Help with Lower Control Arm install. - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

DaiTT500 · 01-07-2014, 05:13 PM

I just put tein flex on my car and I don't have anything to adjust camber. Now I am looking into lower control arms and looking at installing it myself. I did a search and saw the youtube video of the installation and I feel it is simple.
My question is for those garage mechanics that do it at home, I understand in the install process, you have to bolt everything up and leave it loose until you lower the car. After you lower the car I understand you need to tightening the bolts and torque them down whole the car is on the ground on all 4 tires. How do you get under the car and tighten & torque everything down while the car is low. I can't imagine getting my body under the car and getting enough leverage to torque all the bolts down.
Does anyone have any suggestion on the best way to do it on the floor?

Propaganda · 01-07-2014, 06:11 PM

Try ramps? If that doesn't have enough height, put pieces of wood or metal plates on top of the ramps and jack the car up and drop it down on those

mwjcyber · 01-07-2014, 06:14 PM

I just did my LCA's last week, took about 40 minutes per side. It's four bolts to remove and reinstall, wasn't bad at all. And yes only moderately torque them until you have the wheels down and then tighten them to factory spec. There's a DIY thread on this in the DIY section.

As for how to get under the car with wheels on, something like this should work.
http://www.harborfreight.com/automot...ock-67722.html

DM7 · 01-08-2014, 04:09 AM

Support the rear of the car on 2 jack stands or the whole car on 4 jack stands. Use the floor jack to lift and load up the rear wheel you are tightening and torque all the necessary bolts.

Fizz · 01-08-2014, 11:16 AM

Drop the rear wheels on ramps if you have them, but also adjust/lower and leave the stands in place as a precaution. I wouldn't recommend placing anything on top of the ramps in case they slip (never take risks and never take anything for granted when it comes to working under a vehicle).

frslee · 01-08-2014, 11:36 AM

Like others said, I'd lower the car on blocks of wood, so you have enough room to crawl under and torque to spec.

Spartan65 · 01-08-2014, 11:56 AM

I would put the car on 4 jack stands then use a low profile floor jack to put load back on each corner individually by lifting the tire?

01-07-2014, 05:13 PM	#1
DaiTT500 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Drives: Posts: 190 Thanks: 21 Thanked 164 Times in 78 Posts Mentioned: 9 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Help with Lower Control Arm install. I just put tein flex on my car and I don't have anything to adjust camber. Now I am looking into lower control arms and looking at installing it myself. I did a search and saw the youtube video of the installation and I feel it is simple. My question is for those garage mechanics that do it at home, I understand in the install process, you have to bolt everything up and leave it loose until you lower the car. After you lower the car I understand you need to tightening the bolts and torque them down whole the car is on the ground on all 4 tires. How do you get under the car and tighten & torque everything down while the car is low. I can't imagine getting my body under the car and getting enough leverage to torque all the bolts down. Does anyone have any suggestion on the best way to do it on the floor? __________________

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01-07-2014, 06:11 PM	#2
Propaganda Diamonds & Cadillacs Join Date: Jul 2012 Drives: '13 fr-s, 1974 911s Location: Internet Posts: 392 Thanks: 162 Thanked 157 Times in 102 Posts Mentioned: 1 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Try ramps? If that doesn't have enough height, put pieces of wood or metal plates on top of the ramps and jack the car up and drop it down on those

01-07-2014, 06:14 PM	#3
mwjcyber Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Drives: 13' Subaru BRZ Limited SWP 6MT Location: Albuquerque, NM (5923 ft) Posts: 465 Thanks: 515 Thanked 307 Times in 170 Posts Mentioned: 1 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I just did my LCA's last week, took about 40 minutes per side. It's four bolts to remove and reinstall, wasn't bad at all. And yes only moderately torque them until you have the wheels down and then tighten them to factory spec. There's a DIY thread on this in the DIY section. As for how to get under the car with wheels on, something like this should work. http://www.harborfreight.com/automot...ock-67722.html

01-08-2014, 04:09 AM	#4
DM7 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Drives: '13 FR-S Argento Location: America's Hat Posts: 120 Thanks: 26 Thanked 110 Times in 60 Posts Mentioned: 4 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Support the rear of the car on 2 jack stands or the whole car on 4 jack stands. Use the floor jack to lift and load up the rear wheel you are tightening and torque all the necessary bolts.

01-08-2014, 11:16 AM	#5
Fizz Senior Addict Join Date: Jan 2013 Drives: 86 GT Location: Perth, Australia Posts: 1,217 Thanks: 249 Thanked 336 Times in 215 Posts Mentioned: 12 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Drop the rear wheels on ramps if you have them, but also adjust/lower and leave the stands in place as a precaution. I wouldn't recommend placing anything on top of the ramps in case they slip (never take risks and never take anything for granted when it comes to working under a vehicle).

01-08-2014, 11:36 AM	#6
frslee Just drive it Join Date: Mar 2013 Drives: 13' FR-S Location: Maryland Posts: 1,122 Thanks: 97 Thanked 321 Times in 218 Posts Mentioned: 10 Post(s) Tagged: 3 Thread(s)	Like others said, I'd lower the car on blocks of wood, so you have enough room to crawl under and torque to spec.

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