Replacing Rear Control Arms Guide

A forum for the legendary Nissan Pathfinder and Infiniti QX4.
RR425
Posts: 97
Joined: Sat Aug 16, 2014 10:39 am
Car: 2001 Infiniti QX4
Location: Issaquah, WA

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Ok yeah, the split bushings don't fit so looks like the metal part is part of the bushing and needs to come out. I sawzalled two slits in it to pull a piece out- it's not coming out. I'll re-read these threads to figure it out.


AlanAZ
Posts: 221
Joined: Mon Jan 18, 2016 3:43 pm
Car: 2003 QX4 rwd
Location: Scottsdale, AZ

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I cut 2 grooves, and cold chiseled the strip of metal out.

RR425
Posts: 97
Joined: Sat Aug 16, 2014 10:39 am
Car: 2001 Infiniti QX4
Location: Issaquah, WA

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Yup, figured it out. Only there is a problem with the 4x4 split bushing kit- one of the cylinders for the bushing has the wrong size opening and screw does not fit. Also, one of the bushing has an opening slightly smaller than the others, and the metal cylinder fits so tight it doesn't move. Need to call 4x4 to fix that. Looks good other than that.

Thanks for the write up and all the help guys :mike

pancakepancake
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Apr 04, 2018 1:09 pm

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I'm in the middle of this now and have a question for any of you that remember this job.

The upper control arm driver's side has the bolt facing outward, meaning the nut is near the wheel well and it's basically a straight shot with an impact.

The upper control arm PASSENGER'S SIDE however, is the opposite. The bolt goes in from the passenger side and points inward, leaving the nut near the muffler.

Why did the dealer install it like this? Wouldn't it make sense to do it the same as the driver's side, considering when you need to remove the bolt, you should impact the nut and not the bolt head?

Makes no sense. Thoughts?

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atraudes
Posts: 1106
Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2013 7:46 pm
Car: 2001.5 Infiniti QX4 4WD
Location: Sammamish, WA

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Each side should be a mirror image of the other side. That said, go with whatever works for you. Unless it's interfering with other things around it, there should be zero reason you couldn't flip the bolt around.

pancakepancake
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Apr 04, 2018 1:09 pm

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atraudes wrote:
Sun Apr 29, 2018 12:24 pm
Each side should be a mirror image of the other side. That said, go with whatever works for you. Unless it's interfering with other things around it, there should be zero reason you couldn't flip the bolt around.
Strange, maybe someone messed with mine. I'll install it the other way.

Is there any reason not to use a high torque impact on the bolt head instead of the nut? I really have no choice though.

Good tip on the ratchet straps. 0 chance it would've went in without the straps for me. It was off by an inch

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atraudes
Posts: 1106
Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2013 7:46 pm
Car: 2001.5 Infiniti QX4 4WD
Location: Sammamish, WA

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Yeah mine was that far off too.

Nope, shouldn't matter which side you tighten.

secondnissan
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Jan 27, 2020 7:24 am
Car: 2001 Infinit QX4

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I just wanted to say THANK YOU!.... to everyone who's posted in this thread. I've been able to eliminate the "Pathfinder Sway" on my (new to me) 2001 Infiniti QX4, which *was* terrible.

Everything you need to know, to do the job has been posted already, but here's a little more, for anyone who's read this far. Two decent how-to videos are here:
Upper: https://youtu.be/w2x5xJ0eLSY
Lower: https://youtu.be/eMn9CjMcQZc

I used the Nolathane bushings and didn't have a press but here's a video showing how to install polyurethane bushes without a vise, press or anything but a nut, bolt and backer plates:
https://youtu.be/2jrlSiqLEKM
---NOTE--- The Nolathane documentation says NOT to put the grease on the outside of the bushing, but only on the area where the metal sleeve insert and interior polyurethane touch. INSTEAD, as lubricant they say to use a 1% soapy solution (Dawn + water). I found that spraying the bushing immediately before attempting to squeeze the components together made a huge difference. Also, I'd recommend a grade 5 or 8 bolt and nut for the job, since the pressure snapped regular hardware store galvanized bolts, on my first attempts. And, the thick metal J-bolt square plates in the Simpson connector section of the hardware store make good backers for your bolt head/nut; they are MUCH thicker than washers and are pre-drilled.
Here are the Nolathane part numbers I used: REV112.0006 (lower) and REV118.0032 (upper).

If I had it to do over, I'd just buy the arms with rubber bushings already installed, even if they don't last as long as the polyurethane bushings. I wouldn't call the job trivial swapping them, but cutting out the old rubber, cleaning the insert areas of the bars, and pressing the new bushings in, was, for me, the hardest part of the job. Don't be frightened by the alignment woes many other had; it's true that lifting the differential and using ratchet straps makes it doable. I'd add that a spud wrench or long tapered round chisel helps too.

Thanks again, ALL!

Serdriver
Posts: 28
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2019 6:03 am
Car: 2001 Nissan Pathfinder LE

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Just did this repair about two weeks ago and it went fairly smoothly. Thanks for all of the info!

I have a California car, so no issues with rust on the bolts, and I reused all of them :)

Definitely use a tie-down strap to realign the lower links; saved me a lot of headache of trying to figure out how to align the holes. Just tie it around the transmission mount thing (don't know the name).

Also, I had to buy a impact wrench!! First time I've needed to use one, but I've worked on Subarus for so long and I guess these truck bolts are just something I'm not used to. They were not budging with my breaker bar, so I bought spent about $220 at Home depot for the impact wrench and the battery (why they don't come with batteries is beyond me, so silly.) Also, trying to maneuver the impact wrench to get to the upper link bolts can be tricky, but it's doable.

I got everything from Rockauto, Moog parts for the links, mevotech parts for the sway bar parts.

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rgk
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2014 4:48 am
Car: 02 Pathfinder LE 3.5 auto 4x4
Location: Indiana Dunes National Park

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Sounds great. Pathfinder-Forester household checking in.

In the future set yourself up with a u-joint socket adapter to get in those pesky tight spaces.


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