Torque Front lower control arm

[ShadowsPapa]

Get metal cloak (or rock crawler adevnture or teraflex or) arms, then you can torque in the air, on the ground, up a tree, down a ravine, under water, upside down doesn't matter since the bushing rotates within the housing if it binds.

Edit: you can also torque with a goat, in a moat, wearing a coat, or towing a boat, just in case you were wondering about any of those situations.

Will give you more extreme flex and articulation as well.

Looks like people are getting hung up over 0.125" and if that's the case, they need to run their truck until the fuel tank is at exactly half full and put someone in the driver's seat when they torque things down.

The cat in the hat knows a lot about that............

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[redriderjf87]

If the front is on stands, and the rear isn’t, the angles of gravity change the force on the springs. Just like going up a hill or over an obstacle. It’s fine if both axles are on stands, but then you’ve done more work then is necessary. It’s just easy to leave them loose, lower it, then tighten. Done. I replaced two control arms yesterday. No jacks needed. Left it on the ground. Super easy.

I won't do the math right now, but I can't see raising the front on stands a few inches, causing that much of a difference. Especially if that extra clearance is needed for someone in their situation to get proper torque applied

In fairness, I tightened mine sitting on the ground as well.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I won't do the math right now, but I can't see raising the front on stands a few inches, causing that much of a difference.

In fairness, I tightened mine sitting on the ground as well.

If someone is that concerned, or needing to raise it a LOT, then raise the rear as well. Takes a whopping 3 minutes to rise the rear assuming your truck and jack and stands are in the same building.

I tightened uppers with it on stands and the front ends of the lowers while it was on stands, rear bolts for the lowers after it was on the ground (because it was actually easier the way I did it)

 

[WILDHOBO]

Get metal cloak (or rock crawler adevnture or teraflex or) arms, then you can torque in the air, on the ground, up a tree, down a ravine, under water, upside down doesn't matter since the bushing rotates within the housing if it binds.

Edit: you can also torque with a goat, in a moat, wearing a coat, or towing a boat, just in case you were wondering about any of those situations.

Pretty much any control arms with Johnny joints on both ends. I prefer only one adjustable end though. For me it’s a nice compromise to make on road driving closer to stock if the axle end is solid.

 

[bleda2002]

Pretty much any control arms with Johnny joints on both ends. I prefer only one adjustable end though. For me it’s a nice compromise to make on road driving closer to stock if the axle end is solid.

None of those are Johnny joints, they're all dual durometer rubber/elastomer bushings with OEM nvh but jj flex, and at least the MC and RK joints are basically maintenance free and replaceable with out a press

 

[WILDHOBO]

None of those are Johnny joints, they're all dual durometer rubber/elastomer bushings with OEM nvh but jj flex, and at least the MC and RK joints are basically maintenance free and replaceable with out a press

No kidding. Cool. Mine are rubber/steel sleeve on the axle end, similar to oem, and 2” greasable Johnny joint on the adjustable frame side.

 

[Jimko71]

Depends on your age, weight and health.

Besides, I know it's the same. Why? Because I just proved it - you can look around the forum as I am sure I've posted the numbers from after my last spring swap.
The truck settled to about 22.75" to 22.625" depending on fuel, whether or not I jounce the front by shoving down on the front bumper a few times, or whatever, but it's almost always in that range.
So, I put it on stands - just the front.
I made sure the stands were on a semi-level part of the garage floor (it slopes for drainage, but not toward the drain these days LOL)
A stand under each end of the front axle, with the exact same number of "notches" showing on each end.
I then measured from the center of each hub to the fender flare to the exact same place on the black trim that I always measure to and guess what I got........ yeah, the same numbers as above.
I let it down again - took it off the stands, jounced it again, and measured again. Within 1/8" of the original measurements. And that 1/8" can be just how the thing settles. Jounce it again and it might be almost 1/8" different.
Anyway, 22.75" with tires on the floor, 22.75" with axle on the stands (oh, I did jounce it once I got it on the stands!)

Left side - count the notches -

Right side - count the notches - (so the axle was supported evenly on each end)

So why did I do this? Because it took a whopping 5 minutes. And I could have done the rear in less time as I can jack it up more in the center and slip stands under it in less time.

So in less than 10 minutes, you can have more room to work and tighten those bolts to specs.

