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Front end redo ... Biting off more than I can chew..?

Pat70rr

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Ok as posted before I have been rejuvenated to get back into my RR after 15+ years, dumping the drums for discs and want to redo the front end -then its a solid driver, my question is I don't have a lift or air I have acsess to a lift at my old job but I cant leave it there or tie up a lift (its a car dealer) so if something breaks or goes wrong being the cars suspensions never been touched I am screwed only having a Saturday for 6/7 hours, my new job wont let you work on anything you have ...so my question is can it be done outback? tools I have space too but this front end has never been touched so am I biting off too much ???
thanks in advance
Pat
P.s. I never paid anyone to do this type of work being a mech for over 25 years is there a solid price if I had to ....? ugh perish the thought
 
You can do it by hand. Not that big a deal really. It sucks doing it on the ground but like hell i would pay to have it done. Doing if for 25 years, you should be able to handle this no problem
 
Thanks Rebel yea I think the process will be slow, being at a dealer for so long I always had lift/air I am assuming a lot of penetrant is going to be needed, I guess what I have in my favor is time is on my side ....
 
No problem if you have a lift at the shop and a press shouldn't be a problem if you have to do one side on one Saturday and do the other side another Saturday
 
Pat70rr - I did it in my garage on jack stands, with hand tools, and just did it a little at a time ( as I felt comfortable ) . . . and before you know it, it's all back together and you're off to the alignment shop to get the front end aligned . . .

Like a kit of the great guys on this site - they're doers . . . and they do lot of the stuff themselves . . . go for it ! !
 
Piece of cake. I did front end work on the street with a Jack stand when I was a kid.
 
I have done that job completely with hand tools many times. A few special pullers makes things a lot easier and I highly recommend them. I say grab the jack stands and have at it.
 
Take your time, I learned lying on the ground in the winter. I wasn't too bright back then. But I did it, and got smarter. Enjoy, If I was closer I would be glad to help.
I should add that your experience will make it go a lot faster than most people. Keep thinking of the 1,200+ dollars in labor you are saving, that most places get at 100.00 an hour.
 
You can do it on the ground without too much hassle. The hardest part it removing the upper ball joint from the A-arm. You need the special socket and an impact. It is nice to remove the ball joint when the A-arm is still bolted to the car, but you could take the a-arms to where you have air and an impact, and hold the a-arm in a vice. The other issue may be pressing the bushings out. There are speciality tools that you can get, but a hydraulic press works too. If you have a ball joint service kit with the different sized attachments, then it may work also. In the past I just used a cheap 12-Ton HF hydraulic press, but I just bought a OCT tools master ball joint service kit that looks like it could do the job (although it is way more expensive than just buying the special tools from Mancinni racing.)

http://chucker54.stores.yahoo.net/unfrsuprotok.html
 
Taking the torsion bars out correctly and re-installing them is something you might want to do research on . Get a service manual......................MO
 
I overhauled my front end completely a few months ago. I got a cheap compressor from harbor freight and worked off jack stands. You can get the specialty tools you need on the loaner deal at Auto Zone. Used the prothane bushings on the lower control arms, put anti-seize on them in addition to the special grease that comes with them. Much easier than the press out bushings. Got her aligned and drives great! A little elbow grease and you'll have it going on in no time and of course if you have any issues you can always depend on this forum for help.
 
I had never done it and did it with only hand tools working off jackstands in the garage over the course of the winter of '94. The only thing I had to farm out was taking the UCAs to the machine shop to have the old bushings pressed out. I could have made a tool with some threaded rod, washers, and large sockets I suppose, but it was so much quicker and easier to have it done.
 
I invested in the suspension tools kit from Mancini Racing. They made the job much easier. Also I got their tool (sold seperately) for removing the sleeve left behind in the lower control arm. Worked like a hot damn. Both control arms were done in 15 minutes. I also highly recommend installing stiffening plates on the LCAs.
 
Thanks to all !!!!! wow nice to get all the positive vibes I'm actually ok with it now been gettin dirty for a long time was thinking of getting a compressor ... Just want to get right one gonna check stores I have ball joint tool too press out bushings , torsion bars I will research removal
one question anyone have ball joint socket tool number still in contact with tool trucks?????
thanks again guys appreciate the help and advice
Pat

- - - Updated - - -

Do you have tool part # s 70GTX???
 
Take a look here
http://chucker54.stores.yahoo.net/frsuto.html

I'll add my positive vibe also. I have never attempted any front end work before. I did a lot of research on here, Youtube, and magazine articles. Did it in my garage on jackstands over this winter. My body isn't enjoying it as much as my psychie. Knees are sore and some days I have to take it easy, but by next weekend I'll be finished. Then the hard part begins. Waiting for Spring to get here so I can drive it. Here's what I've done,
Firm Feel stage 2 power steering box with their fast ratio pitman and idler arms,
Stiffened lower control arms
.960 torsion bars from Mopar performance
Heavy duty strut rods from Mancini Racing ( original pass. side was bent)
New lca pivot pins from PST
New ball joints from PST
All new rubber bushings from Moog offset upper control arm bushings to get more positive caster.
 
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Just get a good set of jack stands, not a little pair of junkers. You may be doing some pulling and tugging to get everything loose. Don't want anything bad to happen.
Wayne
 
Just get a good set of jack stands, not a little pair of junkers. You may be doing some pulling and tugging to get everything loose. Don't want anything bad to happen.
Wayne
X2, and keep the floor jack under there with a slight upward pressure as insurance
 
Over the years, I have rebuilt 4 front ends...one coil suspension, 3 torsion bar'd. All in at home garages with jack stands. The 1st two were without any air tools and before Al Gore had invented the internet! 1st time I disassembled, took the control arms to a shop and had the bushings pressed and ball joints changed. The other three, I had access to a press and a ball joint socket. Now days you can 'borrow' all the specialty tools from the major parts houses for free, and 'Youtube' any one of the tasks. If the bushings or upper ball joints prove to be tough, you can pull the contol arms and take them to your previous employers shop to press bushings and replace ball joints.

Mark your upper control arm adjustment washers to the body prior to dis-assembly. Re-aligning the marks will get alignment close when it all goes back together.

Pitman arm can be removed with the specialty tool they loan at the parts store.

Idler arm can be separated with a 'pickle fork' or a puller (loaner from parts store).

Tie rod ends...a smaller pickle fork, a puller (loaners from parts store), or flipping the nut and hit it with a BFH (big 'funny' hammer)

Don't forget your strut rod bushings (rods that go from lower control arm to front of frame).

You can do this!

Most importantly I have learned when working without a lift, cardboard is your friend! Be it the garage floor, asphalt, dirt...a layer of cardboard goes a long way in reducing the aches & pains!
 
I know I know why did he ask .....guys Poly or regular ol Rubber on the Pst kit...???? sorry I had to ask hear good and bad on both.....
 
I don't like polys, noisy prone to wear. Remove steering linkage. Before removing pitman arm, check it, it may still be good and they're not cheap Remove and install the upper ball joints with the control arms still attached to the car. Loosen torsion bar adjuster all the way and then remove the square block the bolt threads into. Remove the strutrod nuts and torsion bar retaining clips. Now loosen the pivot bolts for the lower control arms in the K-Frame and knock the studs rear ward to send the torsion bars rearward. The worst two things to remove are the torsion bars if they're stuck in the trans cross member and the upper control arm cam bolts if they've rusted to the inner sleeve of the upper bushings. Make sure to install offset upper bushings in the upper front control arm locations. Your alignment guy will thank you. Send control arms out to have the bushings pressed.
Lots of PB Blaster days before you start.
Doug
 
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