Passenger Control arm

[ShaggySparx]

2007 Touring non-turbo automatic wagon. I'm not a mechanic but I'm good at fixing cars if i read up enough about it. I've done control arms on many cars before, but this one stumps me. I always use the Haynes manual and google/youtube. In the manual it says to remove the pencil strut and lower torque strut.

I'm gonna do it if I have to, but just to be clear...do I really have to? And if so do i have to adjust it when i reinstall it? And if so, How?

Thanks

[ptcruisersteve]

Originally Posted by ShaggySparx

2007 Touring non-turbo automatic wagon. I'm not a mechanic but I'm good at fixing cars if i read up enough about it. I've done control arms on many cars before, but this one stumps me. I always use the Haynes manual and google/youtube. In the manual it says to remove the pencil strut and lower torque strut.

I'm gonna do it if I have to, but just to be clear...do I really have to? And if so do i have to adjust it when i reinstall it? And if so, How?

Thanks

The Factory Shop Manual says the same. Recommend you get the Factory Shop Manual so you are confident of the information you need to do the repair.

The Factory Shop Manual also gives the procedure and dimension required when making the adjustment after reinstalling the lower torque strut. This only takes 30 minutes after you have done it the first time.

Are you just replacing the bushing or the control arm?

[rsrocket1]

Watch some Youtube videos on how to replace the "upper and lower engine mounts". They are actually called torque struts but you'll see that it's pretty easy. Just remember to do the 119mm spacing adjustment when you put the lower strut back in.

Since one of the first things I did on my PT after buying it last spring was replace the upper and lower torque struts so removing it was familar territory. 1 month later I replaced the LCA's.

You should also watch some Youtube videos on how to replace LCA's. I learned how to do it with the help of Youtube and as a first timer, it took me 6 hours to replace both. If I had to do it again, it would take about half the time.

My photo diary of the LCA replacement

Since you need to disconnect the sway bar, now would be a good time to also replace the end links and sway bar bushings (they're pretty cheap even at local auto parts stores). If your front shocks need replacing, now would also be a good time to replace them because you will be disconnecting the strut tower from the knuckle anyway and yes you should get a wheel alignment after the LCA replacement.

The big wild card is where your car spent most of its life. Mine was in San Diego where there are no road salts and the bottom of the car only had a thin coat of light surface rust and no rusted fasteners. If you can't distinguish your metal parts from the rust, you may need a little more time but there isn't anything that some penetrant and an impact wrench can't break free with some patience. Just be careful with that rear LCA bushing bolt. Impact loosening is better than a slow turn with a long breaker bar which will likely spin that captive nut under the floorboard. That will require you cutting into the floorboard to get to it.

[ShaggySparx]

Originally Posted by rsrocket1

Watch some Youtube videos on how to replace the "upper and lower engine mounts". They are actually called torque struts but you'll see that it's pretty easy. Just remember to do the 119mm spacing adjustment when you put the lower strut back in.

Since one of the first things I did on my PT after buying it last spring was replace the upper and lower torque struts so removing it was familar territory. 1 month later I replaced the LCA's.

You should also watch some Youtube videos on how to replace LCA's. I learned how to do it with the help of Youtube and as a first timer, it took me 6 hours to replace both. If I had to do it again, it would take about half the time.

My photo diary of the LCA replacement

Since you need to disconnect the sway bar, now would be a good time to also replace the end links and sway bar bushings (they're pretty cheap even at local auto parts stores). If your front shocks need replacing, now would also be a good time to replace them because you will be disconnecting the strut tower from the knuckle anyway and yes you should get a wheel alignment after the LCA replacement.

The big wild card is where your car spent most of its life. Mine was in San Diego where there are no road salts and the bottom of the car only had a thin coat of light surface rust and no rusted fasteners. If you can't distinguish your metal parts from the rust, you may need a little more time but there isn't anything that some penetrant and an impact wrench can't break free with some patience. Just be careful with that rear LCA bushing bolt. Impact loosening is better than a slow turn with a long breaker bar which will likely spin that captive nut under the floorboard. That will require you cutting into the floorboard to get to it.

Okay so I replaced both control arms and stab links, and the lower torque strut, which was completely blown out, and adjusted it properly and torqued everything to specs. The top torque strut looks fine, no cracks or tears. I'm still getting a "knocking or banging" noise when i go over small bumps. Sounds like it's still coming from the passenger side. No noise when turning the wheel or anything, just bumps.

And yeah, car spent its life in lovely cold bumpy Ohio

[JoeX]

Originally Posted by ShaggySparx

Okay so I replaced both control arms and stab links, and the lower torque strut, which was completely blown out, and adjusted it properly and torqued everything to specs. The top torque strut looks fine, no cracks or tears. I'm still getting a "knocking or banging" noise when i go over small bumps. Sounds like it's still coming from the passenger side. No noise when turning the wheel or anything, just bumps.

And yeah, car spent its life in lovely cold bumpy Ohio

Check bushings in your sway bar and end links
It could also be the strut top bearing mount.

[chuzz]

JoeX is on the right track, or at least I agree with him. Keep in mind that there are 3 different size sway bars, so make sure you measure yours if you go to purchase new bushings. End links are easy and the bushings aren't that bad of a job either.

[ShaggySparx]

So turns out both top and lower torque struts were bad; barely any rubber left. Still got a noise but finally fixed! Last noise was the stabilizer bushings. SO after replacing the control arms, shocks/struts, upper/lower torque struts, stab link and stab bushings. This car better last me a good while longer

Thanks for all the replies

[chuzz]

Good to hear you got it fixed. Happy PTing and have fun with it.