Hello friends -

In a jam replacing lower front control arm on LR3.. need some help.

I have the new arm in (front driver side), connected at the ball joint. I can connect the 2 frame bolts, but I can't get the air shock to cooperate -- it's about 2 inches too low and 2 inches too far forward. I've tried every manner of jacking just the shock up, but it won't cooperate. I've tried unbolting from the frame and starting with the shock bolted.. I can get one frame bolt in and the shock bolt, but nothing I do or jack/maneuver can then get the remaining frame bolt in.

The method I'm using is a jack stand.. I read it could be a suspension issue that is triggering anti-sway. I've tried to lower the suspension into access mode, but it won't go - it keeps forcing extended mode. I tried also jacking up the other side, and it does get me a little closer - but still not close enough. It still also won't let me go into access mode.

Where I'm at right now - stuck. I lowered the rig back to ground with just the 1 frame bolt, air shock bolted, and ball joint bolted -- it doesn't look pretty.. tried THEN putting in access mode, still won't go. I jacked it back up just to get the weight off it.

Called my repair guy.. He says the job can't be done unless all 4 wheels are hanging.


Will it work for me if I just get 2 more jack stands and put all 4 corners up?

I'm also just at an impasse - its in my garage, when I tried to push it out to driveway to get towed - all sorts of noise ensued.. Jacked it back up in garage and that's where it sits.

None of the dang youtube videos had these issues!!!

Thanks for help.

 

You can't easily do suspension work unless you deflate the bag. You do not need all four corners up, that makes no sense at all.

 

Would normally agree on the 4 corners thing.. but there's a reality that when you jack one end up, it throws the anti-sway in the other direction. Case in point, when I did go ahead and jack up the front passenger side, it did get the bolt hole within an inch or two of aligning.. just needed that final little push. It is possible that by leveling all the wheels it allows a different angle of alignment.

That said, deflating the airbag doesnt' seem easy. Need a diagnostic/GAP tool to do it. I don't have one for this vehicle, and it's clearly not getting to the dealership. Are there other ways to deflate or get the suspension into access mode without a diagnostic tool?

 

I would not do front end work with the sway link connected. Even when doing one side, I disconnect both sides first thing. Because even with links removed the bar itself can get in the way. So disconnecting both links makes things easier.

No need for GAP tool, just carefully disconnect air line with strut extended and let it deflate.

 

Great tips - will do that for sure.

Ahh, ok - and yeah just found youtube video, looks like an easy job to get to air line and decompress from the front passenger wheel well.

Thanks so much for the help!

 

Its not anti-sway its the self leveling that is adjusting the other corners , should drop to access height then pull the fuse before jacking it up.

 

Got it, thanks Laonrangie --
Yes, that's what I should have done.. Unfortunately, where I'm at now with one of the front control arms out of place, it's impossible to get into access height as the computer senses one of the shocks is fully extended and so it will only go into extended mode. Seems like i'm going to have to manually deflate the airshock by loosening the compressor line.

 

careful when you do that, that air comes out in a fierce rush!

 

Update -- all fixed. Accessing the air lines in the passenger wheel well and letting air out of shock was the solution. Super easy too. Once that was done, getting the control arm in place was a cinch. If only I had known beforehand would have saved me so many hours..! But all good, great solution to have in my back pocket going forward.