Need help w/ U Control arm

[JGreenMan]

Hopefully someone here can help.

I am in the process of replacing my upper control arms/ball joints. I bought new Moog parts from Rockauto. I reomved everything fine, but here is the problem: After placing the spindle in the knuckle(s), the pinch bolt will not go through. Not even close. Looking through the pinch bolt hole(s), I can see a bit of the spindle extending into the pinch bolt hole slightly. I do not see how the bolt can possibly go through, and I do not want to try pounding/forcing as it will likely ruin the threads. I tried using the original pinch bolts but same thing. Is this normal? Has anyone else had this happen? Any suggestions as to what I should do? Different (smaller diameter) bolts? Some trick or technique I am unaware of? Any advice is welcome, as my car is now on stands on my garage, and likely to remain so until I figure this out.

 

[carlover]

use a big hammer and beat it, and the same time push the bolt though. thats what i did in the same situation your in.

 

[JGreenMan]

Beat what? Beat the bolt through? Would that not mash the threads and make the bolt useless?

 

[carlover]

sorry, beat the top of the upper control arm down into the spindle. its not seated properly yet, and make sure you also have the alignment cams in the uppers as far out as you can get them.

 

[JGreenMan]

Perhaps I'm not being clear. The spindle(s) go in just fine, the pinch bolt will not go through once the spindle(s) are in. I do not believe pushing the spindles into the knuckle further(if it is even possible) would help, as they are wider at the top then at the bottom and would then have more material in the path of the pinch bolt. I do not know if there is something wrong with the knuckle, if the bolts were mispacked and the wrong size(doubtful as it is the same on both sides), or I am just missing something here. I thought perhaps the spindles might have a flattened side to facilitate the pinch bolt going by, but as far as I can tell they do not.

 

[JGreenMan]

I do believe I am a moron. Upon further inspection, the spindles were indeed not fully seated. The spindle has a cut away a little higher up to allow the pinch bolt to pass. A few more whacks with the hammer and I'm sure it will then be able to pass. Thanks for your help.

 

[gijoecam]

I was going to mention that... the bolt needs to go through the groove in the upper ball joint. If the groove on the joint isn't lined up with the hole in the knuckle, it's not seated all the way (yet). The afore-mentioned few good whacks usually does the trick.