suggested that type of tool for those or so I seem to remember.

FredR

Sean,

Can you actually get them without removing the belt driven stuff to give you room to work in?

M. Requin

You may well be right, the "C" in IIRC may be questionable. FWIW, GearWrench does have a 22mm long flex head wrench, 12-point rather than spline drive.

Bedfordman

thanks to everybody.
I have ordered a 3/8 22mm socket - bit shorter, may work, may break with the torque needed.
I will reduce length of my 1/2 22mm socket this weekend.
I have a 22mm ring spanner - just need to work out away of getting enough torque on it.
Just wish I could get my 3/4 22mm drive on it.
I really don't want to lift the Motor, or pull the A/C and Generator units if at all possible.
Now A-Arm is more visible looks like the main play is in the bushes rather than the ball joint.
No problem -- I think you have to remove the arm to replace the bushes (?), and there is the beauty of the 928 Mot
orsports A-Arm.

Bedfordman

I can report that Carl's (928 Motorsport ) suggestion of using a specially shortened socket does work.

This is on a 32 Valve S4, said to be the one with the most difficult access.

The typical 22mm 1/2 inch drive socket is about 40 mm high. You need one about 30mm high. I couldn't find one in UK.
BUT: the typical 3/8 inch drive 22mm socket is about 30mm high!
Suggest try that, get a good one, and if you break it or your racket drive no big problem, you will need to find a short one or machine down a 40mm one.

Peter.

jeff spahn

I agree with Sean. I have taken mine out when putting new suspension in front. It wasn't a big deal getting them off. I used a 1/2" drive 22mm socks on a long snap-on flex head ratchet. Piece of cake.

Carl Fausett

Thanks, Peter. We like the longer handle a 1/2" drive ratchet provides, so we have taken our 22mm socket and shortened it with a chop saw just for this task. You could use a hacksaw or a recip saw just as well.
Over the years, we have made a bunch of these uber-short sockets for special applications.