98 pontiac sunfire need to replace lower control arms both how do you access front bolts to remove ,if iremove engine torque strut mount will engine drop or shift ,also how do you get access to nut on same bolt it doesnt look like enough room for a socket ,also any idea size of this nut its originol equipment any help is greatly appricated

front

1. Install or connect the following:
   • Strut assembly
   • Fork to the strut and torque the bolts to 59 ft. lbs. (80 Nm)
   • Fork to the lower arm and torque the bolt to 88 ft. lbs. (120 Nm)
   • Upper strut mounting nuts and torque to 36 ft. lbs. (50 Nm)
   • Brake hose bracket
   • Front wheel
2. Check and/or adjust the wheel alignment.

--------------------rear------------

To install:

1. Install or connect the following:
   • Strut assembly and mounting bracket and torque the bolt to 36 ft. lbs. (50 Nm)
   • Upper arm and rear carrier bolt and torque the bolt to 88 ft. lbs. (120 Nm)
   • Lower mounting bolt
   • Rear wheel

It is inside the transmission , side cover . Need to take driver side wheel off an maybe the inner fender well to see it .

Removal Procedure
Remove the case side cover. Refer to Control Valve Body Cover Replacement .
Disconnect the transaxle wiring harness.


Alot of steps involved to replace it .

Removal Procedure
Remove the throttle body air inlet duct. Refer to Air Cleaner Element Replacement .
Remove the engine mount struts. Refer to Engine Mount Strut Replacement - Left Side and Engine Mount Strut Replacement - Right Side .
Remove the wiper module cover.
Disconnect the 20-way electrical connector at the transaxle.
Remove the shift cable bracket from the transaxle. Refer to Range Selector Lever Cable Bracket Replacement .
Install the engine support fixture and support the engine/transaxle assembly. Refer to Engine Support Fixture .
Raise and support the vehicle. Refer to Lifting and Jacking the Vehicle .
Remove the left front tire and wheel. Refer to Tire and Wheel Removal and Installation .
Disconnect the left wheel speed sensor harness connector (1).
Remove the left engine splash shield. Refer to Engine Splash Shield Replacement .
Remove both stabilizer shaft links from the lower control arms. Refer to Stabilizer Shaft Link Replacement .
Remove the wheel speed sensor harness from the control arm (1).
Remove the left lower ball joint from the left steering knuckle. Refer to Steering Knuckle Replacement .
Remove the left drive axle from the transaxle. Refer to Front Wheel Drive Shaft Replacement .
Reposition and secure the drive axle.
Remove the heat shield bolts from the frame. Refer to Steering Gear Heat Shield Replacement .
Remove the steering gear-to-frame bolts and secure the steering gear.
Support the left side of the frame with a utility stand.
Remove the transaxle mount lower nuts only. Refer to Transmission Mount Replacement .
Loosen the engine mount lower nuts. Refer to Engine Mount Replacement - Right Side .
Remove the air deflector. Refer to Radiator Air Baffle Assemblies and Deflectors .
Remove only the left side frame bolts. DO NOT LOOSEN the right side frame-to-body bolts. Refer to Front Frame Replacement .
Use the utility stand in order to lower the left side of the frame.
Position a drain pan under the transaxle.
Remove the utility stand and lower the vehicle.
Loosen the right engine support bolts. Refer to Engine Mount Replacement - Right Side .
Raise the vehicle.
Remove the transaxle mount bracket. Refer to Transmission Mount Bracket Replacement .
Remove the transaxle wiring harness connectors.


This is not a job for a amateur.

OIL PAN
Removal & Installation
1. Disconnect negative battery cable. Remove engine torque strut. Raise and support vehicle. Drain
crankcase. Disconnect oil level sensor electrical connector. Remove oil level sensor and oil filter.
Disconnect front exhaust pipe from manifold. Remove right front wheel and splash shield.
2. Disconnect oil cooler pipes. Disconnect A/C compressor electrical connector. Remove A/C compressor,
and position aside. Disconnect engine mounts from frame.
3. Remove flexplate access cover. Use transmission jack at transaxle to raise engine. Remove oil pan bolts
and oil pan. To install, reverse removal procedure. Install oil level sensor after oil pan is installed. Tighten
retaining bolts to specification. See TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS.

