Jeep Upper Control Arm & Bushing Replacement

[@OutJeeping]

Update! Don't buy the cheap bushings because mine have failed after 3 years. Buy something decent like Moog K3166.

[@toddgore2289]

Im confused on part #. Are you sure Moog K3166 fit Cherokee XJ? Rockauto and Amazon seem to call for K3128?

[@OutJeeping]

@toddgore2289 They will recommend the other part number. Both will fit, but K3166 will hold the bolt better in the ID. K3128 will be a looser fit for the bolt, so more chances of having play. Not sure why they made 2 differect ones. K3166 are for Jeep TJ's which is the same dana 30 axle as the XJ's.

[@alangrant5278]

I did this exact thing last night. I always wire brush the rust off the threads on the nut side and then a bit of wd40. And wiggle the nut anticlockwise then clockwise to grind up the rust inside the threads. Didn’t need any heat this time. 😊

[@Raiz48]

This is the only channel i see every single parts on XJ changing videos in a raw. keep it up

[@Alpha-ms9nj]

I'm on day 2 of my 94 ZJ front suspension job. I put the new axle bushings in the freezer for 2 a few hrs while I cleaned up the rust on the axle bushing slot, still had to use a BJ press to get it to seat all the way. Bolts were soaking overnight with PB Blaster and came out fine by hand. The axle bushing bolt side are a t-50 head on mine smh. I used an air chisel and popped the bushing right out. Got stuck on what to do to line up the UCA bolt as well and found this video. Thanks for showing how you accomplished that with ratchet straps and finagling things. Looks like I gotta go get some of those straps now. What a PITA, the hole is only like 3/16 off and the Dana 30 can not be moved by anything I have on hand.Thanks for your videos and camera work they are very helpful.

[@OutJeeping]

Glad I could help. Yeah as I know the TJ and ZJ upper control arm bolts used a torx end for some reason.

[@TheWalz15]

OutJeeping videos are why I exist!

[@OutJeeping]

I must bring a whole new purpose of life.

[@ryanellis5902]

Omg.. bro, very impressive getting this job done without removing the coil springs! My lift kit came with new lower control arms, but the upper ones were still OEM. I was experiencing a little bit of wander in the front end and I had literally replaced all of the steering and suspension components, except for the UCA's and bushings.. so, that's what we tackled this weekend and it was a doozy, lol. Definitely need the ball-joint press and a good impact gun, but we had to take the springs out to get enough room for the press. Anyways, love your jeep videos and keep up the good work!

[@lavachemist]

The Axle bushings are easier to remove if you use an air hammer. It's a cheap tool at harbor freight and made the job way easier for me.

[@donaldcefailjr4501]

Taking a break from day 2 of the heat and frustration of upper control arm replacement on my '99 GCL. Appreciate the great video. I will implement your techniques for alignment.

[@paultrendell4232]

Thank you so much for this video, it is exactly what I was looking for. You gave every bit of detail needed, thanks again.

[@jameswest9802]

Great video, it was much appreciated. To get the upper control arm to line up I used a come-along anchored at the cross member to pull that back and allow the bolt to run through the control arm and bushing. I had the opposite problem with the lower control arm, it was too far back. I used a scissor jack and a 2x4 against that same cross member to rotate the axle enough for the holes to line up.

[@Joeshomegarage]

I think I'm just going to change the lowers for now! LOL Everything on my 96 grand cherokee has to be cut, torched or pressed off it's killing this old man! Thanks for the video very helpful

[@michelantoniomorin2201]

My control arms need replacing very helpful video Austin thank you

[@Aliholic]

God bless you! Love the concise but detailed explanations. Wish there axle bushing removal process was shown (at least highlights) as this is the biggest part that's preventing me from doing this on my own, but I can totally understand why they aren't - trimming down an hour long process in a few seconds has got to bee annoying. Thank you!

