Hello, at 154k miles I start getting steering wheel vibrations on uneven surface and the front bushings on both front suspension lower arms are leaking. So I'm about to replace both lower arms. The shop manual makes it sound very easy - remove a cotter pin, unbolt a few bolts/bolt joint and take the arm out. Is it really that simple? Has anyone done it and can share the experience?

My main concern is loaded springs or torsion bars etc - I don't want something unexpected to rip my head off. Is there anything compressed which I need to be aware of? Is everything sliding off easily? Any tricks? Of course I plan to use impact wrench - the bolts are likely to be tight.

Have you done it without re-alignment - does it hold the alignment after replacement? (I've had too many bad alignment experiences even with top shops, so don't want to mess with something which was finally set up correctly years ago).

Note it's 2002-2006 design, so no individual bushing replacements like in the older models.

Thanks!

You can get spring compressors for free from most all the big car parts stores.

As for the rest of your post, never done that job so I can't help you out.

Thanks, good to know if I need to use it. But the question is more fundamental - do I even need a spring compressor or the strut assembly is going to hold it together anyway, so effectively there will be nothing "loaded" and needed a compression? Thx

No need for spring compressor to replace my 02 Q LCAs very simple and straightforward job