Lifting a Jeep Wrangler is probably one of the most common and popular modifications done to these versatile vehicles. Lifts range in complexity from simple coil spacer lifts to full on long arm lifts where you pretty much change out most of the stock components for beefed up aftermarket pieces so that you can gain the maximum from your Jeep's suspension. The most common of lifts is to replace the stock springs with some lift springs. But for most people who are into modifying their Jeep, it doesn't stop there. Once they get the lift installed, they are immediately looking for the next way to go. The next step after installing a lift would be to look at the control arms. This will become the weakest link in a Jeep's suspension once lifted. One of the reasons for this is because the stock control arms were designed for the stock ride height and because of the design of the Jeep's suspension, these arms aren't optimized for the change in suspension geometry that comes with a change in ride height. The stock arms are also not made to withstand serious off-roading and can tend to show their physical limits.
But don't worry because there are solutions out there for all of these problems. Aftermarket control arms are offered by many different companies and just like with every other aftermarket part on offer, there is a range from mild to wild. Most will be stronger, bigger, longer and a few will even offer adjustability.
So, to make things a bit easier and give you an idea of what is on offer, here is a quick how-to and review.
How to Replace Your Control Arms
Note
The DIY Cost will depend on the brand you buy.
Each control arm is held in by (2) 21mm bolts. One bolt attaches the control arm to the frame and the other attaches the control arm to the axle. Locate and loosen the bolt at the axle end first. Once you have it loosened, go ahead and remove the bolt. There might be some tension on the bolt due to the fact that the frame end is still connected. You can use a jack to push on the frame, which will make it a bit easier to remove the bolt.
Figure 2. Axle bolts.
Step 2 – Loosen the bolt at the frame end
Next go ahead and loosen the bolt that connects the control arm to the frame. Once you have it loosened, you can remove it. It will be much easier to remove this one because the axle end bolt has already been removed.
Step 3 – Remove the control arm
After both bolts have been removed, you can then remove the control arm from the vehicle.
Figure 3. Pull down the control arm.
Figure 4. Control arm out.
Step 4 – Place frame end of new control arm into frame bracket
Starting with the frame end of the new control arm, go ahead and insert it into the frame bracket and slide the bolt through the bolt hole. It might be a tight squeeze for the new bushing, so you might have to use a mallet to get the end of the control arm into the bracket. Once you have the bolt installed, thread the nut onto the bolt but don't tighten yet.
Figure 5. New control arm sliding into frame.
Step 5 – Place axle end of the new control arm into axle bracket
Once you have the frame end of the control arm into place in the frame bracket and the bolt installed, you can then place the axle end in the axle bracket. You will notice that once you get it installed, the bolt hole will be misaligned. That is okay. To align the bolt holes, place a jack under the frame near the frame end of the control arm. Lift up on the frame until you see the bolt holes align and then slide the bolt through the hole to install the nut. Do not tighten the bolt and nut yet.
Figure 6. Align control arm and frame holes.
Figure 7. Jack up control arm to align.
Figure 8. Bolt hole lining up.
Step 6 – Lift the tire off the ground
Now what you want to do before you tighten the bolt is to lift the tire of the corner you are working on off the ground and then lower it back down. This will make sure that the bushings find their way into place inside the brackets and cure any binding that might be present.
Figure 9. Check for binding.
Step 7 – Tighten the bolts
Now that you have seated the bushings, go ahead and tighten the bolts. You just want to snug them up, so don't apply the final torque value yet. You will do that after you jounce the suspension.
Figure 10. Don't be afraid to crank those bolts down.
Step 8 – Jounce the vehicle
After the bolts are nice and snug, the next step will be to jounce the vehicle. This is again to make sure that the arms are seated properly in the brackets now that the bolts are tighter. To jounce the suspension, the easiest way to do this will be to stand on the front bumper and bounce up and down. You might want to place a blanket or something to protect the bumper that you can stand on, as you can see in the picture below. I know this seems somewhat ridiculous, but it is necessary to make sure that the bushings find themselves into the correct place inside the bracket and they don't bind.
