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T31 Front control arms

5K views 23 replies 7 participants last post by  Bus-man 
#1 ·
Hi folks,
Have found 3-9 play in both front wheels of my T31 & I can see movement on the lower ball joints, both sides and the rearward bushings look suspect as well, so time to replace the control arms. She's done 107k miles so I guess that's fair.

Reason I found the play was a high-pitched squeal/screech (rusty hinge sound?) when cornering left, but only with speed. Noise really hard to pinpoint. If anyone recognises that, please let me know, or could it be the ball-joint moving under load?

Bearings, track-rod ends & drop links seem OK, but I reckon to remove the arms, the drop-links need disconnected to move the ARB out of the way of the back bolt, so I figure to replace them while I'm at it. It looks a straightforward swap, so any heads-up would be appreciated. Then where to buy is the essence of the question?

Seems to be a spectrum of pricing for these control arms, some only £37.50 for a pair on 3 day postage, some £60 /pair with drop links & 3 day postage. (Both ebay sellers) Then there's Delphi arms at £97 each, AtoZ listing at £57 each etc. Makes it v hard to know what the difference in quality is.

I won't use bestpartsstore, autodoc.co.uk / onlinecarparts.co.uk as they're totally shyte & probably same ownership. Any advice on a source

Much appreciated,
Houndy
 
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#4 ·
I replaced all and still had an issue which in the end was diagnosed as the sub-frame bushes. I replaced complete sub-frame rather than just bushes as part was £175 but smaller labour costs. Total transformation as oddly 2 diagonal bushes were shot. Car is not only spot on response from steering but rides smoother and quieter but then again it's done a minor 180k miles in 10 years!
 
#6 ·
Update: changed the front offside control arm & drop-link. Will do the other side tomorrow, weather permitting.

Had also bought track-rod ends, but there is a difference to the shaping of the replacements; the original and the new are sort of phone-receiver-shaped and look like they end up in the same place, but don't take the same route, if you know what I mean.

Anyone had the same experience?

I decided against swapping it in, at this point, but will definitely still replace them.

Cheers
 
#9 ·
I think you're right Col; I'm overly cautious I guess, but my confusion/hesitancy comes from searching for the OEM part number turning up parts that *look* like the originals, but the ebay parts-checker says don't fit my T31. Searching ebay for tie rod ends for T31 comes up with the QQ parts that are compatible but don't look like the originals. Aaarghh.

Like my T30 frigging nearside driveshaft saga...

She's certainly feeling a bit firmer with the new control arms & drop links. The tie rods aren't bad, balljoints are a bit loose, so will swap them on Sat.

Will mark & measure inner tie rod position for alignment, but d'you reckon it's worth paying someone to check the alignment afterwards or can she be sightline aligned?

As always, I appreciate the input.

Now need to track down the source of the rusty hinge squeal on sharp fast left turns. It is coming from the rear left somewhere.
Cheers

Houndy
 
#10 ·
Count the number of turns when you take the old ones off. Count the same number of turns when you put the new ones back on. That should be very close. Always worth checking tracking after changing steering or suspension parts.

Squealing from rear when cornering may be as simple as brake pads touching brake discs. Also check wheel bearings.
 
#12 ·
I did my control arms a year ago at a similar mileage to you. Bought from a local motor factor, believe they were NAPA which I have to say is virtually indistinguishable from the original part and I'm very happy with the quality. Equally as heavy as the original parts. I have fitted a few other NAPA parts including drop links etc. Despite some concerns on other posts, and my T31 being 12 years old at the time, the job was easy and all the bolts came out fine with just wire brushing and a little WD40. If I recall correctly I did not need to unbolt drop links or any other parts in order to remove control arm bolts. On the offside I think it was, I had a little bit of trouble getting one of the bolts aligned again to get it right in but sorted it eventually.

Regarding our other colleague who had to change subframe bushes / whole subframe, surely that is very extreme. These should last the life of the car unless car is used frequently off road or on rough surfaces?

I haven't paid for a wheel align now for about 25 years. I always do this by sight. This works better on some cars than others but I should say works a treat on the X-Trail T31 with standard wheels. I have been able to keep tyre wear even across the width of the tyre. I have also a nice straight steering wheel with no pull to either side except when on a road with a significant camber.

