Slant Six Forum
https://www.slantsix.org/forum/

Front suspension rebuild
https://www.slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=20825		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  reddart64 [ Tue Nov 21, 2006 4:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Front suspension rebuild
I have begun rebuild - I think that I may be getting in over my head. The shop manual states to support the front ent by the K member, is this necessary? I have it supported by the frame rails behind the front wheel wheels.

Geoff
Author:  Jeb [ Tue Nov 21, 2006 5:28 pm ]
Post subject: 
I should be okay, just check and make sure that you can still remove the torsion bars easily.

Is it on jackstands or blocks?
Author:  reddart64 [ Tue Nov 21, 2006 9:56 pm ]
Post subject: 
Jack stands. Should I go ahead and replace the pitman arm and idler arm also. If memory serves me correctly, the pitman arm should be a huge pain to remove. Do I need a special tool for the upper balljoint or the strut arm? They appear to have non-standard nuts and things on them.

Thanks for the help.

Geoff
Author:  Jeb [ Wed Nov 22, 2006 5:58 am ]
Post subject: 
The upper balljoints require a special socket to remove them. You need to first take the control arms out of the car and place them in a vice as they are VERY tight. When you start them make sure that you don't crossthread, it is really easy to do and it ruins the control arm. It takes a special puller to remove the pitman arm also. Removing the torsion bars, that takes a special tool also (don't use vice-grips).

You can probably rent these at your local Advance Auto or Autozone.

Be sure to come back if you have anymore questions. It is really not as bad as it seems.
Author:  slantvaliant [ Wed Nov 22, 2006 6:52 am ]
Post subject: 
Quote:
You need to first take the control arms out of the car and place them in a vice ...
Be careful with the vise - there's some important geometry in the upper control arms, and they're only stamped steel. It's easy to crush or bend them in a big vise.

Unless the arms are already out, I'd rather use the car to hold it while putting the whammy on that balljoint. Much more secure than any vise in my garage. Oh, and use PB Blaster or your favorite penetrating/creeping oil ahead of time.

If the arms are out, you might try using a round bar through the bushings. Better yet, a larger bar through the holes where the bushings used to be. Then clamp the bar in a vice.

Why am I thinking about that commercial for the cordless drills, where the drill flips the car during a tire change?
Author:  reddart64 [ Thu Nov 23, 2006 8:13 am ]
Post subject: 
Oh My, I think I am over my head. I will let you know if I need a tow truck. I will have to order inner tie rod ends, pitman arm and idler arm to complete the install. While I'm waiting for them, I am continuing the disassembly. Yipes!
Author:  dakight [ Thu Nov 23, 2006 8:23 am ]
Post subject: 
It's not that bad really. Just take your time and make lots of notes and photograph everything from every angle. If you don't have the Factory Service Manual get one.
Author:  Dago Red [ Thu Nov 23, 2006 7:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Relax
Quote:
Oh My, I think I am over my head. I will let you know if I need a tow truck. I will have to order inner tie rod ends, pitman arm and idler arm to complete the install. While I'm waiting for them, I am continuing the disassembly. Yipes!
8) One step at a time. It looks imposing because there's so much to do. If this bunch can't get you through (their shop rate is certainly a bargain ;) ) then just bury the vehicle in your yard and pretend it was never here. No!, just kidding... Some of the sharpest Mopar minds in the country ( and hemisphere for that matter) are on the other end of this little box, so before you smoosh your fingers or hit yourself in the jaw, check in, ask questions. The only stupid questions are those that don't get asked. Shucks, you might find a fellow Dart owner right around the corner. Hey, it's possible! RICK
Author:  sethmcneil [ Fri Nov 24, 2006 12:10 am ]
Post subject: 
Quote:
If you don't have the Factory Service Manual get one.
Where Oh Where Does One Track Down Such A Golden Book?
Author:  project72dart [ Fri Nov 24, 2006 6:34 am ]
Post subject: 
We (a couple of complete novices) just completed our complete front end rebuild on the 72 Dart. It's unbelievable how much better it rides! Here are a couple of things that stand out:

FACTORY SERVICE MANUAL...FACTORY SERVICE MANUAL...FACTORY SERVICE MANUAL. Couldn't have done it without it. Spent about a week reading and rereading while looking at the front end. It took a week before we really understood what was going on under there. The first couple of days were filled with comments like, "what the heck is a torsion bar and how come there aren't any springs under there".

Be VERY organized. We're not naturally hyper organized but we were paranoid we would screw it up and forget what went where. We laid out all the big parts in relative order next to the car. All the small parts, we bagged and labeled. We put left side parts on the left, right on the right, etc. Things that seem simple now were almost overwhelming so it helped to have things like the old tie-rod assemblies laid out and all we had to do was duplicate it with the new parts screwed in the same distance.

The guys here recommended http://www.espo.com and we can now recommend them. Good folks. We splurged and got the tool kit and although it was expensive, it was $ well spent. We don't have an extensive tool collection, so I don't think we could have done it without them.

The guys also recommended doing the complete front end job since we would have almost everything apart anyway. Good advice.

Leave the upper control arms in the car while removing the upper ball joints. Also, put them in first before installing ball joints.

We bought a small cold chisel to get the lower control arm bushing sleeves out. That's how the FSM said. That was a lot of work!

I have a small (12 ton) inexpensive hydralic press at work (totally unrelated to automotive work). It really came in handy as we were able to do all the pressing work ourselves.

Pressure wash as much as you can before starting.

Get a professional alignment. We thought our eyeball job was close. It wasn't.

If the three of us rookies can do it, anyone can.
Author:  volaredon [ Fri Nov 24, 2006 7:03 am ]
Post subject: 
Yes I spent 18 years making my living under an alignment rack, which makes that sort of work come easy to me, but I can also say that if you can buy rent or borrow the few special tools that car takes, its really not that "bad" of a job to do. Too bad youre not closer; I'd trade; I'd do your front end rebuild if youd finish removing the dash to get to the heater box in my 97 Ram 1500. OOh, talk about a PITA... and I dont see anything special about the core, but there must be as the cheapest I could find it was $100! I dont remember too many heater cores that cost much over $35 in the not too distant past.
Author:  dakight [ Fri Nov 24, 2006 7:35 am ]
Post subject: 
Quote:
Quote:
If you don't have the Factory Service Manual get one.
Where Oh Where Does One Track Down Such A Golden Book?
The original hard copies appear with some frequency on Ebay and most of them are available on CD-Rom from various sources. Here's one.

http://www.moparmanuals.com/mopar/main/home.asp
Author:  64canadianvertible [ Tue Jan 02, 2007 12:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Front End
Good luck Reddart64,

I am about to do a complete front end rebuild myself, and like yourself, I am "Dreading" the ordeal. I am tired of putting new tires on the car every 3 months.... hehe. Anywho, good luck, hopefully by March or April, I will have it done. I will continue to read these posts, You guys obviously know your stuff!! Need to keep this old convertible on the roads for cruise nights!!



Cheers

Condy

aka 64canadianvertible
Author:  reddart64 [ Wed Jan 03, 2007 6:05 pm ]
Post subject: 
What type of tool do I need to remove the upper control arm ball joints? Are they pressed in or is it screwed in, I can't tell by looking at the replacement one.

Thanks,
Geoff
Author:  sethmcneil [ Thu Jan 04, 2007 10:42 am ]
Post subject: 
They Are Threaded. (Weird Looking Eh?) You Will Need To Purchase/Rent The Proper Socket.

Search The phrase: Balljoint Socket
Page 1 of 2 All times are UTC-08:00
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Limited
https://www.phpbb.com/