You're a bloody legend. I've just spent a few days under the front my D40. I opted for adjustable UCA's because my 45mm lift pushed the camber/caster just outside the adjustable range (i.e. the camber pins were maxed out & still had very slight positive camber). But the Superpro UCA's don't clear the upper shock tower at all positions - they use a sliding/rotating arrangement to move the upper ball joint position around. They sort of solve one issue & create another. I used my "rotating metal remover" to take the lip off the strut towers, but it was still very close to the b/j bellows at max negative camber. I emailed Superpro & sent photos of the upper ball joint bellows fouling on the strut tower. Their tech guy was great. He sent out a set of offset lower control arm bushes straight away. So now I have to fit them. I noticed you didn't dick around pressing new bushes into your LCA's....you just fitted a whole new one. I have a hydraulic press...so I'll be pressing (or burning) out the OEM bushes and pressing in the new offset poly bushes. These will move the lower b/j outwards slightly, which will enable me to move the upper ball joint outwards (away from tower edge) for the same camber/caster setting. Hopefully it all works together. They assured me the CV axle will not be affected by moving the hub outboard a little....? While I'm under there (again) I'll probably replace the lower ball joints. And the D/S CV has a buggered boot/bellows....so I'll sort that out too while it's all apart. Thanks for such a clear and useful video! (my 4 year old likes my rattle gun & compressed air too 😆)
Thnx dude, I have the D40 2.5dci 4x4 auto 2013 model and love my truck. Lower control arm Bushes I'll be replacing soon. This video will help alot Thank you
Quick tip for putting the steering knuckle back onto the lower ball joint. I took a brass wire brush and knocked the surface rust off where the ball joint goes into the steering knuckle, it slipped straight on after that. No need for a jack or hammer to force it in.
Hey mate sorry to hear you’re having dramas getting it all back in I think I was just lucky my front has come apart so many times in the past three years I did have dramas with one ball joint going back in I ended up using a jack underneath jacked it up with a bit of pressure then tapped it with a hammer and it popped into place allowing the bolts for the ball joint to go back in hopefully that it may work for you as well
I need to change the lower ball joints on my Nav. Some people are saying to just change the ball joint and others say change the whole arm? What do you suggest and if it's to change the whole arm, where did you buy your control arms from? Also, is a rattle gun with 550nm max enough to do the job?
Ball joints are enough. I am using the Bosch 200Nm which is more than enough. You need the torque wrench to tight bolts to correct torque, not the rattle gun
Hey mate wasn’t very long it would take around two hours for both sides if you’ve got all the right gear I have pulled the front of my car apart so many times maybe that is why it would be slightly quicker it’s certainly not a hard job
I'm most of the way disassembling the drivers side to do the lower ball joint and the whole UCA assembly. NOTHING and i mean NOTHING came out that easy. Broke my first breaker bar getting the axle nut off, the bolt holding the ball joint to the knuckle wont come out even with a rattle gun and a large hammer and i'm about 2 hours into trying to unplug that damn wire. Havent even started the other side yet. I'm having fun though.
Mate that’s no good hope it all comes apart for you in the end I was just so lucky that it all came apart as easy as I did I was certainly prepared for a shit fight
You're a bloody legend. I've just spent a few days under the front my D40. I opted for adjustable UCA's because my 45mm lift pushed the camber/caster just outside the adjustable range (i.e. the camber pins were maxed out & still had very slight positive camber). But the Superpro UCA's don't clear the upper shock tower at all positions - they use a sliding/rotating arrangement to move the upper ball joint position around. They sort of solve one issue & create another. I used my "rotating metal remover" to take the lip off the strut towers, but it was still very close to the b/j bellows at max negative camber.
I emailed Superpro & sent photos of the upper ball joint bellows fouling on the strut tower. Their tech guy was great. He sent out a set of offset lower control arm bushes straight away.
So now I have to fit them. I noticed you didn't dick around pressing new bushes into your LCA's....you just fitted a whole new one.
I have a hydraulic press...so I'll be pressing (or burning) out the OEM bushes and pressing in the new offset poly bushes. These will move the lower b/j outwards slightly, which will enable me to move the upper ball joint outwards (away from tower edge) for the same camber/caster setting. Hopefully it all works together. They assured me the CV axle will not be affected by moving the hub outboard a little....?
While I'm under there (again) I'll probably replace the lower ball joints. And the D/S CV has a buggered boot/bellows....so I'll sort that out too while it's all apart.
Thanks for such a clear and useful video!
(my 4 year old likes my rattle gun & compressed air too 😆)
Thnx dude, I have the D40 2.5dci 4x4 auto 2013 model and love my truck. Lower control arm Bushes I'll be replacing soon. This video will help alot Thank you
Thanks mate, very well done explaining the whole process.
Very informative, just about to go an attempt the job myself...thanks for the video.
Mate , this video is mint.
Awesome video
Quick tip for putting the steering knuckle back onto the lower ball joint. I took a brass wire brush and knocked the surface rust off where the ball joint goes into the steering knuckle, it slipped straight on after that. No need for a jack or hammer to force it in.
Nice video, good explained
Tq broo
If I replace the cv joint boot do I need to do a new steering geometry ?
Where did you get the impact can you give us a link for it ??
Mate u made that look easy im having trouble but the ball joint bolt back in
Hey mate sorry to hear you’re having dramas getting it all back in I think I was just lucky my front has come apart so many times in the past three years I did have dramas with one ball joint going back in I ended up using a jack underneath jacked it up with a bit of pressure then tapped it with a hammer and it popped into place allowing the bolts for the ball joint to go back in hopefully that it may work for you as well
I need to change the lower ball joints on my Nav. Some people are saying to just change the ball joint and others say change the whole arm? What do you suggest and if it's to change the whole arm, where did you buy your control arms from? Also, is a rattle gun with 550nm max enough to do the job?
Ball joints are enough. I am using the Bosch 200Nm which is more than enough. You need the torque wrench to tight bolts to correct torque, not the rattle gun
Great vid mate! How long did this take for both arms?
Hey mate wasn’t very long it would take around two hours for both sides if you’ve got all the right gear I have pulled the front of my car apart so many times maybe that is why it would be slightly quicker it’s certainly not a hard job
About to replace my lowers on a 16 Frontier. Bolts are frozen, have to cut them out. Ought to be an adventure.
Those bolts are like $18/piece. I'm gonna try to wd-40 them for a week lol. I'm worried about removing my axle, or not being able to remove it, moreso
My camber adjustment nut is locked tight, any advice on how to free it up for camber adjustment,? it’s got a very slight left pull on the steering
I'm most of the way disassembling the drivers side to do the lower ball joint and the whole UCA assembly. NOTHING and i mean NOTHING came out that easy. Broke my first breaker bar getting the axle nut off, the bolt holding the ball joint to the knuckle wont come out even with a rattle gun and a large hammer and i'm about 2 hours into trying to unplug that damn wire.
Havent even started the other side yet.
I'm having fun though.
Mate that’s no good hope it all comes apart for you in the end
I was just so lucky that it all came apart as easy as I did I was certainly prepared for a shit fight
The size of wrench use for removing CV joint nut...
32mm