HELP--one time use lower control arm bolt???

[Lamarsh]

I'm replacing my rear coil springs on my 2018 Ram, so I was looking at some YouTube vids to see the process, and in one video the guy said you have to replace the rear lower control arm bolts because they are single use bolts?

Is this true? Has anybody done this?

 

[JB1]

I wouldn't touch the lower or upper control arms

 

[Lamarsh]

Nevermind guys, sorry, turns out the video was incorrect. Thanks for the help though.

 

[McBroom]

Nevermind guys, sorry, turns out the video was incorrect. Thanks for the help though.

You should do it exactly like JB1 just said. He’s got like an 8” lift and it started out with a 2” I think but I do know it’s been lifted several times as it’s grown. Here’s a pic of JB1’s truck



I Love my 18 Ram 2500HD 4x4 CC
Blue Streak Pearl off-road

 

[ram1500rsm]

They’re just control arms, it shouldn’t be an issue to take them off and reuse them, you don’t have to touch them to take the springs out though, do you have 2 floor jacks and 2 long jacks? The job couldn’t be any easier.

Put one jack under the diff and take your wheels off, lift, put the long jack stands by the frame, disconnect your rear trackbar from the axel (rear driver side), disconnect your rear brake line brackets, if you’re not changing shocks, I think just removing the shock lower bolt could do the trick, and let your axel droop, replace the springs, use the 2nd jack to line up the trackbar bracket once you’re done with the springs, lifting from the diff pinion and the axel underneath the lower shock mount at the same time, lift/lower each side as needed to lineup the hole.
Easy peasy. If you need to take the upper shock bolts out, harbor freight 6” adjustable wrench will be the perfect tool to fit in there.

 

[Gary2]

I've had control arms in and out a few times switching back and forth with aftermarket control arms and OEs . Never had an issue with them or the probably a hundred I have done on Wranglers , they are not like a head bolt

 

[Lamarsh]

You should do it exactly like JB1 just said.

Thanks for the input guys.

Just wondering though, why can't I just loosen the sway bar end link, bottom portion of the rear shocks and rear coil spring and let the entire rear axel drop, and just pull the spring out? Using a spring compressor sounds more difficult than this. I'd have to go rent or buy one, and then fuss with the dangers of using it. I'd rather not do that. Is the way I mentioned above reasonable? This video below is to install spacers, but they remove the rear springs (you have to fast forward to when they start the rear, first part of the video is the front), so why can't I just follow this video and when I remove the springs just replace them with my new ones?

 

[Lamarsh]

They’re just control arms, it shouldn’t be an issue to take them off and reuse them, you don’t have to touch them to take the springs out though, do you have 2 floor jacks and 2 long jacks? The job couldn’t be any easier.

Put one jack under the diff and take your wheels off, lift, put the long jack stands by the frame, disconnect your rear trackbar from the axel (rear driver side), disconnect your rear brake line brackets, if you’re not changing shocks, I think just removing the shock lower bolt could do the trick, and let your axel droop, replace the springs, use the 2nd jack to line up the trackbar bracket once you’re done with the springs, lifting from the diff pinion and the axel underneath the lower shock mount at the same time, lift/lower each side as needed to lineup the hole.
Easy peasy. If you need to take the upper shock bolts out, harbor freight 6” adjustable wrench will be the perfect tool to fit in there.

This is what I was planning to do. Not sure how doing it the other way, with a spring compressor (when I don't have one), would be easier? Thanks.

 

[ram1500rsm]

This is what I was planning to do. Not sure how doing it the other way, with a spring compressor (when I don't have one), would be easier? Thanks.

I don’t have spring compressors either, but the rear is so easy, driving to oreallys to rent the tool would take me longer than just drooping the axle
You may need to loosen the lca bolts or disconnect the track bar, the axle won’t droop enough without it, at least in my case, and either way still a piece of cake, track bar is just one bolt, but you want two floor jacks, or you may need an extra pair of hands, or straps to put that bolt back, with the floor jacks is just couple of min.

 

[JB1]

Sorry guys, I was just trying to suggest a quick way that works for me, only trying to help

 

[ram1500rsm]

No worries at all, i've never used a spring compressor, and after having a Jeep with long travel shocks, i've had to improvise in the past, i wouldn't even know how to set the tool to compress the springs

 

[ram1500rsm]

OP, See how much the axel will droop if the trackbar is disconnected, this are the Icon springs already in place
Untitled by Wrangler RSM, on Flickr

 

[Lamarsh]

I installed the Eibach coil springs this weekend. It was extremely easy, no spring compressor needed. Did not even need to remove wheel well liners. Jacked up rear at diff, removed sway bar end links, removed bottom bolt on rear struts, lowered rear axel gently using the floor jack, being ultra careful of the tension on the brake lines, and was able to remove the OEM springs and squeeze the new spring right in.

I will caution, the rear brake lines on my truck were NOT long enough to avoid breaking if I was to fully lower the jack and let the axle drop all the way. You either have to be careful not to lower the axle too far, or remove the rear brake calipers.

Installing these springs and restoring my rake was a total game changer, especially because I always have a 250lb capper on my truck. I can't believe I didn't do this when I initially installed my Foxes and leveled my truck.

Thanks for everybody's help!