Tightening lower control arms (vehicle, brake, tire, best)
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I replaced the LCAs on my 98 Altima a couple of years ago (aftermarket, rubber bushings) while the car was up on jackstands. I recently read in the factory manual that the suspension must (bold is Nissan's) be on the ground when you tighten them or they will wear out quickly. I'm not sure how to do this. Just loosen the bolts on the plate that holds the bushing on, pry out the bushing from the socket it sits it, grease with lithium grease and torque it back in place?
The part I'm not sure about is removing these LCA bolts with the car on top of me supported only by the suspension. I do want to be thinner, but still... How have other people done this?
You are supposed to install the control arms when the wheels are on the ground (or the car is on a lift that raises the car by the wheels, not the chassis.)
The reason for this is the control arms are a big part of getting your camber settings to spec. What you can do at home is to put the car on jackstands, and then take your jack and jack up the wheel and tire that you are working on so it is at normal level compared to the rest of the car.
My cars, I have two ramps that I drive up on that give me enough room to work on the suspension, but still have the car supported with the weight on the suspension.
I would leave it alone if I were you. If you are not experiencing premature tire wear, you're fine.
You are supposed to install the control arms when the wheels are on the ground (or the car is on a lift that raises the car by the wheels, not the chassis.)
The reason for this is the control arms are a big part of getting your camber settings to spec. What you can do at home is to put the car on jackstands, and then take your jack and jack up the wheel and tire that you are working on so it is at normal level compared to the rest of the car.
My cars, I have two ramps that I drive up on that give me enough room to work on the suspension, but still have the car supported with the weight on the suspension.
I would leave it alone if I were you. If you are not experiencing premature tire wear, you're fine.
I have room even without ramps because the car isn't that big. I can loosen the bolts just by reaching under. Sounds like the car is supported even with the the LCA bushing bolts removed because you drove it up on ramps.
You are supposed to install the control arms when the wheels are on the ground (or the car is on a lift that raises the car by the wheels, not the chassis.)
The reason for this is the control arms are a big part of getting your camber settings to spec. What you can do at home is to put the car on jackstands, and then take your jack and jack up the wheel and tire that you are working on so it is at normal level compared to the rest of the car.
My cars, I have two ramps that I drive up on that give me enough room to work on the suspension, but still have the car supported with the weight on the suspension.
I would leave it alone if I were you. If you are not experiencing premature tire wear, you're fine.
Actually in his scenario (concerning bushing wear) it has less to do with camber (or any alignment parameter) but rather the the amount of torque on the bushing material when the control arms pivot to their, at-rest (wheels on the ground), position. The bushings are meant to experience 0 torque at normal ride height. With the chassis raised and the wheels hanging, tightening bushings at this point would cause them to experience 0 torque at only this maximum suspension travel point. Therefore under normal ride height there is constant torque and below that, the torque exceeds design limits. Thus they wear out faster because you are subjecting them to frequent AND higher levels of torque through their lifetime. Alignment (particularly camber) could be affected if the opposing torque from the bushings was enough to overcome vehicle weight and keep the suspension raised above normal ride height.
The suggestion of driving ramps is probably the easiest solution if you cannot loosen, then re-tighten, the bushing bolts with the car simply parked without being raised. The BEST ways to do this are to place all 4 control arms/axles on stands then perform the loosen/re-tighten or find someone with a drive-on lift.
DO NOT GET UNDER THAT CAR AND REMOVE THE BOLTS! Removing the bolts with the weight ofthe car resting on the suspension will allow the strut/wheel etc to move outward and away from the vehicle and collapse. You only need to loosen the bolts, not remove them.
I replaced the LCAs on my 98 Altima a couple of years ago (aftermarket, rubber bushings) while the car was up on jackstands. I recently read in the factory manual that the suspension must (bold is Nissan's) be on the ground when you tighten them or they will wear out quickly. I'm not sure how to do this. Just loosen the bolts on the plate that holds the bushing on, pry out the bushing from the socket it sits it, grease with lithium grease and torque it back in place?
The part I'm not sure about is removing these LCA bolts with the car on top of me supported only by the suspension. I do want to be thinner, but still... How have other people done this?
The information about having the LCAs tightened when the car is "on the ground" is correct.
There are several ways to accomplish this. The easiest way is as follows:
Assuming you have a floor jack and jack stands (I hope you do), you get the front of the car up and resting on jackstands.
- Remove the front tires, then loosen the LCA mounting bolts.
- Place the floor jack under each brake rotor (one side at a time). Place a short 2x4 between the floor jack and rotor so that you don't risk damaging the rotor.
- Raise the floor jack that is under the rotor until the car "almost" starts coming off the jackstand.
- Tighten the LCA bolts.
- Repeat the same procedure on the other side.
The information about having the LCAs tightened when the car is "on the ground" is correct.
There are several ways to accomplish this. The easiest way is as follows:
Assuming you have a floor jack and jack stands (I hope you do), you get the front of the car up and resting on jackstands.
- Remove the front tires, then loosen the LCA mounting bolts.
- Place the floor jack under each brake rotor (one side at a time). Place a short 2x4 between the floor jack and rotor so that you don't risk damaging the rotor.
- Raise the floor jack that is under the rotor until the car "almost" starts coming off the jackstand.
- Tighten the LCA bolts.
- Repeat the same procedure on the other side.
Do the bushings need to be loose in their fittings for the stress to be adjusted? When I replaced the originals, the bushings had pretty much cemented to their fittings and didn't shift at all when I removed the bolts and I had to pry them out. I'm thinking I should pry them part way out of their sockets this time. Thanks to everyone for the advice.
Loosen the nut on the bolt and THEN move bolt head both directions, several times, to make sure the bushing assembly is at it's rested position. The bolt should move independent of the other components. The bushing itself, as an assembly should remain solid, no parts (inner/outer shell or material) should move independently of each other.
OP, if you decide to support the vehicle from brake rotor, be advised of few things, as I had that attempted before, for different purpose.
When you remove tires, you remove lug nuts. Lug nuts and wheel is what actually is securing rotor to the hub. Do you understand what I am telling you?
I was in a no choice situation and had to use 2 jacks, one to move LCA up/down and one to prevent rotor from moving in same direction. Use common sense. Rotor is ROUND. Plus, with securing it lug nuts removed, it wobbles at the lower most point. You have to be a magician to center jack just right and to do all this just right so that damn jack does not fall off, or rotor wobbles off it. You want to put your CAR WEIGHT onto something like this? As like I said - I HAVE DONE IT. I iffing KNOW what it takes and by far I would have never used rotor to jack entire side.
Dude, be safe and don't be un-wise. Go to Walmart. Walmart has set of ramps made out of some super dooper strong plastic, rated for something like 2 tons each, for like $20. Buy them, roll car on, do what you need - safely - and return them. Or keep them, as they are real good for low vehicles.
I spoke.
OP, if you decide to support the vehicle from brake rotor, be advised of few things, as I had that attempted before, for different purpose.
When you remove tires, you remove lug nuts. Lug nuts and wheel is what actually is securing rotor to the hub. Do you understand what I am telling you?
I was in a no choice situation and had to use 2 jacks, one to move LCA up/down and one to prevent rotor from moving in same direction. Use common sense. Rotor is ROUND. Plus, with securing it lug nuts removed, it wobbles at the lower most point. You have to be a magician to center jack just right and to do all this just right so that damn jack does not fall off, or rotor wobbles off it. You want to put your CAR WEIGHT onto something like this? As like I said - I HAVE DONE IT. I iffing KNOW what it takes and by far I would have never used rotor to jack entire side.
Dude, be safe and don't be un-wise. Go to Walmart. Walmart has set of ramps made out of some super dooper strong plastic, rated for something like 2 tons each, for like $20. Buy them, roll car on, do what you need - safely - and return them. Or keep them, as they are real good for low vehicles.
I spoke.
The rotor should not move around more than a few mm with the caliper still mounted. Why would you remove the caliper for LCA access?
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