Upper A-Arm Replacement (!!)

[Alberta Tahoe]

As a follow up to my earlier questions here at:

http://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/threads/upper-and-lower-ball-joints-w-wo-hub-removal.99082/

I've gone ahead with the upper ball joint replacement via the complete a-arm assembly.
What a royal pain in the ass!
With the ball joint came loose from the knuckle easily enough, the control arm bolts were a different matter. Seized solid. And that's despite pre-soaking them in penetrant a couple of times, days prior to work being done. First one bolt head snapped and no amount of work with an air hammer could the remains through the bushing. The other fared no better although I didn't go so far as break anything.
Enter the sawzall.
Cut the arms off close to pivot (for better access), then cut the bolts on either side of the bushing. One side of one arm accomplished, the other required reinforcements in the way of additional blades and a new angle grinder (the old one was well past it's best before date).
Anyone, the saga continues...(for anyone that's interested).

 

[shreksbrother]

I was wondering after reading this if you wash your car with salt water, but then saw your username... Alberta... Canada?

I feel very fortunate to live someplace that so rarely salts the road.

Good luck!


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[Alberta Tahoe]

At one point, I lived where they pounded the road with salt. Then that was refined to a pre-snowstorm brine soaking that laid dormant in the pavement until moisture hit it. That was wonderful stuff (he said sarcastically). Then I moved west to Alberta where the story goes that it's too cold for road salt to be effective. Don't you believe it.
Anyway, if the rust and corruption on the passenger wasn't bad enough, someone beat me to the driver's side. There was an aftermarket a-arm already in place. The ball joint however was toast . To make things worse, whoever did the work didn't have half the finesse that I used. The a-arm mounts were pounded to pieces and the 3 out of 4 of the alignment pins were missing! The bolts did come out easily however I managed to save the cost of another caster/camber kit albeit at the expense of new pins.
Some people should just not be allowed to work on vehicles.
Anyway, all should be good tomorrow although I still have the lower ball joints to tackle. Just not enough time right now.
Thanks for listening.