Just centre your steering wheel. Get down on your knees at the front of the car and sight along the edge of each front the tyre with the corresponding rear tyre and adjust track rod ends accordingly. Due to obstruction further up you have to sight lower down on the tyres. Sight along both inner (underneath car) and outer edges to double check. (Use wire brush then WD40 on your track rod threads if necessary and use tight fitting spanners to avoid damaging / defacing your track rods.)

REMEMBER the official alignment for the T31 is a slight tow IN!!! I don't like too much of a tow in so I keep it almost parallel with only a very very slight tow in bias.

Run your car for a few thousand miles. If you do find inner tyre edges wearing faster than outside edges, then tow your wheels in a little bit more. Or, if outer edges are wearing faster, tow your wheels out a bit more. Despite car garages and tyre fitting workshops advertising fancy laser alignment equipment and charging quite a bit each time to check your alignment, its really not rocket science! I always check my alignment once a year anyway, and always after fitting any front suspension parts such as control arm, shock absorbers, tie rods, drop links, etc etc so I need to be able to check by sight to keep costs down.

PS, if both outer and inner tyre edges are wearing faster than centre of tyres, your tyres are too soft. Vice versa, if centres are wearing faster than edges, then tyres are too hard.

Hope the above helps.
 
#13 ·
Thanks for the reply Adrian.

Yes, I did the control arms & drop-links last week, & will do the track-rod ends tomorrow - weather has been cack and I'm out on the driveway. The changeover is easy, just getting the adjustment right takes a bit of time if the replacement isn't an exact copy, which mine aren't.

Hopefully get it nicely set up tomorrow.

Seem to remember you're in the Antrim area, Portstewart man myself.

Take her handy

Houndy
 
#14 ·
Oh very good, I did live in Ballymoney for quite a while and frequented Portstewart, Portush, Coleraine etc.
Living in Carrickfergus last couple of years.
I'm the same, have to do all my work now in driveway, so need decent weather. I always ensure my MOT is in the summer to avoid having to get under the car in winter weather.
By the way, car passed MOT on Thursday despite not having had any MOT for a full 2 years due Covid.
Passed with zero noted faults which is great for a car 13 years old now (2008). I didn't need to do anything besides a good clean all over which I always do anyway around time of MOT. Oh, I forgot, I did adjust my handbrake at each hub as I noticed previous MOT printout had borderline imbalance between nearside and offside. Latest certificate shows that both sides are equal now.
 
#15 ·
Good man yerself!

Fair play on the MOT, but the care given to your car isn't standard. Mind you it doesn't surprise me, as theses beasts are well made, if with their foibles. I still have my T30 as well :)

Finally got the TRE's done yesterday & she seems to be running fine & true, so need to monitor tyre wear.

An overhaul of the rear brakes *appears* to have cured the rusty hinge squeal on left turning at pace issue. Will post the update there.

Just as well as I can't see anywhere else other than the hub as possible culprits & the noise doesn't suggest it either.

V pleased & in the subsequent test drive, seems nice and tight.

Thanks again to the contributors to the forum, it's a goldmine, even if the seam is wearing a bit thin. :thumbs: :thumbs:

Cheers,
Houndy
 
#17 ·
The place that did my alignment did all 4 like that and my tyres 225/55 x 18 Vredestein Quadrac 4 have now done 20k and still have over 4 mm all round with perfect even wear - I do swap back to front every 3k though.

My subframe had done 180k and oddly both diagonal bushes were on the way out - I thought less than £200 for a subframe and bushes were reasonable and difference made was quite remarkable. Mine had had 4 wheel alignment done which stil didn't pick up the sub-frame issue - that's why I mention it. Specs were perfect but sub-fame bushes allowed a bit of twist which meant it pulled one way when power put down and the other when let off!
 
#18 ·
Interesting Ahto,

Wife is away in the car for a few days so cannot look at it presently. Also, tyre wear has been fine with the car so it is more for interest.

Wasn't aware the rear can be adjusted toe & camber. Looking at the service manual, the camber adjustment is at the inner end of the lower suspension arm, which looks ok.

For toe adjustments, it looks like it is made at the front main pivot of the suspension arm. How easy is it to set the Toe from this adjustment I wonder - front is simple enough, if tricky to get it right, as you can see where you need to bring the alignment. The rear pivot looks less easy to make fine adjustments to, or am I making it too difficult?