Here's what I found on Yahoo answers:
For the driver's side: yes, you will have to raise the motor.
On all models, remove the front motor mount, Mark the position of the right engine mount, remove 3 right engine to mount bolts. remove one right engine mount to body nut. On all models hold the strut shaft with an 8 mm allen wrench, loosen top retaining nut 5 turns. Raise vehicle, remove ball joint to steering knuckle pinch bolt. seperate control arm ball joints from steering knuckle. Do NOT damage ball joint seal. Remove pinch bolt attaching steering knuckle to strut. Slide steering knuckle up on strut, Move transaxle to gain access to control arm nuts and bolts. remove 2 nuts and bolts and attaching control arm to subframe. Lifting up control arm remove.
Now this to mark the motor mount because you are supposed to use a powertrain alignment guage when putting back together. if not you can bind the motor in the unibody and make for a shaky ride.
that drivers side lower control arm calls for 4.3 hours where as the passenger side calls for 1.3 hours. So you can see what your in for.
BTW these instructions are taken straight from the Ford repair manual.

Source(s):

http://mysite.verizon.net/t2bedlam/fr.jp...

The torque strut, which is mounted underneath on the passenger side is what controls the front to back movement of the engine. The engine will shift slightly with a healthy torque strut, but shouldn't move more that an inch or so. The torqu strut is easily changed, but you will want the front wheels off the ground as you will have to manipulate the motor somewhat to get the bolts started.

SAFELY RAISE SUPPORT VECHICLE ON JACK STANDS. MAKE VECHICLE SITTING ON LEVEL SOLID GROUND. REMOVE FRONT WHEELS , REMOVE HEAT SHIELD, IF EQUIPPED WITH 15 INCH WHEELS, REMOVE BALL JOINT CLAMP NUT, REMOVE SWAY BAR TO CONTROL ARM BOLTS, REMOVE STRUT CLEVIS FROM THE LOWER CONTROL ARM, REMOVE SWAY BAR TO CROSSMEMBER BOLTS LOOSEN THEM AND ROTATE THE SWAY BAR AWAY FROM THE CONTROL ARM, LOWER CONTROL ARM FROM STEERING KNUCKLE. REMOVE BOTH LOWER CONTROL ARM BOLTS. REMOVE CONTROL ARM. DURING INSTALLATION TORQUE LOWER CONTROL ARM BOLTS 120 FT LBS. CONTROL ARM STEERING KNUCLE TORQUE NUT 70 FT LBS.TORQUE SWAY BAR BOLTS 21 FT LBS.

Please don't forget to rate!

1. Before servicing the vehicle, refer to the Precautions section.
   

1. Remove or disconnect the following:
2. Front wheel
   

• Strut-to-lower control arm nut/bolt and the strut
  
• Strut-to-chassis nuts/bolts and the strut
  

Lower control arm Tundra

To install:

1. Install or connect the following:
   
   • Strut to the chassis. Torque the nuts/bolts to 33 ft. lbs. (45 Nm).
     
   • Strut to the lower control arm. Torque the nut/bolt to 144 ft. lbs. (195 Nm).
     
   • Front wheel
     

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No, it isn't...
You need:
-20" breaker bar
-torque wrench
-Liquid wrench (or WD-40 if you don't have any)
-Jack and stands
-sockets to fit all of the connections

1. Remove the back seat:
Bottom cushion comes out by pushing it rearwards and lifting, undo the 2 seatbelt bolts and 2 push nuts and remove the back cushion

2. Jack and support the frame of the car
3. Remove the wheels
4. Place a jack under the control arm where the spring connects to it and put a little tension on the spring. (this is so that when you unbolt the strut the control arm won't come crashing down)
5. Remove the air tube by rotating the spring clip 90 degrees and pulling on the tube at the connector.
5. Remove the lower strut bolts. (Exprerience shows me that removing the lower one first will save you lots of agony...)
6. Remove the two strut mounting bolts that are behind the back seat cushion.
7. Compress the strut and remove from the vehicle.
8. Installation is opposite of the removal. Remember to use a new mount if the one you are removing is worn. I recommend Quick-strut 171798. Good Luck!

