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anyone fitted gq/gu radius arm spacers before ?

Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2005 10:04 am
by planb
the kit comes with 4 rings, 2 large, two small

any idea which ring goes on which side of the mount ?

whats the best way of fitting them ?

no, i dont own a hoist

Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2005 11:18 am
by turps
I have them (brought from ONtrack east Keilor, VIC).
This roughly how I did mine.
Jack up and put car on chassi stands (up high).
Remove passenger wheel
remove tie-rod on passenger side
start undoing all bolts that hold arm on (radiuse arm that is).
once arm is off, take rubbers out, also big washer.
Slide the bigger of the spacer rings on, and refit big washer.
Slide smaller spacer over threaded section.
Then reinstall on car.
Note- Dont do thread on chassi end up extremly tight. Have heard storys of them twisting the thread off.

DO the same for drivers side, except you dont need to pull the tie rod off. Just pull it around abit further.

I recommend getting some new rubbers for the chassi mount while you are there. Worth checking all the rubbers while you are here actually. My bushes on the front where pretty new so didnt need touching, but the chassi rubbers why buggered (and still are).

Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2005 12:33 pm
by planb
thanks turps

ill let you know how it goes

Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2005 12:54 pm
by rag
I have the same job to do this week end, I was hoping to undo the nuts holding the redius arms in place. Then just pushing the whole front end forward enough to get the spacers on.
Looks like I have more work in front of me than I thought.....Doh

Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2005 1:49 pm
by turps
rag wrote:I have the same job to do this week end, I was hoping to undo the nuts holding the redius arms in place. Then just pushing the whole front end forward enough to get the spacers on.
Looks like I have more work in front of me than I thought.....Doh


I had a bloke who works for a shop watching and he said the arm needs to come off. But worth trying just do one arm a time or you will break shocks and pinions.

Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2005 2:04 pm
by Madmac
what are the benefits of fitting these, is it just to push the front axle forward to allow fitting of bigger rubber, i guess that moving the axle forward would create a better approach angle too, are there other benefits, and is this the kit that bigballs advertise for $50????

Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2005 2:09 pm
by bazzle
Normally about 12mm for GQ and GU. Some GUs have removeablle rear section that allows more adj.

Normally limited though by thread length, panhard pin angles or panhard hitting front of diff pumpkin.

Chock front wheels
Loosen large nuts at rear and remove.
Remove swaybar links and remove swaybar
You may have to undo one steering ball joint on rear steering arm and move arm to one side.
Loosen and remove bolts under axle. (tap out with screwdriver)
Remove arms one at a time pulling forward.
Remove front large washer and rubber bush.
Place 25mm ID thick washer over threaded section
Replace washer and bush.
Replace arm
Refit bolts loosely
Slide sleeve over threaded section
Replace rear bush, washer and nut loose

Repeat other side.
Tighten bolts on axle
Tighten bolts on arms, if min1.5 threads does not show past nut grind nut a bit until they do.
Replace steering arm, sway bar etc.

Note: If trouble aligning axle end bolts place bottle jack under diff casting next to pinion and adjust angle or rock 4bee back and forwards a bit so axle rotates a bit.


Bazzle

Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2007 12:28 pm
by dansedgli
Sorry to bump an old thread but Im having a hard time getting my new radius arm spacers on.

I undid the bolt at the rear of the lower control arm but I cant budge the bolts that attach the arm to the diff housing.

I tried a rattle gun and Dad and I had a breaker on each side of the bolt trying to loosen it with no success.

They dont appear to be reverse thread, are they?

If I remove the shock bolts will the diff more forward enough to clear everything so I can install the spacers without removing the arms?

Any other ideas? The bolts are soaking in WD40 atm.

Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2007 7:56 pm
by hammey
Nope... not a reverse thread mate.

breaker bar with pipe

Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2007 8:35 pm
by dansedgli
Thanks mate, I let it soak and tried again with no luck.

I took the whole front end apart and managed to move the diff and control arms forward enough to get them on.

Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2007 8:26 am
by Cossie
On some vehicles, either the bolt or nut is flanged (has teeth on so it grips the surface). If the bolt wont undo, try the nut, and vice versa, you wont ever undo it if you're raunching on the wrong part.

Rattle gun is unlikely to touch it as it is very tight, big breaker bar should do it easily, its just a bit difficult to swing on it without a hoist.

Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 7:35 am
by bj on roids
If you had access to a 2 pole hoist and just lifted the car up, tied the front diff down and took the shocks out (obviously)

Could you slide the spacers on without removing the arms and the tie-rod?

Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 1:58 pm
by bj on roids
bj on roids wrote:If you had access to a 2 pole hoist and just lifted the car up, tied the front diff down and took the shocks out (obviously)

Could you slide the spacers on without removing the arms and the tie-rod?
To answer my own question, you are best to do it like this:

remove one nut on steering arm
remove one mount and fit it all up
bolt it all back on
move steering arm completely out of the way
remove second arm fit kit
bolt second arm back in
bolt steering on

done.

15mm more wheelbase for only $45 plus a couple of hours work....

I needed just a FRACTION more clearance on the front of my sump, and I think it is just enough.

Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 2:10 pm
by bj on roids
bazzle wrote:Normally about 12mm for GQ and GU. Some GUs have removeablle rear section that allows more adj.

Normally limited though by thread length, panhard pin angles or panhard hitting front of diff pumpkin.

Chock front wheels
Loosen large nuts at rear and remove.
Remove swaybar links and remove swaybar
You may have to undo one steering ball joint on rear steering arm and move arm to one side.
Loosen and remove bolts under axle. (tap out with screwdriver)
Remove arms one at a time pulling forward.
Remove front large washer and rubber bush.
Place 25mm ID thick washer over threaded section
Replace washer and bush.
Replace arm
Refit bolts loosely
Slide sleeve over threaded section
Replace rear bush, washer and nut loose

Repeat other side.
Tighten bolts on axle
Tighten bolts on arms, if min1.5 threads does not show past nut grind nut a bit until they do.
Replace steering arm, sway bar etc.

Note: If trouble aligning axle end bolts place bottle jack under diff casting next to pinion and adjust angle or rock 4bee back and forwards a bit so axle rotates a bit.


Bazzle
Just for future searchers, bazzle said it better than I and he is SPOT ON!!

Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 6:18 pm
by waandy
i removed my arms on a hoist but have been told if you put the front end chassis on stands, remove the springs you can roll the diff forward and put them on, dont hold me to it its just another way i have been told