Total Chaos Upper Arm Install Thread

[Mustard]

After all of that work I wanted to make some notes that might help others.


I had a very hard time until I talked with Greg.

Removing the original upper arm
1. Removed the air intake box.
2. I remove the driver side front arm bolt from inside the engine bay.
3. The other bolts I was able to from inside the fender well.
4. I used a two box wrenchs 19mm/17mm that ratchets and had locking swivels, this helped with the angels that are involved. I also used a bottle jack handle over the open end tine of the wrench to get some leverage.
5. Remove the bolt holding the inside brake line on the drivers side rear arm mount. This will give you the room needed to remove the rear bolt.
6. The passenger side brake line I was able to move without removing the bolt.

Installing the TC arm
1. I had a hard time installing the grease Zerks but did get them to go after some time. Have patients.
2. Once you install the bushings and the metal insert you may/will need to make minor adjustments during the install tapping lightly the insert left or right with a hammer. Very minor adjustments is the key.
3. The urethane bushings that come with the TC arm are way to tight. I used a die grinder to taper or bevel the rear of the urethane bushing. Starting from the metal insert outward toward the engine or rear of the arm mount I removed almost ¾ the thickness of the bushing at the outer edge.
4. The upper portion of the bushing is not as important, but the lower rear (backside or engine side of the mount) ¼ section is where it is tight.
5. Grind the tabs or bumps flat that are above the inside frame flange mount holes. If you run your fingers around the mounting holes you will feel them.
6. Use a pry bar or big old screw drive to open up or widen the frame mounts a little.
7. Lube up the outside of the bushings before inserting them.
8. To install the new arms in the frame mounts I used a good size center punch to line up the arm inserts with the frame holes while persuading the arm with a rubber mallet.
9. After you get them bolted in pump in the grease.

Connecting the new TC arm to the spindle
1. Study the diagram very closely it is not hard if you pay attention to the two different size sleeves that mount above and below the ball joint.

Hope this helps. Let me know if I did not make sense and I can rewrite if needed, I am dead tired and wanted to get my thoughts down while they are still in my Pea brain.

[Jaybr]

Great write up.

I didn't grind down anything on the tabs, didn't notice any bumps.

I used a hydraulic press to get the bushings into the arms and got them in very tight.

[mopar]

Good stuff I'l be looking at doing this a few weeks.
Thanks

[smschulz]

I wish I had the sense to call Greg for some tips first. This was a real knuckle-buster for me. I did not do any of the grinding but sounds like a good idea. It was a very very tight fit and took a lot of pounding to align up the bolt holes. At least the grease zerks went in easy!

[Mustard]

I know I was second guessing my decision to get the TC arms during my first few failed attempts. After talking with Greg and then successfully installing them I am glad I got them. The TC arms are way over the top in the design department compared to the stock arms. The ball joint looks and feels 100x stronger than the factory setup. I think the Zerk problem I was having was caused by the fact that they are painted after the hole is tapped.


Anyone on the fence about installing these should go for it they are worth the money. Between having Greg available to talk you through it and the notes above you should not have any problems.

Took the truck in for alignment today and the Nissan guys were blown away with the arm design.

[mopar]

Yeah just looking at the pictures they don't look like much too bad they don't come in Black just waiting to get those to complete my lift and do the install of everything.

[mopar]

I'll be using this info this weekend.
Thanks

[mopar]

What kind of grease should I use it says to use teflon lube is this the same as High performance Lithium moly grease???

[TitanicDJ]

Good write-up Mustard...I'm sure glad I live only a couple of hours from Greg's house so I'll drive up and have the master do it instead

DJ

[ChicksDigEmToo]

Excellent advice!!!! Where was this thread when I needed it?!! We'll definitely use some of your tricks on round two(installing them on JackedTitans truck next week!) Thanks for sharing your great information!

The TC arms are awsome as well...well worth the PITA install!

[mopar]

I'm halfway there here's some pics. the toughest part is removing the old A arm especially the driver's side!!!

[mopar]

Finished the front up right before the rain.