P.S. Torque Specs are:
Lower Strut bolts- 140 ft/lbs
Upper strut bolts- 30 ft/lbs
Mount to strut bolt - 70ft/lbs

Okay....here is the steps first....and then the directions on how to use the tools:

1. Raise and properly support the vehicle.
2. Remove the front wheel.
3. Detach the shock absorber lower mount by removing the two bolts.
4. Remove the retainer nut, retainer, cushion and shock absorber.
5. Detach the cushion retainer from the shock absorber.
6. Compress the coil spring with a commercially available spring compressor.
7. Detach the stabilizer bar.
8. Support the upper suspension arm and steering knuckle securely.
9. Remove the cotter pin.
10. Loosen and remove the nut.
11. Using a ball joint removal tool, detach the lower ball joint from the lower control arm.
12. Loosen the suspension arm set bolt.
13. Remove the suspension arm set bolt nut.
14. Remove the nut from the strut bar front set bolt.
15. Pull out both set bolts.
16. Remove the lower suspension arm and coil spring. To install:
    
17. Installation is the reverse of removal. Note the following torque specifications:
    1. Strut bar front set bolt: 221 ft. lbs. (300 Nm)
    2. Lower suspension arm set bolt: 148 ft. lbs. (200 Nm)
    3. Lower ball joint nut: 80 ft. lbs. (110 Nm)
    4. Lug nuts: 83 ft. lbs. (110 Nm).

Yep!

Here it is...

Automatic Transaxle Assembly REMOVAL & INSTALLATION

1. Disconnect the negative terminal from the battery. Detach the wire connector at the Mass Air Flow sensor.
2. If equipped, remove the cross brace to strut towers, as follows:
1. Loosen the bar assembly through-bolts.
2. Remove the inboard strut nuts.
3. Remove the brace assembly.
4. Reinstall the inboard strut nuts.
3. Remove the air intake duct.
4. Disconnect the cruise control cable from the throttle body.
5. Remove the shift control linkage from the mounting bracket at the transaxle and the lever at the manual shaft.
6. Label and detach the connectors from the following:
   1. Park/neutral/backup lamp switch.
   2. Transaxle electrical connector.
   3. Vehicle speed sensor and fuel pipe retainers.
7. Remove the fuel pipe retainers.
8. Disconnect the vacuum modulator hose from the modulator. WARNING
   You must support or remove the engine. If the engine is not support you may damage the engine, transaxle, halfshafts or many other components.
   
9. Remove the three top transaxle-to-engine block bolts and install a suitable engine support fixture. Load the support fixture by tightening the wingnuts several turns in order to relieve the tension on the frame and the mounts.
10. Turn the steering wheel to the full left position.
11. Raise and safely support the vehicle. Remove both front tire and wheel assemblies.
12. Drain the automatic transaxle fluid into a suitable container.
13. Remove the right and left front ball joint nuts, then separate both control arms from the steering knuckle.
14. Remove the right halfshaft from the transaxle only. Do not remove the halfshaft from the hub/bearing assembly. NOTE: Carefully guide the output shaft past the lip seal. Do not allow the halfshaft splines to contact any portion of the lip seal.
    
15. Remove the left halfshaft from the transaxle and hub/knuckle assembly. Be careful not to damage the pan.
16. Support the transaxle with a suitable stand.
17. Remove the bolts at the transaxle and the nuts at the cradle member. Remove the left front transaxle mount.
18. Remove the right front mount-to-cradle nuts. Remove the left rear transaxle mount-to-transaxle bolts.
19. Remove the torque strut bracket from the transaxle.
20. Remove the right transaxle mount-to-transaxle bolts.
21. Remove the left rear transaxle mount. Remove the transaxle brace from the engine bracket.
22. Remove the stabilizer shaft link-to-control arm bolt. NOTE: Be sure to matchmark the flywheel-to-converter relationship for proper alignment upon reassembly.
    
23. Unfasten the flywheel cover bolts, then remove the cover. Matchmark the flywheel-to-torque converter installed position, then remove the flywheel-to-converter bolts.
24. Remove the bolts attaching the rear frame member to the front frame.
25. Remove the front left cradle-to-body bolt and the front cradle dog leg-to-right cradle member bolts.
26. Remove the frame/cradle assembly by swinging it aside and supporting it with a jackstand.
27. Disconnect the oil cooler lines from the transaxle, then plug the lines to avoid contamination.
28. NOTE: One bolt located between the transaxle and the engine block is installed in the opposite direction.
    
29. Remove the remaining lower transaxle-to-engine bolts and lower the transaxle from the vehicle. Be careful when removing the transaxle to avoid damaging the right-hand output shaft, shaft seal, hoses, lines and wiring.