Lower control arms problem

[[Twitch]]

I just got a set of MM LCA for my 2001 GT.

Today, after 5 hours of work on my car, I've managed to do NOTHING

First, there was the parking brake cable, which was a hassle to get off(everything is stuck). Then I managed to take out the nut for the LCA bolt at the axle. I realised that it was stuck and I need to hammer it out a bit, but the brake dust shield and disck brake is blocking access to the bolt.

So I start by removing the caliper, then I realise the caliper is stuck on the disk(because I had to compress the parking brake mechanism to remove the cable)

I finaly managed to get the caliper off the disk, and the disk and dust shield. 3 hours have passed at this point.

Now, finally I have access to that LCA bolt. 2 hours of hammering later, I've manged to move the bolt 3/8 of and inch . I've come to realise that this is going to take a LONG time( 3 more LCA bolts). Now I'm really worried about the bolts in the torque boxes, there is no access to them and they might also be stuck..

Now I'm back home, the car is still at my shop, I haven't managed to install one damn MM LCA and I'm pissed and tired

Oh, it gets better now, tomorrow morning, I'm going to reinstall everyting back to stock and I'm going to try to install them again at the end of the month because I have finals all month

Anyone had these problems?

 

[topless98gt]

I hope I don't run into these problems when doing my suspension. Thanks for the lookout...sorry that I don't have any advice...yet...

 

[EPIK]

I dont remember the bottom bolts being that bad, its been a while though. You should loosen up the catback so that it hangs down to remove the upper bolts. The parking brake cable was a biotch, but it eventually came out. I had to use some pliers & pull back extremly hard on it while pushing the spring thingamajig forward & it came free. Dont give up so soon though, because when you get them on, u will love it. Sorry I couldnt be more help.

 

[BennyBlown2v]

Is your car particularly rusted from being in the snow and harsh weather or something? Get a MAPP gas torch at your local home improvement/hardware store, heat it up, that should help. Also, are you supporting the LCA with a floor jack when you are trying to do this, have you removed the spring yet? If you're not supporting with a jack it might just be mis-aligned and not wanting to come out, and if you still have the spring in then the spring will force the arm down and now allow the bolts to come out easily.

I HATE working on cars with rust-stuck stuff... I swapped an IRS into this guys car last summer, an 00 witho nly 40k miles on it...LITERALLY the brackets for the catback were rusted away...there WERE no brackets...but the exhaust was STUCK into the midipipe, air chisel wouldn't even separate the peices... So, to get it apart we had to JUMP on the tips LMAO.

 

[Stang|ess]

wasn't aware that anything had to be done with the parking brake. maybe that's why mine is making weird noises now.

anway, when I tried to remove mine I had the rear supported by the frame, front tires blocked, the nuts removed, but couldn't take the bolts out as well.

lOl frame lca frame

I used a screwdriver and hammer to get the bolt halfway out, but it was stuck between the inner frame, and lca. there was horizontal pressure on the bolt which is why its so damn hard to remove, at least for my car. vertical pressure is easily countered with a jack, but I had no idea how to deal with that, so I put everything back together.