Upper control arm installed wrong by Toyota?

Recently had my frame replaced by Toyota. I just went to do my UCA and I'm pretty sure they put this bolt in backwards. It seems when they had the body in the air and installed the control arms, they put the bolt in backwards.

Am I right?

 

No. It is correct. That is a well known issue with second gens, you have to bend the crap out of the inner fender to get that bolt out. If the bolt was in the other way it would hit the firewall before it came all the way out.

 

nah bolts in correct, to get the thing out on the passenger side it takes some channel locks, some cursing, and some fine tuned finagling.

 

When I went to reinstall new UCA's, I pulled the UCA bolt halfway out, cut the bolt head off, and slid it down out the other way. Then I reinstalled the bolt the reverse way. Took no time at all.

 

You guys rock. I knew I'd get a quick answer. I got the sawzaw out and chopped then off. Fender had to be bent too much for my liking. Replaced the bolt going the opposite way. Thanks for the quick info!

 

You might want to rethink that decision, in the event that the nut ever comes off that bolt the bolt can now work its way out. It just happened to a guy in Phoenix this year...

 

I placed a nice size glob of silicone on the end of the threads to prevent it from backing out. Better than nothing.

 

That's what a torque wrench is for...

 

And red locktite.

 

Answered it for me

 

just installed new UCA's yesterday and cut the bolt out. reinstalled a new bolt "backwards" and added an extra nylock nut and loctite to keep that bolt in.

 

Just an observation from your picture... your frame is lacking all of the plugs for the holes in the frame. Unless you took them out yourself, your dealer ripped you off on the job. You need them to reduce the amount of salt water entering the frame.

 

I'd be more concerned about water not being able to get out then to much getting in. My new frame didn't come with any plugs either. Those are for those who had theirs sprayed with that other stuff.

 

They're all supposed to have the plugs. Not just resprayed.

And water doesn't come out the top and side. It goes to the bottom.