vanster

I have read (I believe) every post on R&R spring/shocks
Most all the post and my manual refer to '86 and newer. James suggested
that I remove the upper A arm. Maybe this is a piece of cake with the engine out
After spending the day cleaning first, I tackled the upper A arm bolts. I can't even get one to budge. Should I attack it from the bottom and take out the lower by
unbolting from the frame?
I am going to do this myself, it's now a matter of pride.

Van
80 5sp
67 Sunbeam

Mark SF

Why can't you get the upper A arm bolts to move? Is it a matter of not being able to reach them? Or don't you have a long enough purchase? I suspect you can't get a socket on them so have to use a wrench, but it would be could if you could confirm.

I have a 3ft bar which fits a 1/2" socket, nothing has resisted that - ever.

When bolts are stuck it is good to try and shock them free. I find whacking a wrench with my lump hammer often causes a stuck bolt to co-operate.

I'm going to have to do this job on my 89 soon as the front shocks feel very worn.

GlenL

Then you've got 3 or 4 ways to get this done. I don't think one involves removing the upper A-arms. Lower arms, yes. Releasing the upper arm ball stud, yes. Upper arm inside the engine bay? Don't recall that.

Most discussion is on S4s. There are fewer of those cars so apparently they need the most help.

Remove the three small nuts (Not the big one) inside the engine bay. Remove the long bolt at the bottom. Then take apart the suspension until it comes out. You may be able to tip remove it by pushing the suspension down and angling the shock at the top, but don't be surprised if that doesn't work.

Bart-Jan

I thought the standard spring rests can't go through the opening in the A-arm? So you would need to remove the A-arms when removing the shocks, I think.

I had the same issue of removing the nuts for the A-arms, but now finally got to the bolts since I have both heads off. The nuts are so tight, I had to use a bar of 1.5 meter to release them. There's no way I could do that with the heads in place. Or you would need to have titanium Japanese tiny muscle fingers ;-)

karl ruiter

If you have a Harbor Freight near you, pick up their elecric impact driver and a set of 1/2 inch drive impact sockets. Makes working on suspension stuff MUCH nicer.

auzivision

Do these procedures not apply to older models?

http://members.rennlist.com/v1uhoh/lowera.htm

http://www.dwaynesgarage.norcal928.o...Suspension.htm

Mike LaBranche

Well... there's at least a dozen ways to skin a cat. You can remove the upper A-arm _or_ the lower arm, either makes it pretty straightforward to get the shock out. In the case of the upper, it's a no brainer; in the case of the lower, you have to swing it out of the way (after you unbolt the shock, 'course) and then 'thread' the shock/spring down through the a-arm while you prop it up to make the arm 'square' with the spring. pita. I now prefer removing the uppers. Requires 100+ lbs of torque to get them loose and then again going back to together. Get a good, strong, long breaker bar with 1/2" drive and short 1/2" drive impact sockets. Piece of cake with the right tools.

jheis

Van:

On your 16 valve, you should be able to attack the upper A-arm nuts from underneath the car. IIRC they are 22 or 23mm. You may not be able to see them, but you should be able to locate them by feel. 1/2" drive breaker bar to break them loose & then you should be able to spin them off with a 1/2" ratchet. No room to get an impact wrench in there.

I've done it both ways: removing the upper a-arm or dropping the lower control arm. In my experience, the "upper a-arm" method is faster & a lot less work. Maybe it helps that I have small hands.

I seem to remember that there may be headers on your car? If that is the case, there may not be room to get a wrench on them with the headers in place. I tried the "upper a-arm" method on a '95 GTS once & couldn't even get a wrench on the nuts with the cylinder heads/manifolds in the way.

If you cant get to the upper a-arm nuts, the lower control arm method works as well. just make sure that you do not tighten the lower control arm bolts until the car is back on the ground. Then leave them slightly loose & put about 50 miles on the car to allow it to settle before you torque them to spec. Good luck.

James

vanster

I can get a socket on all 4 nuts connecting the upper A arms. Not a lot of room to move but only need one turn at at time. Now that I read this (thank you all) ....
I will go buy a bigger breaker bar. Never can have too many tools. The headers don't seem to be in the way. One thing for sure everything is a lot cleaner.

Van