So the driver side factory replacement was easy. Passenger side upper bolt hits exhaust pipe. Tried jacking up engine slightly but minus detaching motor mounts but didn't work. Do I have to cut this off and then swap the bolt position when putting back on?

The rears are difficult to take off because of the brake rotor backing plate and the other bolt hits my teraflex 2.75" bumpstop. I'd have to remove the bumpstop.

What a crappy day of wrenching. Transfer case is always easy. lol so at least I got that done.

 

I found it's easy to get that one out if you take it off the axle side then lift the arm and swing it towards the driver's side, then there's just enough room to eek the bolt out. Worked on my 2010!

 

LOL, I think I mentioned before how much fun you'd have with that one. I helped someone with 3.8L long ago. Seems like we disconnected the exhaust in order to gain clearance. In the back, bumpstops definitely cause interference so just easier to remove them. It's just never as simple as it should be.

 

I'm gonna try this but maybe there is a difference between 2 and 4 door?

Did anyone just cut it off and put a new bolt in the opposite way. I do remember you saying what a pain this would be.

 

The front end is identical. We did the same thing on my friend's 2015 4dr rubi when installing his control arms.

 

I didn't have nearly as hard a time replacing on my '13. It wasn't "fun" per se, but I was able to get the bolt and the arm out ok, unlike that dang '08 I slapped a lift on. That thing was a major PITA.

That front, passenger, upper is the hardest by far. The rear uppers aren't supper fun trying to hold that little bracket up in the frame while you hole the arm and the bolt, but a bit more manageable at least....just cumbersome.

 

I'm gonna give it another go this weekend. I'll report back.

 

7 outta 8 aint bad! that 8th one might not be worth changing for the effort!

I've never seen a death wobble report due to upper control arm bushing.

 

Does it help to remove the front bumper? I've never pulled those upper control arms off but I did loosen up the bolts when installing my lift. The reason I ask about removing the bumper is because when I was installing a new bumper, I noticed those harder to reach control arm bolts staring me in the face after I pulled the front bumper off and decided to check the torque on them since it seemed like I had easier access at that time.

 

The "problem" bolt is frame side. The problem is once you get the nut off the bolt, you don't have enough clearance to remove the bolt. You pull it out and it hits the exhaust.