Author Topic: Fornt suspension (Read 2802 times)

gichy · « **on:** October 04, 2004 - 01:15:40 PM »

This is going to be my first time re-building a front suspension and I'm just wondering the correct steps to take.

1) Re-move the bolts for the torsion bars and count the revolutions for re-assembly.
2) Re-move the disk brakes
3) Then diss-assemble the steering components
4) Re-move the spindles from the ball joints
5) Finally try to get the VERY VERY rusted bolts out of the upper and lower control arms.

Then clean / paint all components insert new ball joints / bushing / and re-assemble

Is this correct or am I forgetting some steps?

gichy · « **Reply #1 on:** October 04, 2004 - 01:16:54 PM »

Opps

Can someone move this thread into the suspension area

Thanks

Chryco Psycho · « **Reply #2 on:** October 05, 2004 - 06:50:00 PM »

basically correct , counting turns may not be nessisary , I would undo the nut in front of the torsion bar & pry both the lower control arm & bar back together to remove them the easiest way , you may need to torch the upper control arm eccentric bolts out

gichy · « **Reply #3 on:** October 06, 2004 - 06:22:36 PM »

Thanks

If I do not count the turns of the bolts how do I re-assmeble the bars to get the same ride height?

Plum6Pak · « **Reply #4 on:** October 06, 2004 - 09:10:06 PM »

Hey Gichy, your best bet to get the height specs is to either do a search on the internet or go get you a repair manual so you will have all the hight adjustments and such (the local library should have what you need). If you cannot come up with them I will post them for you, just let me know when you are ready. I pulled my entire suspension out as a unit on the K frame. I don't know how far you are going with this but if you are doing everything, that would be the easiest. You can get at all the components once it is out and then build the entire thing out on the bench. The engine will have to come out and if you are restoring that would be the best but if not planning on yanking the engine then I would do it in the car. Get the penetrating oil on any of the exposed bolts and nuts right away so that it has time to work before you start the job. Make sure you use a proper clamp on the torsion bar to drive it back out of the lower control arm mount or you will damage the bar, cannot even gouge it a little or it will be ruined. I used a piece of copper pipe and then some heavy duty vice grips then hammered on the side of the vice grips and they came right out and didn't damage the bars. May I suggest you pick up a complet front end rebuild kit and get it with the polygraphite bushings if you haven't done so already. There are several places to purchase these but just a couple are: http://store.yahoo.com/chucker54/index.html another: http://www.p-s-t.com/mopar/ordform.html
I just did my front suspension and steering complete, here is a before and after picture, hope it can help you a little.

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gichy · « **Reply #5 on:** October 07, 2004 - 11:00:53 AM »

6Pak

My car looks like yours right now, just a shell. The engine has been pulled out. I have all the bushings and the inner / outer tie rods, but I still need the upper / lower ball joints and brakes. Did you replace the idler arm / pitman arm? If you loosen the torsion bar bolts why is it so hard to remove the bar out of the lower control arm? (there should be no load on the lower arm).

Plum6Pak · « **Reply #6 on:** October 07, 2004 - 06:30:38 PM »

The torsion bar just fits snug in the hex, plus 30 years of being in the same place, it doesn't want to come out to easy. Make sure you have released any tension on the torsion bar by backing out the adjusting bolt. Also, there are little wire C clips in the rear torsion hex that will have to come out prior to pushing them on out the back side. Make danm sure your car is supported good before going under and banging on the tool to remove the torsion bar, just be safe! Yes I replaced the idler arm and pitman arm, you can get those from various places as well. I already checked on the AutoZone route and those particular parts from them are the pits! Get them from one of the major suppliers or call your local Mopar dealership and see if they still sell them. Don't be afraid to post more questions if you have them, that's how we all get through this stuff is by helping each other. Good Luck!! Lets see some pictures Gichy!�

gichy · « **Reply #7 on:** November 19, 2004 - 08:04:37 AM »

Plum6pak

Currently I have loosened the bolts for the t-bars, disconnected the center link from the pitman/idle arm and got two of the four bolts out of the upper control arms (need to cut the other two out) aslo loosened the k-member bolts with a 2' bar and they didn't break HA HA.
My question is how the Hell do you remove the torsion bar from the front lower control arms, after you remove the clips in the t-bar x-member. How do you push them back if they are still in the fornt control arms

?. Do you have to remove the lower control arm 1st?

