Howler_GT
05-29-2010, 08:31 PM
I thought I would share an experience I JUST had with what was supposed to be a simple mod but turned out otherwise.
My 94 Sport (Lil Red) is/was in need of some fresh lower control arms. The stock bushings are really showing thier age.
Replacement-time is optimum upgrade-time.
I have heard about the WJ LCA swap.
I read up on this mod from several websites and I believed I was well-armed to take on this "easy" mod.
ALMOST a direct bolt-in. Only thing required is the metal sleeve in the bushings need to be trimmed to fit into the XJ locations.
The part of the mod I thought would be the hardest (removal of old hardware) was in fact the easiest. The arm dropped without the axle moving or rotating.
Set new and old side-by-side and HEY! they are NOT the same length as everyone stated they were. Eye-to-eye there is almost 3/16" difference (WJ's being longer)
I can deal with that...no biggie.
Did more measuring and trimmed the sleeves down.
Axle end popped right in, bolt slid through perfectly.
Unibody-end was a completely different story.
It slid in, but the holes would not line-up. Not lengthwise, but up and down.
Pried, tapped with rubber mallet...nothing. Hit with BFH...nothing.
Disconnected axle-end, twisted, hit, pried...And still nothing.
I remeasured and there is enough room between the mounts. I looked UP with a flashlight to see shiny metal on the unibody.
The outside of the control arm is TOO big.
Grinder-time/ After several episodes of grinder vs. control arm... it still did not fit.
I am now 2hrs into this and I do not even have ONE installed.:thumbdown:
Two more grinder vs. arm episodes and I finally admitted defeat.:mad:
I put away all my instruments of destruction, had a cigarette, and stewed for a few minutes.:mad0090:
As day was losing its battle with the night, I threw the old control arm back in and torqued the bolts. BTW, the old one only took 6 minutes to install and torque.
Perhaps we should file this one under the "MODBUSTERS", not as "confirmed" or "plausible" but as a definite--"busted".
Maybe it will be revisted during the "Viewer Request" episode.:eek:
My 94 Sport (Lil Red) is/was in need of some fresh lower control arms. The stock bushings are really showing thier age.
Replacement-time is optimum upgrade-time.
I have heard about the WJ LCA swap.
I read up on this mod from several websites and I believed I was well-armed to take on this "easy" mod.
ALMOST a direct bolt-in. Only thing required is the metal sleeve in the bushings need to be trimmed to fit into the XJ locations.
The part of the mod I thought would be the hardest (removal of old hardware) was in fact the easiest. The arm dropped without the axle moving or rotating.
Set new and old side-by-side and HEY! they are NOT the same length as everyone stated they were. Eye-to-eye there is almost 3/16" difference (WJ's being longer)
I can deal with that...no biggie.
Did more measuring and trimmed the sleeves down.
Axle end popped right in, bolt slid through perfectly.
Unibody-end was a completely different story.
It slid in, but the holes would not line-up. Not lengthwise, but up and down.
Pried, tapped with rubber mallet...nothing. Hit with BFH...nothing.
Disconnected axle-end, twisted, hit, pried...And still nothing.
I remeasured and there is enough room between the mounts. I looked UP with a flashlight to see shiny metal on the unibody.
The outside of the control arm is TOO big.
Grinder-time/ After several episodes of grinder vs. control arm... it still did not fit.
I am now 2hrs into this and I do not even have ONE installed.:thumbdown:
Two more grinder vs. arm episodes and I finally admitted defeat.:mad:
I put away all my instruments of destruction, had a cigarette, and stewed for a few minutes.:mad0090:
As day was losing its battle with the night, I threw the old control arm back in and torqued the bolts. BTW, the old one only took 6 minutes to install and torque.
Perhaps we should file this one under the "MODBUSTERS", not as "confirmed" or "plausible" but as a definite--"busted".
Maybe it will be revisted during the "Viewer Request" episode.:eek: