Also looking for advice...on a similar but much simpler project
Just adding Steeda G-Trac front lower control arm brace, but so far can't get the OEM lower control arm mounting bolts broke loose
Working on the nut on top where there is no room for breaker bar with deep 1/2" 21mm socket & regular socket will not work due to bolt extending well beyond the nut
From the bottom the bolt has the tab which doesn't leave much room for a socket
Suggestions?
Thanks!

 

Also looking for advice...on a similar but much simpler project
Just adding Steeda G-Trac front lower control arm brace, but so far can't get the OEM lower control arm mounting bolts broke loose
Working on the nut on top where there is no room for breaker bar with deep 1/2" 21mm socket & regular socket will not work due to bolt extending well beyond the nut
From the bottom the bolt has the tab which doesn't leave much room for a socket
Suggestions?
Thanks!

 

Go find the longest 21mm combo wrench you can find, preferably with a slight angle on the closed-end so you can get it up in there over the nut and have room to work. You can slide a pipe over the other end for more torque if required.

 

Air tools. Seriously, if you plan on doing much work on your car, a compressor and a decent impact wrench are invaluable. I also got rid of the metric allen head bolt that Steeda sent with the G-Trac brace and used an SAE grade 8 bolt instead. Can't recall the size off the top of my head, but the SAE size filled the tube better than the metric bolt.

 

AirTools.
Just spinning your wheels without them....

 

/What about replacing the control at bolts?

 

I reused the bolts and they've been on/off the car twice but I also check torque specs on all my suspension parts about three times a year. Zero problems so far...

If you're concerned, pick up some new bolts from the dealership.

 

I've recently done the job and can confirm getting the steering rack bolts out was a real a bitch. That might have been so because I'm rather impatient with such situations where I have to bust my knuckles for half an hour to get two bolts out. What I eventually did (regrettably AFTER the hassle of getting the bolts out) was taking a BIG breaker bar and shearing the nuts off of the K-member. After filing off the tab welds I reused and properly torqued the nuts.

I also disconnected the steering shaft from the rack. It makes moving around the rack much easier.

 

I must be lucky because removing the two rack bolts and rotating the rack away from the K and up gave me plenty of room to remove the LCA bolt. I also have a steeda bumpsteer kit installed so maybe it provides extra clearance.

 

Bumping an old thread! It's what I do.

Hold the spindle? I left the spindle connected to the strut. I did not move the steering rack. I was replacing the tie rods and the control arms, so I popped the tie rod out and turned the wheel all the way to the right, while working on the left arm. The bolt will come out, you just have to push on the tie rod boot and wiggle the bolt out.

bolt out, no problem.


Replaced tie rod with moog. I used the credit card between the old tie rod and jam nut trick. Screwed the new one on up to the credit card, then tightened the jam nut. Seems to have worked well at keeping the toe close.


At 45,000 miles my stock tie rod boots were torn all the way around, but the tie rods still felt tightish. Ball joints felt good too, but the stock control arm bushings give a lot compared to the gt500 ones.