At 200 pounds (mostly belly, it used to be shoulders and upper arm muscles but those days are gone. I could lift an engine block onto my bench - a cast iron engine block and lower a transmission without a jack) and with arthritis, and having had my left bicep reattached to the bone a few years ago, I can no longer kill grizzly bears with my bare hands and need a bit more space to work.
Jacks well placed under the front will get you where you need to be for torquing those bolts and if you feel that it's off by .125" then raise the rear a bit. But if you don't lift the front end 6", there won't be appreciable weight shift to mess things up. It's weight shift that's the one and only reason the suspension could be compressed or RELAXED if you raise the front only. The weight shifts to the rear of the truck lightening up the front a bit. The higher you lift the front only, the more weight shifts to the rear causing the front to be lighter. Raise it just enough, and the weight shift is minimal. Like in my example above - it didn't change my measurements at all. And if you are concerned about 1/8" - keep in mind things settle, or relax, at least that much depending on the fuel you have or your own weight in the truck. So don't get crazed over .125"

Bill, were the tires still on the ground when you did this?

 

[Pescatoral Pursuit]

Finally got a rhythm down after several lift mods though now 40s and 6" lift help with room.

Nuts to the inside, bolts to the outside
Deepwell socket on a long torque wrench.
Situate yourself perpendicular to the control arms. You'll be pushing up two from the chest, and pulling down two from the chest.
Duck soup.

 

[Jimko71]

Finally got a rhythm down after several lift mods though now 40s and 6" lift help with room.

Nuts to the inside, bolts to the outside
Deepwell socket on a long torque wrench.
Situate yourself perpendicular to the control arms. You'll be pushing up two from the chest, and pulling down two from the chest.
Duck soup.

Ok so doable on the ground then. Was just thinking of using @ShadowsPapa method but could not tell from the pics if the tires were still touching the ground or not.

 

[Pescatoral Pursuit]

Ok so doable on the ground then. Was just thinking of using @ShadowsPapa method but could not tell from the pics if the tires were still touching the ground or not.

Yes n my case I can use a creeper. Expect to only be able to tighten a click or two on the rachet at a time so get a running start with the impact gun.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Bill, were the tires still on the ground when you did this?

Yes. Weight of the truck on the tires - which were on the floor.

I should take a couple of pictures of how I did it........... It's really easy doing it standing up.

 

[Jimko71]

This may be a dumb question but I’ll ask it anyway- if I decide not to install the front spacer lift would I still gain any benefit by still installing the Mopar LCAs over the stock LCAs?

 

[Pescatoral Pursuit]

This may be a dumb question but I’ll ask it anyway- if I decide not to install the front spacer lift would I still gain any benefit by still installing the Mopar LCAs over the stock LCAs?

No. You'll likely add caster angle beyond what's necessary for a smooth controlled ride and that will likely add up to premature tire and steering component wear.

If the part number ends in AB they are the stock (no lift) factory CA whether you bought them after the fact or they came on your truck.
If they end in AA they're The Mopar CA for a 2" lift and are about ¼" longer than the ones your Jeep came with.

 

[Jimko71]

No. You'll likely add caster angle beyond what's necessary for a smooth controlled ride and that will likely add up to premature tire and steering component wear.

If the part number ends in AB they are the stock (no lift) factory CA whether you bought them after the fact or they came on your truck.
If they end in AB they're The Mopar CA for a 2" lift and are about ¼" longer than the ones your Jeep came with.

They end in AA, not AB. They are for the 2 inch lift. I’ll just hold onto them in case I go with a level down the road.

thanks again!


Mopar Front Lower Control Arm
Part Number: 68322798AA
The authentic Mopar Front Lower Control Arms from AllMoparParts are originally found in the Wrangler JL & Gladiator JT lift kits. These components are longer than the factory stock arms.

• Sold individually (2 required)

 

[Pescatoral Pursuit]

They end in AA, not AB. They are for the 2 inch lift. I’ll just hold onto them in case I go with a level down the road.

thanks again!


Mopar Front Lower Control Arm
Part Number: 68322798AA
The authentic Mopar Front Lower Control Arms from AllMoparParts are originally found in the Wrangler JL & Gladiator JT lift kits. These components are longer than the factory stock arms.

• Sold individually (2 required)

Glad you could read through my typo. Fixed it, thanks.

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