[searcherrr]

Ok guys, with your help I finally got the lower control arm out and the ball joint out of it.... the ticket was indeed removing that locking bolt that goes through the notched "KEYWAY". It came right out actually... after I'd had it sit in kroil a bit.. it just came out with ease.

The biggest problem I had with all this after that point was getting the damn lower control arm back in place. I and a friend fought with that thing like it was Rocky Balboa in the 1st and 2nd Rocky movies. Little did we realize till it was in all the way is that the front control arm connection point sits at a tilt instead of sitting straight. We had so much trouble with it that I have decided not to do the driver side one and just let the shop do it.

I know there must be some technique to getting it back in easily, but I couldn't figure it out and neither could my friend. Looking back now it would seem more helpful to use the pry bar pipe in the opposite direction "prying up" (instead of down like for the control arm ball joint removal) on the front control arm connection point with the bolt halfway through the hole and then once its aligned by the pry bar/pipe have someone push/turn the bolt the rest of the way through the other hole to get the nut on that really long bolt. Still it seems like it goes better in my head than it does in real life.

Unless ya'll can clarify an "EASY" procedure for me.. that would get the control arm back in place ... again easily.... I'm gonna let the shop do that and I will just do the sway bar links and the strut.

FYI - The quick struts went right in after I'd filed down the bottom welds.

So tomorrow I have the strut and link to do. I may/may not do the rear shocks myself since my compressor is still out (bad capacitor on it). Then I will put the wheels back on it and bring it to the shop on Monday.