Safest place to support front end and other newbie suspension questions

[Chryco Psycho]

American Muscle makes the tool kit , Mancini has there kit availabel as well

[mojavered]

You can rent all the tools you need from an auto parts store, except the TB puller.  You might be able to make one of these.  Just look at the sight and see what they look like.  When I made mine, it was with an L sahped bar on the bottom.  Did not hit from the center, but they came out with no problem.

[shadango]

Well, could only spend an hour on the car today....but got a lot (in my mind at least) done.

Got the LCA and t-bar out on one side!     No special tool needed.....used Chryco's recomendation...got the LCA loose and worked it back to force the tbar out.    It took a while but it came off.

Ok, I know iots not a huge accomplishment for most of you, but for this suspension newbie, it felt great!

Measured the bar and it is the stock .86 incher.

So a couple of questions now --

First , how do you get the bushing and the pin out of the LCA?

Then, it looks like someone got a little agressive with the pickle fork (three guesses who) and there is now a small tear in part of the LCA.

Did I screw the pooch? It looks like its just the very tip as shown, nothing structural from what I can tell.....



The good thing is it is looking good that now that the LCA and tbar are down, the steering box should drop right out the bottom even with my dougs headers....crossing my fingers on that one.

[the_engineers]

First , how do you get the bushing and the pin out of the LCA?

Press it out or take it to a shop that can.  Anything else is a stinky smoky mess that is completely unnecessary.

Then, it looks like someone got a little agressive with the pickle fork (three guesses who) and there is now a small tear in part of the LCA.

Did I screw the pooch? It looks like its just the very tip as shown, nothing structural from what I can tell.....

Easy killer!  It'd be nice if you could beat it back into place and have someone weld it.  Probably not a huge deal, but I'd feel a lot better.  Does your LCA have the sway bar bracket on it?

[shadango]

No sway bar brackets on mine. Wouldn't mind having a sway bar, but thats beyond the budget at this point....the brackets can be added later right?

I figured I would hammer my digression back into place and then weld it up a bit, like you suggested......Like I said, I think its away from the structural stuff enough where it will be ok.

I may look into that inexpensive press at Harbor Freight..6 ton....$89....I hate having to depend on other people for stuff like this.....I'll probably spend $50 just in having Napa press the stuff in....

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=4711

[the_engineers]

I've found that most smaller garages with a press consider the work "free" since it typically takes so little time.  Either establish a relationship with one or buy the HF press as you said.

[shadango]

Gotcha.

My gut is that I should just buy the press....by the time I figure in a coupon and a gift card I got, it will be cheap enough.  Just have to decide on the $89 one or the next step up which is a 12 ton.

I have to clean up the LCA and then maybe it will be more obvious as to how the bushing presses out....

My car is supposed to be a 318 car so I assume the t bars are original, measuring .86 .  Sound right?

[Roppa440]

Press it out or take it to a shop that can.  Anything else is a stinky smoky mess that is completely unnecessary.

Unless you don't have a cheap engineering place local to you in which case the 200% easier route is to set fire to the rubber with cheap blow torch and it will pull apart really easily, leaving the outer sleeve in place ready for the polygraphite bush it really needs.

[shadango]

My balljoint socket arrived today and of course I had to try it.... 

Just used a cheater bar and they came right out. 

Question:  I noticed that both balljoints and the control arm holes have very shallow threads...I guess that is normal?

[dodj]

Question:  I noticed that both balljoints and the control arm holes have very shallow threads...I guess that is normal?

Yup

[shadango]

Thanks! (See, LOTS of dumb newbie questions....LOL)

The socket was waiting for me when I got home from work....I had to head back out in a half hour but figured I would make sure the socket fit.....then of course I had to try and give it a turn....well, 5 minutes later both were out.  LOL

The right tool sure does make a difference.

Debating how to handle the LCA and UCA bushings.....I can spend the money on the special tools, or I can buy a press for the sme money, or I can try hacking them out and back in.....ahh, decisions decisions.

[mojavered]

The press is great to have if you are going to use it all the time or if you have a garage that has lots of space.  They are bulky and can get in the way.  And you have to spend the time to put the darn thing together.  I took mine down to a spring shop to get mine pressed out, cost nothing.  If that is not an option, maybe a large vise and a deep socket (maybe with an extension) might do the trick.

[shadango]

I thought about the bulkiness of the press too......

Just hate to spend money on tools that are good for only one thing and wont be used often......

I looked online at Autozone and they dont have the tools available for rent....I may have to go down in person and check....

[the_engineers]

Skip the retail stores, check with non-franchised repair shops.  The one that's a block from where I work pressed the cross pin out of my steering shaft for nothing.  I tipped the guy $5 just 'cause I felt bad.

[dodj]

Just hate to spend money on tools that are good for only one thing and wont be used often......

Once you have (or access to) a press it is amazing how many things you can use it for. Bushings, bearings, seals, ujoints, wheel studs, straightening  parts, holding parts, and then there's the non-auto uses.........