66 Coronet 500 Driver, Light Resto

[Nxcoupe]

I moved on to the front end, since that is going to take some time to get done. It's pretty hot in the shop but I've got lots of fans. I got the drum off, loosened the castlenuts on the upper and lower ball joints enough that I could separate them. I swung a couple times and both came loose. I took the nuts and bolts out holding the lower ball joint onto the spindle and set it all aside. I removed the torsion bar clip with my fingers and then removed the lower control arm nut and washer. I used my nifty new tool and a good sized hammer and the bar slid right out. I slid the lower ca out as well. The bushing was shot as I expected. The lower ball joint was tight but the upper was loose and needed replaced too. I used my ball joint socket and unscrewed it from the upper ca. I had to use the blaster 5000 impact a buddy let me use and it got it broke loose. It laughed at my mac 1/2" impact. Lol. That's it so far.

 

[Nxcoupe]

Today I got out there for a little while before the heat got to me. I removed the large caliper mount from the spindle. I thought the mounting bolts would break off but they didn't. I used heat and penetrating oil and they came right out. I took a wire brush to them, as they both have rust or primer on them. And the primered one had hundred year old masking tape on the seal surface, which was an absolute pain to get off, but I did. Next, I'll clean them up and get some POR15 on them and emery cloth the bearing and seal surfaces

 

[Don Frelier]

I would suggest trying to find a sway bar for it.
It really makes a difference.

 

[Nxcoupe]

I would suggest trying to find a sway bar for it.
It really makes a difference.

I read @Kern Dog how to on using a truck sway bar and I believe that is one of the next things. Have to get this together first.

 

[Don Frelier]

I read @Kern Dog how to on using a truck sway bar and I believe that is one of the next things. Have to get this together first.

Depends on how you intend to drive it.
I just put a factory correct bar on my Plymouth when I did the front end and the difference is noticeable.
Drives really well (at least by my standards I'm no road racer).
I had no issues at Watkins with the corners.

 

[ckessel]

I read @Kern Dog how to on using a truck sway bar and I believe that is one of the next things. Have to get this together first.

I latched onto one of those bars. 73 to early 90's GM square nose 1 ton 2x truck. I'm putting a 70 k-frame in the 67 wagon so no clue if that one will work for you. Here are some photos though. The black bar is my FF unit for the 65 which also has the 70 k. My neighbor put the donor through his work press, 55 ton, to flatten out and spread the donor some to match the black. Have it cut down, ends profiled and drilled for links, ready for some paint. Its 1.25" diameter if you're wondering.

 

[Nxcoupe]

I went out earlier today but it was still hot. I got the upper ball joint out over the weekend and it was time to remove the control arm. I had to lower the car down because it was all the way up in the air. That's qhen I decided it was time to fix the leak in the rack. The valve assembly that gets pushed when you pull down on the lowering handle was dripping fluid out whether the rack was up in the air or not. I got it apart and was able to order the part from a rotary dealer. I had to ad nearly 2 quarts of fluid to get it up off the stops.
I let it down and was able to get a ratchet on the nuts in the engine compartment to remove the camber bolts. I had to use an adjustable crow's foot to slide the bolts out. Came out pretty easy really. Bushings are dryrotted but still held their shape. The bumper is shot tho.
I also pulled out the strut rod and the bushings were also shot on it.

 

[Nxcoupe]

I thought I would mess around with the tools and see if/how they work. The upper control arm bushing remover/installer was tge first up. It was pretty obvious once I got the tools all out and looked them over. It started making sense.
Here is the tool set up.
The bushings came out easily.

 

[Nxcoupe]

Next was the lower bushing. This tool was a bit of a puzzle but once I figured it out, it came right out. I have messed with mopars going on 45 years and I have never had a lower pin come out of the inner bushing shell, this one did. Time to buy a lottery ticket! Now I had to deal with getting the inner shell and rubber out of the outer bushing shell. I used a socket and my press to get the inner out, then figure out how to get the socket unstuck from the rubber. Sheesh, got that out then used a screwdriver to get the rubber out by tapping the blade down the outer shell and working my way around the outer edge until I was able to pry it out. It came out in one piece.

 

[Nxcoupe]

After I got the rubber out, I read the sole instruction sheet and figured out what they were talking about. This tool is for pulling out the bushing shell from the lower. Easier than welding a washer and pressing it out, IF it works. It has 2 halves that go down into the shell and a tapered head allen screw goes into them from the back side. Then, there is an adapter that screws onto it and you tighten it down to spread the 2 halves apart so the lip on each half grabs the bottom edge of the bushing shell. Then the 1/2" threaded rod goes into the adapter. The sleeve goes over and a washer and nut finishes it out. It did not work first try. I found a sliver of metal that must have come from pressing the bushing in and I also think the sleeve isn't large enough of an inner diameter to clear the edge of the bushing shell. I'm going back out when it cools off and try again.

