Why is my Lower control arm not lowering. Removing shocks No spring compressor

Why is my Lower control arm not lowering. I'm trying to remove my old shocks and install new ones without a spring compressor. I remove the nut on top of the hat. loosened the 2 bolts on the lower control arms and removed the 2 screws from the balljoint bracket fastener. But its not coming down. Is there something I'm missing

 

Bushing is probably seized in place

 

what can I do?

 

not lowering, It came down like an Inch

 

If the sleeves are indeed seized you'll probably have to cut the lower control arm off and get a new one.

Also I'd put that nut back on the top of the hat or you're going to end up with issues since you don't have a spring compressor. The 3 small nuts on top of the coil bucket are what you need to remove if you want to take the strut/coil assembly out and replace it.

 

Also with the bottom of the shock still bolted to the LCA, it won't droop any longer than the shock allows it to

 

Cut them out with a sawsall and install new cam bolts. This is not joke. You have to cut the bolt off where you can get the saw in on both sides of the bushing if you cant just cut one side and punch them out. Might need new LCAs or bushings in they are rusted solid. Good luck with your truck.

 

UCA is holding everything up as it has rubber bonded bushings. Unbolt LCA from spindle

 

Put that nut back on the hat or u will see heaven

 

You might be able to air hammer out those lca bolts

 

STOP

Put the nut on the shock you took off.

Pull the 3 nuts surrounding that nut.

 

Yeah, put the top but back on while you still can. Also need to unbolt UCA from spindle and lower shock bolt from LCA.

do this before you start sawing your cam bolts lol. Apply some heat to them if after the above they still don’t move

 

thanks for the laugh!

 

Glad to brighten ur day

 

No to everyone.

What he is doing is the "compressorless" method. He's doing it exactly right. You put a floor jack under the LCA and once it's all undone, you lower the jack and everything slowly comes apart. I've done this maybe 20 times and it's a flawless method for swapping coils.

OP, I have had this happen before. It was from seized LCA bolts. Put everything back together for now. The fix for that is to cut out the rusted bolts, and get new LCAs and alignment bolts.

Or leave it be and take the coilover somewhere that has a compressor.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5E6u7dC7EHg&t=76s

 

He's attempt a hack at pulling the spring by using the truck as a compressor. It works great when parts aren't rusted in place but on this truck it's a bad day waiting to happen.

 

Good point but OP said he’s trying to change shocks not coils but mentions a compressor too so kinda confusing

 

i just got springs compressors from the auto store. I will have to the install with the compressor. I'm changing springs and shocks. Thanks for input from everyone

 

I have had my struts out a few times. After unbolting the lower shock mount and spindle I used a prybar/breaker bar to force the LCA down. No need to loosen the LCA bolts.

 

Sawzall with Diablo blades will slice through the bolts like butter.