[@peterruppert7856]

1st off... thank you so much for this video... i'm about to embark on this arduous journey... you helped set my expectations. You helped in many ways. I really appreciate this. It's a great video! I only wish you included some of the cursing... hehe jk jk. I know I will be cursing! You sounded so calm and chill the whole time. I need to be more like you!!! :)

[@bluesriot2]

lol i was thinking the same thing, where is all the cussing and swearing , but for real thanks for all the handy do's and don'ts , great vid !!!

[@Deadbuck73]

Good video... don’t know if I need them but being as the car is 21 years old I’m guessing eventually I’ll need em! Edit: still haven’t done em… but I’m thinking about it!

[@MsJOEL29]

Oh man I was replacing those parts on my 2000 Jeep and yes you have to align those holes to be able to put in the screw. Instead of using straps I just put the tires back and then push the passenger tire against the front piece of cement in front of the parking space. And that solve my problem. Hope it helps.

[@run2thefight]

Man you have the patience of Job!

[@hayzersolar]

your video on ball joints i bought the ball joint press you used. Man this is one heavy press it weights about 16 pounds.felt sorry for my mail lady i had to give her a tip.havent use it yet but soon. I have a 96 xj so a lot of work.

[@genebowen497]

You need a bigger shop but I love yer videos, very informative and easy to follow...thanks bud

[@alangrant5278]

I had the same issue lining up the holes on the axle and arm. I put a jack under the spring which sits forward of the mount so I turned the axle too back a bit enough to get the bolt thru😊

[@johnjoseph4003]

You can put the jack under the stabilizer mount on the axle and it will twist the axle so you can align the bolt holes. It won't damage the mount.

[@dg98adams]

I have put several sets of bushings into sheetmetal arms/mounts… cut some pipe to put between to to act San spacers when pressing or hammering it home.

[@brentdutcher2875]

Good job man, that's the only thing I didn't replace on the front end of my xj. That's one job I will pay to have done. 👍

[@Deadbuck73]

I was thinking the same thing...

[@keyiontraylor606]

I have a 96 jeep xj that needs this done but after watching it looks like to much trouble to go thru lol im a mechanic but i think I'll have someone else do the labor !🤦🏾‍♂️🤣

[@hammerdick82]

Its a detailed job but really not difficult. Getting the exhaust manifold off and on is far worse than this

[@gasperajdnik5627]

Good Job 👍

[@swatscorner]

Was thinking of doing this soon - bought the bushings and UCAs, but now I am not so sure. Looked hard to get the axle bushing out!! Thanks for making this!!

[@scubasmith]

Great job.

[@nalgene247]

Interesting. The passenger side axle bracket is a single solid cast piece like the drivers side on my '91.

[@OutJeeping]

Yup they were more solid on earlier Dana 30's.

[@gregorysweeney3961]

Many Thanks for the how to video

[@banzaiib]

I love rock auto

[@johnjoseph4003]

You can put your bushings in the freezer and they will shrink up a bit to make it easier to install.

[@OutJeeping]

i tried that before but not much luck

[@ronrisley4370]

Thanks man, it really helped 👍

[@andrewmiller6672]

Holy hell, this job looked more annoying as it went on. I have upper control arms sitting in my shop waiting to go on. They may wait a little longer.

[@FreeznOffRoad]

Nice, I have a 6in lift on my XJ...no slip yoke aliminator yet...how do you think it will do? I'v dropped the transfer case 1in.

[@OutJeeping]

Every Jeep is different, normally over 3 in you want to use an Sye but I have seen people just use transfer case drop and got away with it. If you are not experiencing driveshaft vibrations then you can roll with it.

[@FreeznOffRoad]

@@OutJeeping Cool!

[@patrickmurphy2590]

Are both the the bushings you got from rockauto for the axle side? Like is the kit of just the axle side bushings? Also your videos are VERY HELPFUL thank you for the work you put into them!

[@OutJeeping]

If I am not mistaken, I believe that both the axle side and frame side bushings are the same size, so you can use both for the axle or frame side. The frame side is pressed into the control arms so it may be easier to just order new upper control arms since they are cheap enough.

[@galvintheonly7048]

My old bushing just fell out.. went to put the new one in on the passenger side and the hole isn’t snug :( do I need a new bracket welded on??

