On vehicles built between 1986-87, a special installer, GM tool J-29193 or equivalent, is required. Begin by turning the lug nuts counterclockwise just enough to break the torque, then raise the vehicle and place jackstands under the frame before removing the wheel and tire. Support the outer edge of the lower control arm with a jack to manage the down force of the spring, raising it just enough to free the upper control arm from the upper ball stud. Caution is advised, as removing the upper ball joint stud nut could release the full force of the spring, leading to severe injury. Next, remove the cotter pin from the upper ball joint stud, loosen the nut without removing it, and use a ball joint removal tool to press the ball joint downward until the tapered portion is free from the steering knuckle. Wire the knuckle and associated parts in place to protect the brake hose, then turn off the nut at the end of the ball stud, removing it along with any washers, and lift the upper arm to free the ball stud from the knuckle. Remove the upper control arm shaft-to-bracket nuts and lock washers, pulling the control arm, shaft, and shim packs off the bolts, and consider wiring the shim packs together to prevent loss. For installation, if control arm bushings need replacement, use a special tool to press them out, then assemble the new bushings into the arm and over the shaft from the outer ends, installing the washers and nuts while tightening them just firmly. Replace the control arm by positioning the outer shim packs on the mounting bolts, installing the control arm and shafts, and finally, installing the outer shim packs, followed by attaching and tightening the nuts to 46 ft. lbs. (62 Nm). Reverse the removal steps to complete the installation, tightening the ball joint stud nut to 60-65 ft. lbs. (81-88 Nm) and adjusting as necessary to align the castellation in the nut with the cotter pin hole in the stud before installing a new cotter pin. Finally, tighten the control arm bushing nuts with the vehicle supported by the suspension to specified torque values based on the model year, and tighten the upper control arm-to-frame nuts to 48 ft. lbs. (65 Nm).
Posted by GMPartsGiant Specialist