Triplegreen500
Well-Known Member
- Local time
- 5:31 PM
- Joined
- Dec 3, 2020
- Messages
- 12,188
- Reaction score
- 30,695
- Location
- western Maryland
Spent a lot of the day under my Wrangler, installing new control arms. Got 6 of the 8 done - all 4 backs, and the upper fronts. Front lowers, axle end bolts were seized in the bushing sleeves so I had to sawsall them out. Decidedly un-fun...especially since all my batteries are at the rental I'm renovating and I had to keep charging the goddamned sawsall battery!! GRRRR. I hate Murphy....
But, those two are out now and bolts will be at the dealer for me in the morning. Only thing I didn't do was replace the bushings in the axle, for the upper control arms (bushings on those are part of the axle housing, not part of the control arm) - they refuse to come out, they're a bitch to access, and frankly...they look fine. But the only way I can see to access them is to REMOVE the axle assembly (4 control arms, 2 brake calipers, 1 steering arm), get it out from under the Jeep, hole-saw the rubber bushings out and mangle the metal sleeves until they come out of the axle housing.
I'll see how it drives.
And, I didn't replace the rear track bar. I have it, but Chrysler, in their infinite "wisdom", installed the axle end with a freakin' T55 torx head bolt that's an inch from the damn fuel tank (BEFORE it starts backing out!). I need to get a stubby t55 to replace that.
Again - I'll see how it drives.
And, I noticed my muffler is separating at the seams (114k miles, 19 years old...no surprise, just **** timing).
Yay.
But, those two are out now and bolts will be at the dealer for me in the morning. Only thing I didn't do was replace the bushings in the axle, for the upper control arms (bushings on those are part of the axle housing, not part of the control arm) - they refuse to come out, they're a bitch to access, and frankly...they look fine. But the only way I can see to access them is to REMOVE the axle assembly (4 control arms, 2 brake calipers, 1 steering arm), get it out from under the Jeep, hole-saw the rubber bushings out and mangle the metal sleeves until they come out of the axle housing.
I'll see how it drives.
And, I didn't replace the rear track bar. I have it, but Chrysler, in their infinite "wisdom", installed the axle end with a freakin' T55 torx head bolt that's an inch from the damn fuel tank (BEFORE it starts backing out!). I need to get a stubby t55 to replace that.
Again - I'll see how it drives.
And, I noticed my muffler is separating at the seams (114k miles, 19 years old...no surprise, just **** timing).
Yay.