 

[ckessel]

I am so looking forward to when I can do the updates/redo's on the wagon. Just need to get the steering, joints, bushings, arms, bump stops etc from Craig then latch onto a box and pump. Looks like I'm going to go with the Lares there. On my upper arms I'll be cheating. Going to use the FF ones I bought for the 65, plus the t-bars[ 1.06"] and RCD valved Bilsteins. I've got the SFC's made and fitted. Need to paint and weld them in. After I get done with my new project, 28 Ford, its lift time for the wagon.

 

[Nxcoupe]

I got it out! I was doing it wrong, of course. I needed to put washers under the nut to allow it to slip as it spun, instead, I put the nut upside down, as there is a flat side to them, and it ended up digging into itself and the tool. When I finally got my glasses on and actually looked atthis, it came right out with a wrench easy peasey.

You can see how the split halves gripped the bushing.

 

[Don Frelier]

I got it out! I was doing it wrong, of course. I needed to put washers under the nut to allow it to slip as it spun, instead, I put the nut upside down, as there is a flat side to them, and it ended up digging into itself and the tool. When I finally got my glasses on and actually looked atthis, it came right out with a wrench easy peasey. View attachment 1874873View attachment 1874874
You can see how the split halves gripped the bushing.

I'm sure you're aware but don't forget to polish the inside of the arm where it's scratched up before trying to press in the new bushing.
Looks really good Mike!

 

[Nxcoupe]

I'm sure you're aware but don't forget to polish the inside of the arm where it's scratched up before trying to press in the new bushing.
Looks really good Mike!

Yep, I was going over which method to use to do just that. Thank you. I'm running short on time and keep finding stuff I'm missing.

 

[Nxcoupe]

First things I polished on my porting bench were control arms, lol. I used the tool to install the upper bushings and although a workout, it worked really well. These are tough to position on my press so this tool made it a no brainer. I took the eccentric bolts over to wire wheel them and noticed one had grooves worn into it, so I had to order 4 of them from O'Reilly's, they will be in tomorrow.
I'm waiting on lower control arm bushing pins, upper and lower bump stops, and eccentric bolts. I cleaned up the lower ca hole as well for when that is ready to go back together.

 

[Nxcoupe]

I assembled the driver's side spindle as well after cleaning them on the wire wheel, a wire brush on a drill and Emory cloth to finish the surfaces. I need the 2 nuts off the passenger aide spindle and also the caliper bracket bolts, I'll pick up and equivalent at the hardware store. The driver'ssideis ready to go on

 

[HawkRod]

Depends on how you intend to drive it.
I just put a factory correct bar on my Plymouth when I did the front end and the difference is noticeable.
Drives really well (at least by my standards I'm no road racer).
I had no issues at Watkins with the corners.
View attachment 1874420

I agree with Don on using the factory bar. On my 70, this was one of the few places I used polyurethane. You want the bar to IMMEDIATELTY start resisting body roll, not waiting for good 'ol rubber to compress. (The other place I used Polyurethane was the lower control arms. They take a beating and I ended up getting greaseable poly units.)

I got it out! I was doing it wrong, of course. I needed to put washers under the nut to allow it to slip as it spun, instead, I put the nut upside down, as there is a flat side to them, and it ended up digging into itself and the tool. When I finally got my glasses on and actually looked atthis, it came right out with a wrench easy peasey. View attachment 1874873View attachment 1874874
You can see how the split halves gripped the bushing.

Nice tool! I have used the "welding a washer" method, but that looks a lot nicer.

 

[Don Frelier]

Nice tool! I have used the "welding a washer" method, but that looks a lot nicer.

We've never had success welding on a washer.

I've split them with a chisel which is a tough thing to do you've got to be pretty good with a hammer and chisel.
I've also taken a cutting torch to them but this is pretty tricky.

 

[Nxcoupe]

Thanks guys. I've been looking at one Kanter sells for 200. I may get a wild hair and go to our pull n pay and get one of the truck swaybars and do it myself, but right now I'm a little overwhelmed with the scope if this project and finite time to get it done.

 

[Nxcoupe]

We've never had success welding on a washer.

I've split them with a chisel which is a tough thing to do you've got to be pretty good with a hammer and chisel.
I've also taken a cutting torch to them but this is pretty tricky.

I saw a guy tig weld a washer to it and a guy stick weld a retainer to it. I didn't know this tool did this until I got it out and started fooling with it.