illzoni

Hi all,

My right upper control arm (aka upper suspension arm) is toast (see attached).

And since I'd really not tear is apart to R&R the UCA only, what else should I being doing while I'm in there?

I have several questions before I proceed...
1) where should I get control arm bushings? Part numbers?
2) same question regarding ball joints?
3) if I decide to replace the torsion bars, where should I get them? Who sells OME at good prices?
4) while I'm in there, are there other suspension/steering parts I should R&R?
5) good source for shocks?
6) do the CVs while in there?

Thx,
Jon

Co_94_PU

iTrader: (-1)

Lol, I was all set to say it wasn't a great picture what are talking about then I saw the enlarged photo and wondered how I misssed it the first time.

Well if you just want to throw money at it. Get a metal fatigue penetrating dye kit. Strip all the paint and inspect, repaint and/or replace whatever.

You can get stock part numbers from any of the online places, toyomotorparts still has the diagrams linked with the parts lists.

torsion bars there was a thread not to long ago "What torsion bars fit" IIRC. I think there was some shock talk in there also, not certian, shop around or maybe get them with your bars for a shipping discount.

Upper and low arms, ballends. Full set of bushings all around. new brake softlines. Bearings and lube. Prtty much anything that looks like crap or you don't wanna have to tear apart something else to get too.

CV, couldn't hurt to atleast inspect and relube.

Of course there is the farm truck answer "Ah shucks just weld that sonofagun back up and call er done"

HighLux

How did you manage to snaggle that control arm up like that? You been jumping that thing?

Call up wabfab and have him get you hooked up.

illzoni

I'm good on the UCA...picked up a used one from a '95. And may get the torsion bars from it as well. However, I've heard so much great stuff about the OMEs...where can I get them at a good price?

I'm thinking...
1) replace the mangled UCA (used part in hand);
2) replace the CV axles;
3) replace appropriate bushings (really need ID help here);
4) replace torsion bars (OME or used...we'll see);
5) ball joints?
6) shocks?

BTW, the 4Runner already has ball joint spacers, so I'll need to trim the new (to me) UCA.

Thanks again,
Jon

JonnyBoy

An idea for the OME torsion bars might be 4x4connection.com. They've had the best prices I've seen, and they're located in VA, so not terribly far from you. I'll bet they just drop ship from ARB usa, though. I'd just get the OME shocks through them as well.

For the control arm bushings, I believe you can get sets of polyurethane from Summit.

Ball joints, I've liked to go to Napa and get the Moog ones. Or Oem, but never would I use Oreilly or Autozone for them. Or Ebay, though I guess some people have had ok luck with those kits.

I had good luck with EMPI cv axles. They're new, not remanufactured, and had better flex at the joints than the Autozone lifetime replacement ones. Other than OEM, EMPI is all I would use.

illzoni

Dunno. Definitely no jumping and haven't off-roaded for a while. Heck, I haven't offroaded since well before driving Tucson > Murfreesboro a year ago, towing a trailer with two motorcycles. Maybe whoever trimmed the UCA for the ball joint spacer got carried away and the crack has been expanding with time?

Thx. Just dropped a note over there.

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

Replace stock parts with Toyota stuff. It's lasted this long

If lifting, BJ spacers and aal. Torsion bars will just break more stuff installing and really no need as they just harshen the ride.

:wabbit2:

Dave the welder

Do not use napa ball joints. I had a upper pass side break with like 15,00 miles. I would use moog or toyota ball joints. Wouldn't apend the money on cv joints unless yours are broken or clicking. Get a spare set and keep them with you when wheeling hard.
The are easy enough to change or remove in case you need to limp home. If your keeping your truck ifs think about getting a pair of cv cryo treated. Summit racing sells complete bushing kits for the front. Spend the money on the best idler arm you can find most likley moog and get a brace for it. keep all your old parts for trail spares if you wheel hard you will need them. I really think ifs works the best stock and i would relax the t/b's to stock ish height to gain wheel travel and flex.

Even though i went to a sa i have lots of faith in the 86-95 ifs mine served me well for 8 years.

