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The lower control arm bolts on the 2008 Ford F-150 have a 21mm hex head on one side and a 27mm hex head on the other. These bolts can become severely stuck, so be cautious when taking them out; replacements from Ford are quite pricey at $75 each, much more expensive than those for other vehicles. The torque specification for these bolts is quite high at 258 lb-ft or 350 Nm. This is not surprising given their importance in the suspension system, but it does make them challenging to remove. When putting them back in, make sure they are tightened to the correct specifications for proper function and safety. And most importantly, good luck - you're going to need it!
It's not the challenge of loosening or tightening the nuts that's tough, my friend. The real struggle is extracting the stubborn bolt from the inner collar of the bushing! Ford decided against applying any anti-seize on the bolts, making it nearly impossible to separate them once they fuse together. As of 2023, there still isn't a simple solution for this issue! When I contacted the Ford dealership, the only option available is a set priced at $113. It's frustrating that the bolt has a 21mm head, 27mm nut, and is 130mm long, roughly 5.25 inches. I've often wondered why, despite America's historical excellence in various fields, we're always dealing with metric components like bolts and nuts. The answer seems to be that we've come to rely on others for our supply of bolts and nuts, resulting in them being metric. It's time for America to start producing its own bolts again! We definitely have plenty of nuts here.
The Ford F-150 lower control arm features a bolt head with a size of 21, while the corresponding nut size is either 24 or 27.