One last question I have removed the 3 bolts for the steering gear box and the pin in the steering shaft but nothing seem to loosen off. What or where does the shaft seperate so that you can get the steering box out?

please help!!

HemiDog · « **Reply #8 on:** November 19, 2004 - 09:38:51 AM »

I think I have been in the same boat you are in.� When I was dissassembling mine, I had one torsion bar that wouldn't release from the lower control arm.� I ended up unbolting the the arm from the k-member and sliding the arm along with the torsion bar back.� Once I got it clear of the k-member, pulled everthing out together coming back though the front of the rear torsion bar mount in the cross member.� After taking a break from my frustration, I soaked the area where the torsion bar goes into the lower control arm with penetrating lube and ened up having to heat the mount with maps torch to get it to release.� It was much easier to deal with once I got the whole unit out of the car.

Plum6Pak · « **Reply #9 on:** November 19, 2004 - 10:32:50 AM »

� Sounds like you are a little frustrated with a couple of these things. To get the torsion bars out you should have the proper tool to clamp around the torsion bar and then hammer on the tool to drive them back and out of the hexed area in the lower control arm and the rear cross member. As I stated earlier, you should give some of these areas a good dose of penetrating oil prior to trying to remove them so they have time to soak and then help ease the removal. You can take a heavy piece of copper piping or other soft metal and clamp with vice grips onto the torsion bar. Then drive the bar back with a hammer.

Or there is always this guys way!!! NOOOO, just kidding!!

If they won't move, do as HemiDog suggested and remove the large nut on the lower control arm pivot and remove the whole LCA and T/B as a unit. The steering gear is held on with 4 bolts, you said you removed only 3, that's why your gear box won't come off. There is one down on the lower left that is hard to see. Good Luck, post again if you run into a glitch Gich!!� :thumbs:

Chryco Psycho · « **Reply #10 on:** November 19, 2004 - 12:13:41 PM »

usually the reason the T bars will not slide out is because there is still pressure on them , try either unbolting the lower control arms & prying bith the arm & T bar out as suggested or put a pry barunder the lower shock bolt in the LCA & have some one stand on the pry bar to release the tension on the T bar

gichy · « **Reply #11 on:** November 19, 2004 - 01:22:24 PM »

Thank you All

Plum6Pak

There are only 3 bolts on my steering gear box (2 on the pass side and 1 on the driver side). the hole gear box is loose but when I try pull it striaght up, out off of the k-member it get stuck on the mounting bracket. It seem that I need to disconect the steering shaft 1st?? The dowel pin has been pressed out.

Mopar73340 · « **Reply #12 on:** November 19, 2004 - 03:18:00 PM »

Gichy, you need to pry the steering coupler(where the pin was) off of the spline of the steering box before you can remove the box.. My steering box has three bolts also.

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gichy · « **Reply #13 on:** November 19, 2004 - 03:29:47 PM »

Thank you I will try that this weekend.

Plum6Pak · « **Reply #14 on:** November 19, 2004 - 04:07:09 PM »

� oops!� :worship: sorry You are 100% right, 3 bolts! I don't know where I got 4 bolts from but regardless if it's loose then the only thing holding it in is the steering column. As Mop73 stated, if you've removed the roll pin, the coupling should slide off of the splines. The steering coupling is made so there is a short distance built into the universal swivel part of it so the splined end can slide into the coupling allowing you to get it to clear the steering shaft. Hope that helps. :thumbs:

Author Topic: Fornt suspension (Read 2802 times)

gichy

Fornt suspension

gichy

Re: Fornt suspension

Chryco Psycho

Re: Fornt suspension

gichy

Re: Fornt suspension

Plum6Pak

Re: Fornt suspension

gichy

Re: Fornt suspension

Plum6Pak

Re: Fornt suspension

gichy

Re: Fornt suspension

HemiDog

Re: Fornt suspension

Plum6Pak

Re: Fornt suspension

Chryco Psycho

Re: Fornt suspension

gichy

Re: Fornt suspension

Mopar73340

Re: Fornt suspension

gichy

Re: Fornt suspension

Plum6Pak

Re: Fornt suspension