Jeep WJ Maintenance - Part 3: Front Control Arms - Dana 30 - Vortex Garage Ep. 6
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ก.พ. 2025
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In part 3 of our WJ suspension refurb video, we finish up on the front suspension. We strip down one side of the Dana 30 axle, replacing the bushings on the upper control arms (both on the arm and D30 axle), and install new lower front control arms. The Jeep is put back on the ground, and all the front and rear arms are torqued to spec at ride height.
No Music Remaster now available: th-cam.com/video/VmHwH-FaBoI/w-d-xo.html
Thanks,this is just what i needed😀I bought a WJ two weeks ago,and have to renew a lot of bushings and control arms.
Чувак ! Если я когда нибудь попаду в Америку , я найду тебя !) Шикарное видео! Я не купил себе Гранд Чероки но Собираюсь ))
Glad you enjoyed!
This would have been a good time to install new springs and insulators and new shocks too!
AT first I thought why the hell are you taking out the springs, but it all makes sense and enjoyed the vid. Awesome work.
Excellent article.
Tip for removing the bushing. You do not need to do it this way. Alls you have to do is tap the side of it with a heavy chisel type took and a hammer to kinda bend it in and break the seal between the metal of the bushing and the control arm. Then with a bar and hammer it will just tap right out. Use some penetrating oil about a hour before hand.
I tried this first after reading your comment, but my 04 WJ wasn't having it. The bushing sleeve was loose but the rubber was still solid and I couldn't break the seal around the outside of the bushing where it's pressed in. I drilled out the bushing sleeve; used a hacksaw to cut the bushing lengthwise (while still pressed into the axel) like Vortex Garage did; then started beating on the cut line with a grade 8 bolt and a hammer until I caved the bushing in. I dont have a Sawzall or punches so that's what I did on the cheap with with 2 hours into it. Pressed the new one in with a $40 ball joint press from Ebay. Worth the experience, saved on labor $, and now I own the tools and knowledge. But damn my back hurts. Lol
Alls isn't a word.
If you place the jack towards the back of the diff towards the u joint then you can easily move to the hole.
Heat bushing shell, rubber pushes right out. Do both uppers at same time makes short work of re-installation.
Bonus view.
TH-cam algorithm booster commentary.
I just did my upper control arms. Man are those a pain in the ass. Also found out the hard way my passenger side spring perch (where the lower isolator mounts) was completely rusted out and disintegrated as pulled out the spring. Looks like the Jeep will be staying in the garage a little longer until I can figure out how to fix it.
Bummer on that! Sad to see some of the WJs are rusting out spring perches. I dont this the axles were coated very well from dana or at the factory.
Just shows there are a few different ways to do this 👍
Now you can buy the control arms with bushings in it for cheap
====PART NUMBERS LISTED HERE FOR MOOG PARTS BELOW THE COMMENT====
to get proper compression you can leave the tire off and just remove them JACK Stands and leave a Jack on each side under your front axel. this way you do have still your tire off, there for easy access to tighten them bolts down to spec because the jacks emulate your tires. Works like a charm each time.
Trick when you need to pull back the axle. Run a chain from your axle in a loop around the axle to your towing mount points on your frame and pull it tight.
Also before you JACK up your car frame put spring compressors in before you put the car onto Jack stands. This way your springs are already compressed and you can there for quicker remove them for the job. But please be careful and only use real spring compressors like shows in the video. Thank you.
MOOG Part numbers :
1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee - Control Arm - Front, Driver or Passenger Side, Upper (MORK640797)
1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee - Control Arm - Front, Driver or Passenger Side, Lower (MORK640773)
1999 Jeep Cherokee - Control Arm Bushing - Kit (K3128)
instead of putting the tires back on couldn't you just put a jack stand under the axle and lower the car until all the weight is on the axle on the jack stand then you would still have the car off the ground with the tire off but with the suspension loaded with the weight of the vehicle
I raised the motor to get the mount-to-bracket bolt out, but after replacing mount my motor will not drop back down for me to stab center bolt in. Anyone have any ideas?
