Control Your Motion - Replacing Upper Control Arms on a 1997 Jeep Wrangler TJ

[@CarbonsDIYGarage]

Check out the video description for extra info, parts, tools, torques, and any updates.

[@bombdiggitydave3881]

Firrst of all, thanks for the video log of your disassembly and reassembly. A few nuggets of help I hadn't seen before. You mentioned you had trouble with the final upper control arm install? Q: did you tighten up the other side upper 2 bolts and nuts before or after you got the final side reassembled. Could likely be that you bound up the control arms and bushings. If you ever do this again, set the jeep back down under load and then tighten and torque to spec. It will be easier. You may want to go back and re-torque all front and rear control arms under load after 100-200 or so miles, especially if you didn't use any blue lock tight on threads. YMMV

[@CarbonsDIYGarage]

Thanks for the comments! I did the driver side and torqued it up because it was about 4 weeks before I got back to do the passenger side. I didn’t loosen the driver side before working on the passenger side. That may very well have made a difference! Good call on checking the torque on the four bolts. I’ll probably loosen all four and retorque to make sure they’re not binding. Thanks for the feedback!

[@hubertvecht7255]

Jack up the front end to relieve pressure and adjust control arms

[@adruancruz955]

I did mine on my Dad’s 99TJ…. Lots of work yes, but I no longer have the wobble, great video thanks

[@logeo1992]

Thanks so much for the instructional video. What you shared was clear and concise and helped me change out my upper control arms. One trick that I used to help with removing the front bolts with the flag nuts, was to actually remove the flag nut from the head of the bolt. The bolt head had enough purchase to allow me to use 2 ratchets with 15mm sockets to remove the nut from the bolt. Both the front bolts had the flag nut spin when I tried to remove the nut, so I figured if i removed the flag nut, then I could grasp both parts of the bolt. It worked like a charm. Anyway, thanks again for the great video!

[@CarbonsDIYGarage]

@@logeo1992 Thanks for the feedback and for watching. Great comments, thanks!

[@Static_1010]

I used a balljoint press to knock the centers out and an airhammer to crumple the sleeve and rest of the rubber i might have gotten lucky but was done in about 10 min. We dont have many rust issues here in sw washington though that damn johnny joint went in haaaard though i bruised my hand on the ratchet handle was the longest part of the process because i kept thinking it was seated and wasnt there yet

[@CarbonsDIYGarage]

Air tools definitely come in handy if you have them! Thanks for watching.

[@stevegmag]

I wedged and locked a pair of needle nose vice grips on the control arm edge to stop the hook-flag-nut thingy from spinning.

[@CarbonsDIYGarage]

Great way to hold it! I wish I had some. Thanks for watching, Steven.

[@BerniesBastelBude]

mission accomplished with fire & ice !

[@CarbonsDIYGarage]

Yay! Congrats!

[@Soothsayer-rs5nb]

PB plaster then bring the heat… stuff falls alert like butter !

[@CarbonsDIYGarage]

Couldn't agree more. As I've done more and more work on this Jeep I've turned to Blaster, heat, and gentle turns/nudges as my go-to. Thanks for watching!

[@Soothsayer-rs5nb]

I’ve done a few…. Freezing definitely helps !

[@butchs2337]

i just asked that question, thanks for the info, i did that a long time ago on a wraist pin for a piston, froze the pin and heated the piston and it fell right in, people would be amazed how much metal expands and shrinks, thanks again, i even thought about getting a small amount of dry ice and once i take the bushing out of the freezer put in a box with the dry ice to get it to the car to keep it frozen as long as possible

[@garypiont6114]

Yikes!

[@MrRoundel]

Yeah, those axle side bushings are buggers. Watching these videos is why I kept my eye out for the special Miller or Kent Moore tool that was made to push these buggers in and out. It was well worth it so I didn't have to spend as much time on the ground fighting with the bushing. I still have the passenger side to do before I get my Jeep aligned. And even with the special tool I can't say I'm looking forward to it. Cheers.

[@CarbonsDIYGarage]

It's definitely one of those "I hope I never have to do this again" projects... Thanks for watching!

[@geologyrocksOSU]

Could you elaborate on where you connected your straps at around the 18 min mark Were the other ends on the frame? I’m having the same issue. I’d like to orientate my straps using the same angles you had so I can get that front bolt aligned.

[@CarbonsDIYGarage]

Gosh, I really ought to have shown how I had the other ends of the straps setup. Apologies for not doing that. I had them all hooked to the transfer case skid plate. I think 1 or 2 of them in the holes in the bottom of the skid plate and at least one on the rear edge of the skid plate. The key was using the skid plate as a secure connection to the frame. I hope that helps and good luck on yours, Adam. Thanks for watching.

[@mikespine1]

Nice video: I wish I could stay as calm as you when I'm frustrated.

[@CarbonsDIYGarage]

Thanks, Mike, and thanks for watching. I’m sure there was some judicious editing in there as well… :) This TJ is definitely a patience tester.