Figure 11. Bounce the suspension
.Step 9 – Torque the bolts to 125 lb-ft
The final step will be to torque the bolts to 125 lb-ft. It is very important that you torque them to the correct value because if they get over-tightened, this could cause the bushing to bind and eventually cause damage. If they are not tightened enough, this could cause the bushing to be loose inside the bracket and cause the control arm to not work properly. Torque is important.
Featured Video: How to Install JKS Control Arms
But don't worry because there are solutions out there for all of these problems. Aftermarket control arms are offered by many different companies and just like with every other aftermarket part on offer, there is a range from mild to wild. Most will be stronger, bigger, longer and a few will even offer adjustability.
So, to make things a bit easier and give you an idea of what is on offer, here is a quick how-to and review.
How to Replace Your Control Arms
Note
The DIY Cost will depend on the brand you buy.
- Rock Krawler: $250-295
- Rough Country: $180
- Teraflex: $180-290
- JKS: $225-605
- Jack
- 21mm socket
- Ratchet
- 21mm wrench
- Torque wrench capable of 125 lb-ft
- Mallet (if needed)
Each control arm is held in by (2) 21mm bolts. One bolt attaches the control arm to the frame and the other attaches the control arm to the axle. Locate and loosen the bolt at the axle end first. Once you have it loosened, go ahead and remove the bolt. There might be some tension on the bolt due to the fact that the frame end is still connected. You can use a jack to push on the frame, which will make it a bit easier to remove the bolt.
Figure 2. Axle bolts.
Step 2 – Loosen the bolt at the frame end
Next go ahead and loosen the bolt that connects the control arm to the frame. Once you have it loosened, you can remove it. It will be much easier to remove this one because the axle end bolt has already been removed.
Step 3 – Remove the control arm
After both bolts have been removed, you can then remove the control arm from the vehicle.
Figure 3. Pull down the control arm.
Figure 4. Control arm out.
Step 4 – Place frame end of new control arm into frame bracket
Starting with the frame end of the new control arm, go ahead and insert it into the frame bracket and slide the bolt through the bolt hole. It might be a tight squeeze for the new bushing, so you might have to use a mallet to get the end of the control arm into the bracket. Once you have the bolt installed, thread the nut onto the bolt but don't tighten yet.
Figure 5. New control arm sliding into frame.
Step 5 – Place axle end of the new control arm into axle bracket
Once you have the frame end of the control arm into place in the frame bracket and the bolt installed, you can then place the axle end in the axle bracket. You will notice that once you get it installed, the bolt hole will be misaligned. That is okay. To align the bolt holes, place a jack under the frame near the frame end of the control arm. Lift up on the frame until you see the bolt holes align and then slide the bolt through the hole to install the nut. Do not tighten the bolt and nut yet.
Figure 6. Align control arm and frame holes.
Figure 7. Jack up control arm to align.
Figure 8. Bolt hole lining up.
Step 6 – Lift the tire off the ground
Now what you want to do before you tighten the bolt is to lift the tire of the corner you are working on off the ground and then lower it back down. This will make sure that the bushings find their way into place inside the brackets and cure any binding that might be present.
Figure 9. Check for binding.
Step 7 – Tighten the bolts
Now that you have seated the bushings, go ahead and tighten the bolts. You just want to snug them up, so don't apply the final torque value yet. You will do that after you jounce the suspension.
Figure 10. Don't be afraid to crank those bolts down.
Step 8 – Jounce the vehicle
After the bolts are nice and snug, the next step will be to jounce the vehicle. This is again to make sure that the arms are seated properly in the brackets now that the bolts are tighter. To jounce the suspension, the easiest way to do this will be to stand on the front bumper and bounce up and down. You might want to place a blanket or something to protect the bumper that you can stand on, as you can see in the picture below. I know this seems somewhat ridiculous, but it is necessary to make sure that the bushings find themselves into the correct place inside the bracket and they don't bind.
Figure 11. Bounce the suspension
.Step 9 – Torque the bolts to 125 lb-ft
The final step will be to torque the bolts to 125 lb-ft. It is very important that you torque them to the correct value because if they get over-tightened, this could cause the bushing to bind and eventually cause damage. If they are not tightened enough, this could cause the bushing to be loose inside the bracket and cause the control arm to not work properly. Torque is important.
Featured Video: How to Install JKS Control Arms