Replacing control arm

[doctorhrdware]

97 GP SE, has around 165,919. I will be replacing the control arms, will it be better to wait to get the to get the wheel alignment done after I change the control arms. Does it matter if I have the alignment done before I change the control arms, and get a new set of tires.

[tblake]

yeah, hold off before you get an alignment. Change your control arms first, unless you want to pay for two alignments. After I changed my control arms, my alignment was so far off that my steering wheel wouldn't return to center on its own after making a turn.

[olopezm]

Tim is right, if you make an alignment before you replace them you'll need another one right after the replacement. Besides that the first alignment might not be accurate since you have a problem with the arms.

Best regards,

Oscar.

[doctorhrdware]

Thanks, Tim and Oscar, for your response to my question. That is what I thought, but I wanted to make sure that my assumption was correct. That will be a summer project, for my son and I. The cheapest price that I have found has been at Rockauto. The doorman's were like $65 dollar each. So I guess I will be ordering the control arms from Rockauto, unless someone can point me to another place on the web that is cheaper.

[00GTP4ME]

Is quality really a concern here at all? I mean they're just metal arms and rubber bushings, right? I'm thinking about going the same route as you doctor.

[olopezm]

I'm not sure about metal but bushings can get worn/rotted faster when the rubber is crappy. I might be wrong on this, but I've had problems before with cheap bushings on my lincoln.

There is one guy who says: "The quality will be remembered when the price is forgotten" of course that doesn't means you have to buy the most expensive they have, but you can do some research on the net.

Best regards,

Oscar.

[00GTP4ME]

Have you ordered yours yet, doctor? I think I'm going to order mine today.


Let me ask you guys your honest opinions. You get get Dormans for $65. $20 and you can get Moogs. $20 more again, and you can get Raybestos. Do you really think the extra $20 in each case is worth what you are getting in return?

[00GTP4ME]

Well I decided to go with the Moogs. They have greasable ball joints, which is cool!

[doctorhrdware]

Sorry I have been laid up with a really bad sinus infection, so have not been really paying attention to the replies. I also believe that the doorman's have the lower ball joint grease fitting on them also. I will be ordering the control arms from rockauto.

[00GTP4ME]

How in the world do you get these stinking sway bar links off?? You know that plastic center piece that goes between the sway bar and the control arm? Is that thing threaded to the bolt somehow? I have no clue how to get that off aside from just sawing everything apart. Tips? haha

[tblake]

Saw it apart. It just slides over the link, but the center gets rusty and makes it impossible to get apart. I just cut mine and replaced them.

[00GTP4ME]

Gosh dang that was frustrating. I partly expected everything to just crumble off, but when it looked in decent shape I thought it would be fairly easy. That stupid plastic sleeve drew a lot of cussing out of me. haha. But okay, if that's my only choice, I can just saw it off - I ordered some Moog links with the new arms so not a big deal I guess.

[tblake]

Yeah, that or grab a big sliding pliars or vice graps and clamp on the center plastic piece to break it. Do what you gotta do.

[00GTP4ME]

K. I'll probably let my 4" grinder with a cutting blade take care of it then. Piece of crap.

[00GTP4ME]

Anyone have torque specs for those control arm bolts and the ball joint/TRE castle nuts?