[@robertthrem3382]

I have the right press for the job

[@ggordonliddy7442]

ahh, the old craftsman socket wrench, memories.

[@CarbonsDIYGarage]

That thing is a beast - takes beatings without giving me any grief. Love it! Thanks for watching.

[@pujo28]

Just did my lower ones on my 2001 TJ. They looked original. 1 bolt was frozen. Lots of pb blaster. 30 seconds with the torch n kept repeating till it broke free. But it fought me most of the way. I kept kitting it with pb blaster every quarter turn. About to start the uppers. What fun

[@CarbonsDIYGarage]

The "fun" of the torture of these TJs... Glad you were able to get the bolt out eventually. These lower control arms (the bushings, especially) are no joke. Thanks for watching, Jake.

[@pujo28]

@@CarbonsDIYGarage ya what a pain. Problem I’m having is with the flag bolt on drivers side upper arm. Can’t get a grip on it. Gonna try drilling a hole thru the arm into bushing n leave bit in place as a stop so flag doesn’t spin. I’m replacing bushing anyway. First I’ll try grabbing the flag from the other side with vice grips. Seems like trying to grab the shorter side is very hard. Or I’ll dimple the old control arm to get a better grip on flag. Tomorrows job

[@CarbonsDIYGarage]

@@pujo28 Oh yeah, I feel ya on those piece of crap flag nuts. That took a lot of time and effort for me as well. They essentially do the opposite job of what they’re supposed to! Good luck.

[@Floridabreeze2]

You hold the flags with vicegrips pro tip

[@CarbonsDIYGarage]

Good tip - I totally agree. I couldn't get the only pair I had to work for me in that space, but it definitely would have made life easier. Thanks for watching and for the tip!

[@butchs2337]

i had the same idea of putting the bushing in the freezer and heat up the bore where the bushing goes, how did that work out for you freezing the bushing?

[@CarbonsDIYGarage]

To be honest, it didn't seem to make a difference but others have commented that it really helps. It can't hurt, that's for sure. I was also able to use the ball joint press to get the bushings in place, which made a big difference. Thanks for watching, Butch.

[@butchs2337]

@@CarbonsDIYGarage i will be doing my 1995 jeep grand cherokee soon 2x4 and have watched many videos on youtube before i get into it, i wish i had an air compressor that looks like the easy way to get the bushings out, and Advance auto has a press so that will help a lot, thanks for the reply, have a great day, the way i am looking at it, it does matter how long it takes me to change the up and lower control arms it will save me a lot of money doing them yourself at the rate a garage charges now a days, 260,000 miles and the car is very little i think

[@CarbonsDIYGarage]

@@butchs2337 Sounds like a fun (ok, maybe Type 2 fun) project. Good luck!

[@rickdel73]

Great Video.... Thank you!!

[@CarbonsDIYGarage]

Thanks for watching!

[@DblClkThatShi]

will a torch help with this?

[@CarbonsDIYGarage]

It depends on what "this" you're referring to. If it's getting nuts and bolts loose, that can usually help. If it's heating the frame or bracket up in order to get them to expand and the bushing come out more easily, that might work. It might take a lot of heat to make it happen and you'd probably end up burning/melting some of the bushing, but it might prove helpful - I don't think I tried it. If you mean flat out just burning the bushing out, I believe there are videos where people did that but to me it would just be a huge, stinking mess and not something I'd want to do.

[@psychosysqo]

You have a lift on it?

[@CarbonsDIYGarage]

Yes, a 2.5” suspension lift. kzbin.info/www/bejne/ennLh6KQq7hrlZo

[@Manandmachine772]

Great info Ed. I will be replacing mine next year.

[@CarbonsDIYGarage]

Thanks for watching, Carl, and good luck with yours - I hope your bolts are non-seized like mine were.

[@Manandmachine772]

@@CarbonsDIYGarage Thanks, will probably need it. as per our previous conversations re: my 00 TJ I am finishing up my frame repair and trying to get it finished up before winter sets in but it’s not looking good. With the wind makes it tough to work outside

[@ForceBuilt]

Job well done Ed!

[@CarbonsDIYGarage]

Thanks, Steve! Been a year owing TDSR now and the stuff on the underside is almost done…

[@kurtnulf3362]

I have a system that if you replace a part on the jeep you upgrade that part .You replaced the control arms with the same cheap stamped steel part .Yes you did waste your time

[@CarbonsDIYGarage]

From your approach, you're absolutely right. For my approach, I don't have a desire to make this baby stronger, better, or taller. It's not going to be an offroad rig and it's likely not got too many years left on the road. It's also only going to be a Daily Driver in our family for another year or so. Thus, I invested in it what I needed to in order to regain some stability and to rule out some issues I've been having. I appreciate your input and feedback. It shows how Jeeps are so adaptable and upgradeable that everyone can make them uniquely their own - something much harder to do with nearly any other vehicle type out there.

[@georgeparker555]

That’s “your” system doesn’t mean everyone has to do the same

[@garymartin1147]

His bushings failed not his control arms so for what this Jeep is used for, the stock parts are fine.