Cheers guys
Houndy
 
#20 ·
I have just had my car serviced by my local garage, who are usually very reliable and very reasonable on prices. On the service report they have said that my "front suspension arms" need replacing and have quoted me £338.40 + VAT for the work. I have a downloaded manual and I can't see anything called a front suspension arm. I am guessing they are meaning what is listed in the manual as a "transverse link", or what I would have called a track control arm. It's the part that looks like it contains the lower swivel joint at the bottom of the suspension leg. Would that be right, and is that a reasonable price? Sadly I am no longer able to do this sort of work myself as I once would have done. I can now only work on stuff I can get on my workbench in the shed. ;-)
 
#21 ·
Bus-man said:
I have just had my car serviced by my local garage, who are usually very reliable and very reasonable on prices. On the service report they have said that my "front suspension arms" need replacing and have quoted me £338.40 + VAT for the work. I have a downloaded manual and I can't see anything called a front suspension arm. I am guessing they are meaning what is listed in the manual as a "transverse link", or what I would have called a track control arm. It's the part that looks like it contains the lower swivel joint at the bottom of the suspension leg. Would that be right, and is that a reasonable price? Sadly I am no longer able to do this sort of work myself as I once would have done. I can now only work on stuff I can get on my workbench in the shed. ;-)
Sounds expensive to me Colin. About an hour each side, and £60 - £80 for both arms.

Ps you should be able to get your exy on the workbench in your shed quite easily!
 
#22 ·
Colster said:
Bus-man said:
I have just had my car serviced by my local garage, who are usually very reliable and very reasonable on prices. On the service report they have said that my "front suspension arms" need replacing and have quoted me £338.40 + VAT for the work. I have a downloaded manual and I can't see anything called a front suspension arm. I am guessing they are meaning what is listed in the manual as a "transverse link", or what I would have called a track control arm. It's the part that looks like it contains the lower swivel joint at the bottom of the suspension leg. Would that be right, and is that a reasonable price? Sadly I am no longer able to do this sort of work myself as I once would have done. I can now only work on stuff I can get on my workbench in the shed. ;-)
Sounds expensive to me Colin. About an hour each side, and £60 - £80 for both arms.

Ps you should be able to get your exy on the workbench in your shed quite easily!
Thanks Colster, I did try to get it up there, but my trolley jack won't go that high. ;-)
Must admit that did sound expensive to me too. They are usually very reasonable, and everybody around here recommends them. They are a small family run business and have been in the village for decades. Not usually like some of the rip-off merchants you find in the towns. I have used them several times before, last time to fit a new air-con compressor. Maybe it's more than just the track control arms? I'll have to go back and discuss it with them.
 
#23 ·
Yes Bus-man, the lower control arms are the 3-pointed pivot that link the steering knuckle & to the chassis, where the rear bush is prone to deteriorate, and / or the lower balljoint. I assume yours is the T31, being 2008?

I'd go along with Colster there - a garage shouldn't need more than an hour per side with all the gear. Took me a fair bit longer as I was doing it on the driveway on stands & no impact driver. The main chassis pivot bolts took a lot of persuasion - reminds me, need a better breaker bar - and a scaffold tube section...

If they're including the arms, I'd say it's not too bad a price. You can pay from £37 - £££Dealer price for the control arms which along with the Track rod ends (£30) are common to the QQ. I replaced the drop links too & she's tight as 2 coats of paint now.

Cheers,
Houndy
 
#24 ·
houndy said:
Yes Bus-man, the lower control arms are the 3-pointed pivot that link the steering knuckle & to the chassis, where the rear bush is prone to deteriorate, and / or the lower balljoint. I assume yours is the T31, being 2008?

I'd go along with Colster there - a garage shouldn't need more than an hour per side with all the gear. Took me a fair bit longer as I was doing it on the driveway on stands & no impact driver. The main chassis pivot bolts took a lot of persuasion - reminds me, need a better breaker bar - and a scaffold tube section...

If they're including the arms, I'd say it's not too bad a price. You can pay from £37 - £££Dealer price for the control arms which along with the Track rod ends (£30) are common to the QQ. I replaced the drop links too & she's tight as 2 coats of paint now.

Cheers,
Houndy
Hi Houndy, I thought that was probably what they meant, seems that different people call them by different names. I would call them track control arms. Yes mine is the T31. Great car, and my first X Trail. I actually much prefer the design of it to the T32. Each to their own I suppose.

The price quoted by my local garage was all-in, parts and labour for the completed job. There was a time when I was a lot younger I would have thought nothing of doing it myself. I still have all the tools but no longer have the ability.

Cheers.
 
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