I am having a hell of a time. It's kinda the same deal as the lower strut bolt but x2. These are the alignment bolts and it's sort-of a hex shaft that goes into a sheath that the rubber bushing wraps around.

Is it pressed into that sheath or just rusted in real good? It's not threaded so I had hopes that the rust swell was minimal.. but it's not budging.

 

bout ready to go borrow a sawzall, slice them out, and order new bolts monday. Which will set me back to Wednesday at the earliest and then I won't be able to pick up my motor from the place it will be delivered to.

That's planning for ya... i'm a master planner. I plan to not plan ahead every time and so far I'm undefeated.

 

why are you replacing the lower control arms?

 

Yeah screw that strut bolt.

 

long story, but both my lower balljoints were bad and the strut bushing was hashed... and even more so after I got done abusing it. I got the strut bolt about 1/4 the way out with a balljoint press like rebel did and then I said screw it. I returned the balljoints and ordered 2 mevotechs from apw... now I just have to get them off.

 

SO I decided what I'm gonna do, NONE of those bolts will budge, not even a little. The lowers ARE coming out but it will be ugly. I will need all 4 alignment bolts.. from dodge. Sawzall didn't work, bolts are too hard. I'm borrowing a 7" angle grinder.. should have enough reach to cut them. I marked their aligned places so I can get it close and at least driveable so I can get it to the tire shop to align.

I'm excited though, I thought the ride felt pretty good. It was "different" than what I was used to, but it tracked straight and true. Other than the struts, I didn't suspect anything else was wrong when I went tearing in to things. Both lower bjoints bad and one bad bearing.

I am anxiously awaiting the new ride quality, plus it will be an inch or so lower with the little spring chop I did.

 

I got them stinkin control arms off! You guys are going to think I'm a fool (if you dont already lol), but what I did was take my 4" grinder, remove the shield, and put a 7 inch wheel on it. I dressed the part though, full dust proof safety goggles, gloves, face mask, and hat, jacket... just incase that 7"er exploded on me.

hopefully the lower control arms will be here tomorrow, and dodge says all my bolts will be there too as their truck leaves from denver today. Tomorrow night, it will hopefully be all back together.

 

Typically I don't chim in, but I will make a exception.

1) don't buy mevotecb (search for that thread)
2) cut your Losses, saw zall everything, 14tpi blades are the magic number.
3) don't buy mevotech.
4) repeat step 3
5) brotip, go to the stealer, tell them you want the lower ball joints locknut, get 2, trust me.
6) install your nuts, trust me, the ones mevotech sends DONT WORK. You think it's on, but really it strips the threads clean off.
now sit back and admire.


Learn from my mistakes, I'll buy raybestos next time, but for that much time and effort ill buy a new truck and not a dodge. This suspension is a joke.

 

you should chime in, don't let me stop you.. i was a *****

but yea, I already got the mevos so I will definitely take that in to account when I install them tomorrow.

I tried the 9? TPI and the bolts fought back big time.. killed two blades and didn't get half way through the bolt but the 7" cutoff took them out quick so it's completely dismantled now.

I'm also getting all the replacement bolts from the dealer tomorrow, so I will see if the nuts are in stock. so what you're basically saying is that the lock bolt is punched in too far and instead of just locking, it strips? or are the threads just completely off?

thanks by the way

 

alright heres how it is.

the nuts mevotech ships "fit" the stud for the lower ball joint, when your putting it back together, you put the ball joint into the steering knuckle and put the nut on the stud and tighten, heres the problem

on the nut itself, where the little welded on flat washer is "the bottom" there are 3 little indentations. these 3 little pain in the butts are supposed to keep the nut from backing off the stud and potentionally cuasing a minor problem or two . the problem is these three indentations cut into the threads of the nut, and when you get to those last threads (so you would have most of the nut turned onto the stud) they scrap along the threads on the stud and peel them like a knife on cheese.

I went through 3 sets (6 loaded lower control arms) before i went to the dealer, bought the nylon lock nut that just happen to fit (and it will be bigger then the one you take off the stock lower control arm) and put it on, took it to the alignment shop and done.

btw, i had to saw zall the alignment bolts off too, those were like 60$ to replace.

9 TPI is to much, thats for thick wood, 14 is a really agressive blade, but no matter, a cut off tool is exactly what you need. i only have like a 3 inch or whatever the small ones are.

my arms get sharp pains thinking about all the saw zalling i did last novemeber. good luck dude, they ride nice. but the set i finally got to work, the uppers leak and driver side lower leak already. so just be warned.