[@OutJeeping]

For the passenger side axle bracket it is pretty thin sheet metal for the later year XJ's. If the bushing doesn't fit snug anymore you can get away with tack welding the new bushing to the bracket in a few spots to hold it in place.

[@galvintheonly7048]

@@OutJeeping hey thanks!! Yah that did the trick, the bracket isn’t bent or anything just a worn port on my limited 92 :)) appreciate the advice

[@danhambrick6331]

Nice job Austin.Are you going to keep this one all stock?

[@OutJeeping]

For now yes, I'm using it as my winter daily driver. I have been debating on putting a small lift on it but the body is pretty rusty and would need alot of work to make it look clean again. But the frame is still solid, so I'm indecisive on what I'm going to do with it.

[@AT-yo9er]

Nice video!

[@erichimes3062]

I did all four arms on my ‘96 Xj- was kind of a bitch. It’ll help to soak them with penetrating oil well in advance of the job. Put the new ones in the freezer (if you are reusing same arms)before pressing them in✅ I advise against using polyurethane bushings-WAY to unforgiving with vibration. Stick with OEM.

[@charlespayne2002]

Could you use the torch to melt out the old bushings?

[@OutJeeping]

For the rubber yes, it would smoke a lot. The metal sleeve would still be in there though.

[@jessemaier8681]

What led you to change these items? Just wondering.

[@OutJeeping]

The jeep had 300k plus miles and the bushings were dried out and cracked.

[@jeremys.4423]

How have the SKP control arms held up? I'm curious about them.

[@OutJeeping]

So far so good, still holding up fine.

[@pertjacanape]

Thanks for making this, Austin. On a scale of 1-10, how much did this job tighten up the Jeep's front end?

[@OutJeeping]

I'd say a good 6/10. It all varies across every jeep as bushings where different and some things may be newer then others. I've got everything replaced in the front end now so it drives pretty good with no wobbles.

[@pertjacanape]

@@OutJeeping Roger that. Thank you.

[@wesdog8975]

Instead of a file, how about Emory Cloth/Sand Paper perhaps to clean off the rust?

[@OutJeeping]

That would work as well, I didn't have any at the time.

[@woodsnwater28]

Hey man could u reply today if u get this comment id appreciate it, I welded in new lower control arm mounts the after market ones that are heavy duty on my XJ dana 30 axle hopefully you respond before I create a mess lol, how do I make sure the pivot of the axle us center and the degree us correct on my pin ion yoke? and how do I get the axle back center since these new lower mounts have adjustment in them ??

[@wilsongulick4608]

Question: I'm considering this job. I have this freaking annoying popping sound coming from the front end under various circumstances including certain turns and bumps and I've been trying to chase it down for months. Long story short, I've replaced the tie rod, drag link, ball joints, sway bar end links and hubs and it's still happening. At this point I'm down to control arms and sway bar bushings. It's a 1997 with 150K miles but dry rot's a thing so... general thoughts?

[@OutJeeping]

Could very well be the control arm bushings or track bar joints. If it pops while turning I would have someone turn the wheel while you look under at all the joints to see it if any are moving or have play.

[@deegaw11]

How can I tell if they need to be replaced? Bought mine a year ago with about 200k so not sure if they’ve been replaced but my front end and steering doesn’t feel loose.

[@OutJeeping]

If the bolt is not centered in the bushing or the rubber is aged and cracked would be a good sign that it's worn out. If it's original i would recommend replacing them.

[@deegaw11]

@@OutJeeping not sure if they’re original, I’ll have to check and see. Also I replaced my motor mounts the other day and had to jack up the motor a inch or 2 to get the bolt through the mount. Now my alignment feels off and my steering feels loose. Can I possibly messed something up? My steering was always nice and tight but now it feels sloppy.

[@OutJeeping]

@deegaw11 Where did you jack up the motor from. Is it possible something hit or moved your steering linkage or track bar. Best bet is to turn the steering wheel back and forth as someone checks for play in all the bushings and joints.

