Ford Freestar Control Arm Heads-up
- steven kiser
- 5K Holy Smokes Contributor
- Posts: 6184
- Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2007 4:58 am
- Location: eastern ma.
Ford Freestar Control Arm Heads-up
beware the freestar control arm. had one in yesterday for a lower ball joint failure. the control arm must be replaced. the bolts go through the sub frame. not only are they lock tighted but the one i did must have seen the beach or something along those lines because the bolts were corrouded. i was in the next bay and my son was removing the bolts and i heard dadda dadda snap. i went over and bolt was broken. i thought he had inadvertantly had the gun on tighten. i checked and it was fine. i tried it on the next bolt and is turned slowly and stopped. i heated the bolt and let it cool down a bit and took it off with an air ratchett. i did it with the rest. i cut a slot into the broken bolt with a wizzer, heated up the area around it and unscrewed it. i let it cool down and installed the new control arm. the threadded collar that the bolt fits into is the kind that the bolt cuts it's own threads in as it's tightened. make sure it's clean. i tried to install the bolts and they started to really fight me. i cleaned them with a thread cleaner and it went much smoother. i used lock tight when i reinstalld it. take my advice. heat the bolts to loosten the lock tight. the flat rate time is only .8. pad it. super man couldn't do it in that time. the inner ear on the rear mount is slightly elevated when tight. don't think it's not secure. once it's been heated it will back right out so a 15mm shallow swivel will fit nicely. hope this saves someone.
never argue with a fool, they'll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience
- a&mauto
- 500 Club: Champion Contributor
- Posts: 521
- Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2005 12:11 pm
- Location: Lake Elsinore, CA
- Contact:
Re: Ford Freestar Control Arm Heads-up
Thanks for the heads up Steven.
- steven kiser
- 5K Holy Smokes Contributor
- Posts: 6184
- Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2007 4:58 am
- Location: eastern ma.
Re: Ford Freestar Control Arm Heads-up
as alway's, my pleasure.............................
never argue with a fool, they'll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience
-
- 2.5K Uber Ninja Contributor
- Posts: 2642
- Joined: Wed Feb 04, 2009 1:28 pm
- Location: PA
Re: Ford Freestar Control Arm Heads-up
Yea, I agree, it is really nice and thoughtful when a tech finds a easy way to do something or a shortcut to getting the job done. I will file this one away in my Job Notes Folder on my computer. Thanks Steve. Will return the favor when I can.
-
- 25 Club: Starting Contributor
- Posts: 40
- Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2007 1:28 pm
- Location: Hartford Ct
Re: Ford Freestar Control Arm Heads-up
Been there done that. heat up the area around the bolts and they will come out easily. I found out the hard way.
Paul
Paul
-
- 100 Club: Active Contributor
- Posts: 154
- Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2005 2:08 am
- Location: Fort Lauderdale
Re: Ford Freestar Control Arm Heads-up
Did Anyone post this in the Tech Tips yet!
If they don't know how can they fix it!
- fortknoxx
- 1500 Club Master Plus Contributor
- Posts: 1873
- Joined: Wed Sep 13, 2006 6:09 am
- Location: High Point, NC
- Contact:
Re: Ford Freestar Control Arm Heads-up
shhhhh! it's our secret.
Stewart Levy wrote:Did Anyone post this in the Tech Tips yet!
T-N-T (Tina Nuse-Tolar)
Gone but not forgotten...Camper Bob's
609-760-7079 Cell
Gone but not forgotten...Camper Bob's
609-760-7079 Cell