Hey all, can anyone help shed some light on how to remove the upper control arm on the passenger side of a 1994 4Runner A/T 4WD? I've got as many of the bolts as I could find soaking in penetrating fluid at the moment. I have also removed the ball joint connection and shock.

(1) What is the point of the torsion bar? Do I only need to unbolt the 2 bolts attaching the torsion bar the to UCA or are there more components of the torsion bar apparatus I need to take apart?

(2) There are 3 bolts on the top of the UCA. After removing the torsion bar connection and these 3 bolts will the UCA come loose? Or do I need to remove the nuts on the sides that keep the shaft in place?

 

Ive never done this job but there is the manual as a pdf at the top of this forum. It might be in there, although i cant say for sure.

 

you need to unload tension on the torsion bar spring at the adjuster. Unscrew the adjuster bolt and count the number of turns. Spay this bolt good with wd40 or whatever. Mark the ends of the bar on their corresponding mount points so you can replace in same spot, mine were blind.

 

I've never done this myself, but I can answer the first part of your question. The torsion bar is essentially the front's "spring". Like, newer cars, for example, have a spring over the shock, to support the front end? The torsion bar is the equivalent of the spring over the shock.
It's also what sets the height of the truck's front end. Being a trifle overweight myself, not grossly fat, just a bit more weight on my frame than I should have <ahem>, I adjusted the torsion bar on the driver's side of my pickup, so the truck rides level when I'm in it alone.
It was the vehicle I drove to/from work, an hour's drive each way, so I spent a lot of time in my truck alone, driving along the highway. It actually made the truck feel and steer better when I was in it, alone.
I think, to remove the Upper Suspension Arm, you need to unload and remove the torsion bar entirely. At least, that's the way I read the FSM. I might be wrong, though. I am not a suspension guy at all.

The bolts on the top of the upper suspension arm, the FSM shows that there are 4, are what holds the upper ball joint to the USA. So yeah, you definitely need to take those off.
If you mean the 3 bolts on the shaft the USA pivots on, yes, you need to remove those, AND the nut on each end.
I agree, you really should download the FSM for your truck, and use it. You can store it on your HD, and print out the pages you're going to need for any particular job. Then, when you get done, you can either put them in a binder for the next time you need to do a particular job, or just toss them, and print them again for the next time.

A side note, if I may, you might want to check the ball joints while you have it all apart. If they are even a little bit suspicious, definitely replace them. They are one of those things that are hard to just glance at and see if they are going bad, but you definitely don't want them to fail on you out on the highway. Once again, how to remove, install, and test them is all explained very well in the FSM.

Good fortune to you!
​​​​​​​Pat☺

 

I'd jack up the front end to take the load off the front suspension before turning the torsion adjusting bolt/nut. Especially when tightening it back up after control arm is installed.

 

Yes, sorry, I should have mentioned that. Definitely jack it up till the front tire is off the ground. It doesn't have to be way up in the air, but positively off the ground as you loosen the torsion bar off. Always, ALWAYS use jack stand(s) to support the truck's frame while you work on it. Never, ever, rely on just a jack to support it.
Jack it up, then lower it onto a jack stand to hold it in place. Never get any of you under the truck while it's on a jack. Set the jack stand in place, THEN jack it up. Extend the stand to where it's as close to holding the truck as possible, then lower it to the stand. Depending on how far the tire is off the ground when you lower it onto the stand, you may have to jack it up higher than "just off the ground" to get it to still be off the ground when you get done lowering it onto the jack stand.

I use what I call a "reacher/grabber" to reach under the truck and raise up the jack stand. One of those devices designed for <ahem> mature persons, with limited mobility, to get things off upper shelves, off the floor without having to bend over, stuff like that. Makes it possible to reach the jack stand without getting any part of me under the truck. I'm a coward. Sue me

As the saying goes on Dirty Jobs (appropriate here, huh?), "Safety Third!".

Good luck to ya!
Pat☺