JonnyBoy

The ball joints I've gotten from Napa have been Moog. Also, the Moog idler arm is a pretty terrible design. Can't use any of the traditional braces and the bearings have very little separation, so lots of leverage against them. The idler arm you can get brass bushings for and brace well is the FA5040 from Autozone. One of the few parts I'll get from there.

I do agree with Wabbit on the torsion bars. The stock ones are very durable, mine don't sag or anything, and I also agree with Dave about relaxing the bars a little. That is a strange break, though, and I bet it doesn't have to do with the torsion bars.

Dave the welder

I did my ball joints alomst 10 years ago and the ones from napa were not moog because i replaced them with moog and you could tell they were a little different. I'm pretty sure i bought the cheap ones cause i was 22 and broke. It would not surprise me if they are using moog now alot can happen in 10 years lol.

illzoni

Where can I get EMPI? Google only takes me to the wholesale site with no retailer search function.

AAL? What's that?

JonnyBoy

I got the EMPI halfshafts long ago at a parts house in Portland area, Discount Import Auto. They're a big VW shop, mostly, but they can get good deals on lots of other import makes. I don't think they sell online, though, or at least not last I checked. Try Amazon, I know I've seen the EMPI shafts for my Subaru there. If you haven't found it yet, the part number is 80-6300

AAL is Add A Leaf

TrikeKid

If it ain't broke don't fix it, your torsion bars and cv's have served you just fine up to this point haven't they? If you're going to replace the arm bushings put some poly bushings from Energy Suspension, be warned either route you take on UCA bushings they're a pain to replace.

Me personally, as an auto tech by trade? I'd put the new arm in and call it a good day if everything else is still in useable shape.

snobdds

Ditch the Ball Joint Spacers, then you wont be back in the same circumstance.

I love how they double nutted the bolts. Classic.

Go OEM for the parts...they are a million times better than any aftermarket part.

illzoni

Help!

How do I remove the upper arm shaft and the bushings so I can replace the bushings?
On page FA-95 of the FSM is says "(a) Using a chisel and hammer, loosen the staked part of the nut." Sorry, but I don't know what that means??

Thanks,
Jon

illzoni

Now I have the damaged upper control arm out. I put each on the workbench upside down and snapped the attached photos to illustrate the problem.

illzoni

As you can see, whoever installed that BJ spacer removed way too much metal from the control arm. These photos best illustrate the damage. Fortunately, they didn't do the same on the driver side.

illzoni

So here's where I'm at...

The truck is sitting on jack stands on the front end. Both wheels are off. I had to remove the front bumper and skid plate to get proper access, so the bumper is hanging from cargo straps and the skid plate it out of the way.

Completely loosened both torsion bars. I was able to pull the passenger side one rearward to remove. The driver side is a bit more snug, but it's not a priority at the moment and I'll get back to it.

With the passenger side torsion bar removed, I was able unbolt the upper ball joint and spacer from the upper control arm, then unbolt the upper arm shaft to completely remove the control arm. The front of the control arm was twisted pretty badly....I took a pry bar to it but that wasn't enough to get a socket on the the forward arm nut, so I had to finish creating clearance with the angle grinder.

That's where I quit for the day as I haven't a clue how to get the arm shaft and bushings out. Please help?!??!?!?!

What's left?
I have new ball joints all around to install, as well as a complete set of new bushings. I have the salvaged replacement upper control arm and both torsion bars from a '95. While I'm in there, I should probably replace the shocks and CVs. Suggestions on these?

Thx,
Jon

illzoni

Since my T4R is my daily, I needed to get it back together ASAP. I skipped installing the new bushings and ball joints, just trimming the salvaged control to fit the ball joint spacer and putting it all back together.

The first photo illustrates how much space was around the spacer--the previous installer cut way too much!

I didn't want to make the same mistake, so I taped the control arm and traced what I thought would be the minimum to make it fit. As you can see in the third photo, it's a pretty snug/good fit.

illzoni

These next two photos show the old and salvaged control arms with the spacer loosely installed. It illustrates again how the previous installer had cut way too much!

And, finally, here it is installed on the 4Runner.