I havea96 ZJ 5.2 and replaced ALL control arms, track bar, etc, everything but balljoints, anyway regarding the alignment of the hole I used the factory Jeep bottle jack and wedged it to push the front diff. housing where it needed to be. I have IRON MAN stock height fixed tubular control arms but the poly bushing give a harsh rideSeems you changed nearly everything yourself, lots of knuckle busting work there, WJ seems a bit different than the ZJ
I love my WJ and have also replaced everything myself except the ball joints. I dont have the balls or the time to try and do them when it's my daily driver lol
Why did you have to remove the shock and spring?
Did you finish watching the video before asking this question?
I didn’t take any of that off and did my control arms easy
Great video. You saved me big $$$$. Thank you.
upper bushing for axle
part #????
MOOG Part numbers :
1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee - Control Arm - Front, Driver or Passenger Side, Upper (MORK640797)
1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee - Control Arm - Front, Driver or Passenger Side, Lower (MORK640773)
1999 Jeep Cherokee - Control Arm Bushing - Kit (K3128)
what part# did you use for upper bushing on axle???
is the driver side upper control arm on the axel side bushing suppose to stick out a little bit?
yes. the outer sleeve of the bushing is stepped, meaning it has two diameters, press in the small dia. until it buts up against the larger dia.
really helpful video
You really need to wire brush or strip wheel those control arms with bushings out so you can coat them with spray paint to prevent rust. It also makes your vehicle look better
Music is too loud
This would be better without the music
Can anyone make a maintenance video without music. Not looking for music videos in a maintenance video.
I used to want to make videos like TV - not understanding that "dead air" is totally fine, and preferred on YT. Fortunately I saved many of the original files and have remastered most of these WJ videos without music.
This one is here: th-cam.com/video/VmHwH-FaBoI/w-d-xo.html (Remastered with no music)
I've also made a playlist with the other remasters of these early videos, with music removed:
th-cam.com/play/PLESQ7qVAg9u5vEaeScwtr_YuWBsgKdPm4.html
Hope these are easier to consume and helpful to your WJ maintenance.
Ditto, that music drowns out your voice!
do you have a video on coil spring axle mount repair ?
Not at this time, my spring mounts were still in good shape. Ive read alot recently of folks with them rusted through, and know there are some mount repair kits available. Mine haven't rusted too bad yet, and haven't had one come by that needed it yet.
+Vortex Garage Great video, but you could have knocked some of all that rust off the passenger side spring mount and sprayed some anti rust oil or something on it. Because it will rust completely away in the end as long as water, salt and moisture is allowed to enter inside that spring insulator. My driver side spring mount was completely gone away after 10 years. The spring had partly fallen through it. Took some time and effort to fix using a rust free junkyard cut-off spring mount. Strangely enough there was no rust on my passenger side. Will never understand why. My WJ is Austrian made but the axles came from the same factory as yours, and just as poorly protected under that spring insulator.
This job is way easier with some penetrating oil. Soak the area where the bushing housing bonds to the axle. Wait 15 minutes and soak it again.
🙂
Will you PLEASE turn off that background music crap. Thank you.
I am sure you don't listen to that music when you are working. I feel you don't want to hear your voice.
isn't way better to buy the whole piece brand new with the bushings already in? its just a couple of dollars more, half your time and energy goes towards replacing the bushings and still you end up with a part that is at least 25% rusted. Why?
In 99-04 Jeep Grand Cherokee WJ's; the upper control arm bushings on the axel side are pressed into the axel. While I agree with you buying new arms was a good idea, the arms ONLY come with the frame side pressed in. You still have to press out the axel side bushings and press in new ones even if you buy new control arms. Hope this helps
my 96 is the same setup, real pita if ya know what i mean, plus the front of my lower arms have cam washers the affect the alignment which this vehicle didn't
I would replace the whole arm for 48 bucks
The bushing still has to be changed in the axle housing ... replacing just the arm isn't gonna fix ....
plus rubber bushings suck, polyurethane is the way.
Good camera work ....penetrating fluid and grease ..... try it some time ... and maybe wash the mud off first...just sayin .... Thanks.
Safety precaution: never put your hands or arms into and through a suspension that is loaded by a hydraulic jack. If the jack slips off the point of contact you can be severely hurt !
air hammer would be your friend..... half the time screwing around just saying ...