Driver side upper control arm

I’m replacing the UCA on the drivers side of my 2003 Tacoma and there are some metal tubes from the engine in the way. I can’t fit a socket on the end with those there and I’m just wandering how people are able to work around this. I could use a wrench to get it loose but I’ll have trouble torquing it to the correct spec when I put on the new one. Please lmk if you know what to do.

 

Pics? On one side the airbag sensor is in the way, on the other it’s usually the air conditioning.

 

Ah ok, I don’t think I had a problem with sockets there. How deep are your sockets?

can you use extensions to get around it?

 

the normal sockets don’t reach the nut because the bolt is too long and an extended socket is too long and the metal tubing is in the way

 

2nd Gen here. Not sure if that matters. I cut the UCA bolts.

 

Those tubes are brake lines. If you don’t have a combo of tools that will get in there, I would probably unbolt their brackets from the frame and gently bend them just enough to get out of the way. There’s a lot of extra tube in there so you should be able to bend a little without messing them up.

Could also remove them entirely and just bleed the brakes when you’re done.

 

that would be great but I plan of reusing the bolts for my new UCA’s

 

Awesome thanks good to know!

 

Have you tried putting the socket/ratchet on the other end of the bolt?

 

yea that side has even less space

 

actually maybe I could try that from inside the engine bay

 

If you remove the battery, you'll give yourself a lot of access room.

 

Check out Timmy the Tool man video on how to get those bolts out

 

And it’ll make getting the bolt out later easier/possible if I remember right.

 

I have a semi deep socket for loosening that nut now whenever I regrease my UCAs. But I didn't have the semi deep socket when I first installed aftermarket UCAs.

I got mine off fine with a shallow socket. Socket brands vary in length of course but try putting your shallow socket on first, then put on the ratchet. Bolt will protude into the square of the socket. You may have enough engagement for the square drive to loosen it. Impact socket may be a bit longer than chrome.

Or use a box/combo wrench if you have that size.