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VE sedan control arm and castor arm replacement

swmcl

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Hi all,

Sorry if it is covered elsewhere but I am experiencing a metallic knock of a ball joint (I think) somewhere in the passenger side front. I've had the struts replaced and also the swaybar links because of a mechanic opinion which didn't really help. The only options left I think are the control and castor arm replacements.

The Haines manual seems to indicate they should just be able to be taken off. There is no mention of needing to compress the spring. I guess one just jacks the car up and take the wheel off to do the job.

Any tips on tools or technique would be appreciated.

Cheers,
Steve
 

krusing

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Hi there, I did this 3 weeks ago for the EXACT same annoying noise as you seem to have, taking into account the car has done 150,000 k/m.
I did a full change over -
Gas Struts
Lower Control Arms
Radius Arms
Sway Bar Links
New Tyres
Wheel Alignment
New Hubs
And still had the damn knocking, so I am putting down to the Spring Seat/Base, or Steering Rack.
Is sounds like a real heavy metallic knock, like its something under pressure, as I could feel it through the steering wheel, especially when turning left or right.

I did read that it was an issue with the rubber buffer at the bottom of the springs,
they compress the rubber that hard, that it splits it, and the springs rub against the metal where the spring sits on the bottom of the tower,
I think they said, and I read somewhere, there was a re-call for that, but don't quote me on that.
My next option is to go and buy some Thick Rubber at Clarks Rubber, and cut a circle out, and cut the centre out and fit it over the shocker to fit on the spring base.
The problem I see with the VE's, is that the spring can move around on the base [slide from side to side] because there is nothing holding the bottom of the spring in place,
where on the VY's, the spring sits in a enclosed base, and can not move around.
If the rubber doesn't work, that leaves only one option, replace the Rack, where I have already checked for one on eBay.

On a site note, After I replaced all the hardware, as I had it all on stands, I didn't tension all the bolts up,
I dropped the car, and drove it up onto ramps, and tightened all the bolts up by hand,
Took it for a road test to settle in, and then re-tensioned it with a tension wrench.
Especially the Front Radius Arms, they HAVE to be 140nm, [Tension Wrench Recommended] and after I did that, it wasn't so bad.
However, I did recheck the tower bolts with the weight of the car on it,
and found on the left hand side, the nut under the top cup on the top of the tower was lose, which was causing a rattle,
so I retightened/tensioned that, and place the top tower washer back on, and tightened the top nut up with a rattle gun. [24mm socket].
So it seems to be quiet now, well at the moment.
 
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swmcl

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Gee whiz that sounds like a lot of work !

My knock isn't a heavy thump of significant metal its a light knock and is most noticeable on the passenger side when going over bitumen that has some pock marks in it (not potholes) and is certainly there all the time (uphill, downhill, left, right etc.,)

I wonder where the 'radius arm' is ...? I'm using terminology from EBay...
 

krusing

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Gee whiz that sounds like a lot of work !

My knock isn't a heavy thump of significant metal its a light knock and is most noticeable on the passenger side when going over bitumen that has some pock marks in it (not potholes) and is certainly there all the time (uphill, downhill, left, right etc.,)

I wonder where the 'radius arm' is ...? I'm using terminology from EBay...

It sounds like big job, but wasn't really, I took my time and did it in approx. 3.5 4 hours for the front end work only,
I didn't rush it, as I planned to take my time and let it take all day if need be.
but I enjoyed doing it, I have all the right gear to do it [apart from a hoist], but its my hobby,
and great satisfaction.

Radius Arm is the arm from the Wheel Knuckle, to the Front End of the Sub-frame,
The Lower Control Arm is the one that goes from the knuckle to the Centre of the Sub-frame,
Different people have different terminologies, but I am old school,

In your case, I would double check the tension of the whole front end,
Especially the Sway Bar Links.
like the wise Irish man said, to sure, to be sure.
 

swmcl

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Hello again,

I have used a breaker bar to check tension on ball joints in the knuckle so I know they are not at the thread-end of the joint. My car is an ex-cop sedan that has had a large number of issues. It has been thrashed previously.

Are you saying you did the job without spring tensioners ? Just a variety of sockets and torsion wrench etc.?
 

krusing

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I had my car on stands, so what I did, put it all back together, hand tighten all the bolts, and the nuts,
dropped the car on the ground, took it for a drive [road test] and when I got back, run it up onto ramps, and tensioned all the Bolts and Nuts up to Spec.
Took it for another road test, to see if there were and noises, and re-checked the tension.
A Breaker Bar is ok to tighten them, but for piece of mind,
I would see if you can obtain a tension wrench, so its done correctly, with all the work you have done, you don't want to have re-visit it again, because if there is a annoying/knocking sound, it will be frustrating to try and locate it again, and it could of been something simple that should of been done in the first time around. ;)
Do it once, do it properly ;)
Being an ex-police vehicle, it should be pretty much standard, apart from the police suspension pack, which was normally FE2, it should say what the Suspension is on your compliance plate.
 
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swmcl

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Hmmm.

Thanks again for your reply. I do have almost every common tool for the job so I've replaced the front castor arm at the minute without issue. Easy job considering it is a major suspension element. Next is the lower control arm. Maybe a reduction in noises but not an elimination so I hope the lower control arm is the last component.

This setup sure beats things I've worked on in the past (like older Holdens ie. HG) .
 

krusing

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They had [what they called] wishbone arms, they were from HD to HT Holdens I think,
different setup of suspension, but were very effective, the Shocker was in the middle of the wishbones.
then they went to a different setup again, and they called that "Radial Tuned Suspension" [RTS].
Had that on my 1977 Torana.
 

TAS1981

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I did not see if you had tried replacing the sway bar bushes, if you haven’t it’s cheap and possible to do on a flat surface without a jack. They might look fine but if you have tried everything else you should try this. It cured my front end knock and many others.
 

goldvn05

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Hi guys,

am attempting to replace both front control arms bushes( Lower Control Arms and Radius Arms) on VE.
started with the lower control arm(rear), used one of those ebay cup pressing kits, great idea, got one bush off and the second one snapped the 12mm threaded rod. went to bunnings and bought 12mm 180mm long gal bolt and nut and attempted to redo with the cups, and ended up snapping another 12mm bolt. (inner sleave of old bush only allows 12mm through)

See pic bellow first bush out and second one which has me sort of defeated.

maybe haven't crushed the metal sleeve in enough?? before pressing, hitting it with screwdriver and hammer around and seems to have crushed in almost 1mm, but still will not let go when tried pressing out

Any advice from those that have done it on VE ??

IS there any tips for how to remove the Radius arm bushes ??

If remove both Radius arm and lower control arms at the same time from vehicle, there is no issues with steering tie rod ?
leaving hub/knuckle temporary hanging from strut and still attached to steering tie rod(with no control arms)

Thinking to remove them all and take up to mechanics on Mon and ask them to press them out
Any advise be appreciated
cheers thanks
 

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