[@deegaw11]

@@OutJeeping I jacked it up with a plywood on the bell housing. The plywood did crack so I’m not sure if it hit the track bar or the steering linkage.

[@zap...]

Should the bushing be replaced? How to tell if bushing is bad?

[@OutJeeping]

Any signs of age from cracking or splitting in the rubber.

[@JPGenergy]

My upper bolt isn’t moving and it was rounded off when the shop installed the UCA’s. Lower bolt had to be cut and is still in there on one side. Any ideas?

[@OutJeeping]

Sounds like the upper bolt needs to be cut and replaced.

[@JPGenergy]

@@OutJeeping it was on a jeep that was unfortunately going to the junkyard due to a rear end collision. I wanted to take as many of the aftermarket and problem prone parts as I could for the 2000 that replaced it. Here’s one for you though: no heat or air in the new 2000. Replaced the hvac switch, blower motor resistor, relay, blower motor itself, the connector for it, fixed every vacuum line I could that was broken, nothing. Any ideas?

[@ky0611]

What strength were the bolts?

[@OutJeeping]

They were metric grade 10.9 which is equivalent to a grade 8.

[@vtag194]

I replaced my sway bar link bushing my sway bar links and my rotors and my brakes and got brand new tires And when I apply my brakes or hit a pot hole or go onto the rumble strip my vechile starts to shake with vibration and shudder has anyone had this to happen to them this is on a 98 jeep cherokee

[@lufcbrice]

does the jeep need to be lifted to do this?

[@OutJeeping]

No it doesn't. The Jeep in the video had stock suspension at the time.

[@lufcbrice]

@@OutJeeping i mean does it need jacking up to replace the upper control arm bushings? my jeep has a 3 inch lift and i want to attempt to do these myself, just dont have a jack or stands

[@cherryoakieyyc3546]

Put your bushing in the freezer the night before..makes for easier install

[@matthart24]

Man this job is a bitch to do. Axle side bushings gave me quite the fight, even with an air hammer and chisel w/ a BFH 🤦‍♂️

[@josieoropeza7739]

lol I guess we must get creative. I’m dealing with this right now :)

[@OutJeeping]

There is a special tool that works perfect for this job, unfortunately I found that out after the video.

[@tartopom2669]

@@OutJeeping hey, if you have the link for the tool I'll be glad ;)

[@teddiazjr.6223]

SiZe of the bolts please Their discontinued and I rather replace them

[@OutJeeping]

M14x120mm I believe. You can get them at Mcmaster Carr, Fastenal, Grainger etc.

[@teddiazjr.6223]

@@OutJeeping I’m replacing all four arms and bushings. Will I need 6x bolts and nuts and two for the alignment?

[@OutJeeping]

@@teddiazjr.6223 Actually I take that back, all lower control arm bolt s are M14x2.0x120mm and all Upper bolts are M10x1.5 75MM. You will need 4 of each with nuts.

[@teddiazjr.6223]

@@OutJeeping thx for the reply. We appreciate it

[@Humorem15]

whats the spec on the bolts you used (M10x80mm), but are those G8 or equivalent?

[@OutJeeping]

Either metric class 10.9-12.9 which is equivalent to a Grade 8 or greater.

[@frankm8516]

Hey, I have an easier way to do this. Lmk if you want me to explain.

[@michaelcalderon4401]

How lol

[@OutJeeping]

I'm all ears.

[@salvadorcastro707]

It is going to brake just get ajustable control arms

[@OutJeeping]

This Jeep is staying stock.

[@michalkorn5529]

You don't have to TARC down your wheel

[@OutJeeping]

TARC?

[@Soothsayer-rs5nb]

"You can go ahead and" freeze the bushings in your freezer overnight and they slide right in the next morning.

[@plsniper]

Should I be doing this shit by myself?!

[@OutJeeping]

It's all up to you, I was able to do it comfortably with my skill set.

[@rickysoffroadrecovery]

I'm not looking forward to it

[@dannystenros6129]

Let me tell you, having a life’s Jeep didn’t help much! 😂 this process just sucks!

[@AlienRestoMod]

Great job.