Suspension Rebuild of GTX

[AR67GTX]

I posted this over in the Chassis section but it might get more response here. I'm used to GM suspensions and haven't done a Mopar rebuild before.

I've had a stock rebuild kit for my GTX for many years along with a set of tools from I believe PST - upper ball joint socket, torsion bar clamp to hammer on, upper & lower bushing removal tools and a good supply of various tie rod pullers, etc. Maybe some others I've forgotten about. I finally plan to get after it.

Any tips for doing this at home with standard tools?

One tip I've picked up so far is to remove upper ball joint while the a-arm is still bolted in the car. What about separating the ball joints from the spindle? I've not had much trouble with this on GM cars I've worked on but seems to be difficult on Mopars(?). I have a pretty good selection of 1/2 inch sockets and an 18" break over bar and an 18" piece of pipe extension for the upper ball joint. One thing I don't have is a good hydraulic press - but I have a small 500 lb one and a big bench vise.

Any tips would be appreciated to help spare this 64 year old body (me - not the car) any unnecessary pain and suffering.

 

[Hemi Rebel]

Usually a good solid smack with a hammer will work to separate the ball joint from the spindle if a pickle fork is not available.
Upper ball joints can be tight sometimes. For stablity, you can turn it loose while it is still bolted to the spindle.
Take the snap ring off the back of the torsion bar. Unscrew the the adjuster to release tension off the bar and the use the tool to drive it out.
Then pull the lower arm and strut rod out together.
Do you plan on doing the lower control arm bushings yourself?

 

[AR67GTX]

My plan is to do the bushings myself. I have the MOPAR bushing removal and installation tools I bought from PST years ago. I realize that's easier said than done and I might run into difficulty. This may give me a good opportunity to try out the 50/50 mix of transmission fluid and acetone as a penetrant lubricant. As options I can saw them off and collapse the outer shell and drive out or better yet take them down to my local truck/car suspension and spring shop and have them press them out and in.

Thanks

 

[Hemi Rebel]

After pressing out the pivot pin and getting all the old rubber out, if you have access to a welder, you can weld a washer to the outer shell and press against that to het it out of the LCA. I do the same the the inner piece that is still stuck on the pivot pin.
Is your press big enough to set these parts up in?

 

[AR67GTX]

No - it's not big enough. But this is probably as good of a reason as any to go out and get a decent hydraulic press. It seems like I'm needing one now and then.

Have you had any experience with the bushing removal tools? They are heavily built but I know how stuck some of these old metal shell bushings get.

The guy who owned this car before I bought it said he had been through the front suspension but although it's fairly clean, the parts don't look that new and I've got some creaking and thunking that I think is coming from it.

 

[Hemi Rebel]

The only front end tools i have are ball joint sockets, a pickle fork and a piece of pipe the perfect diameter to press the LCA bushing back in.

 

[crahill39]

I rebuilt the front suspension on a 69 GTX with a kit from PST. I found it much cheaper to take the LCA to a machine shop and have them press out and in the new bushings along with media blasting the parts - ran me about $80 dollars. The hardest part for me was the stabilizer bars, took a butane torch, a good amount of liquid wrench, and no small amount of cussing to get the bolts free. I upgraded those bars as well and was worth the money.

 

[AR67GTX]

An issue - I purchased a PST kit many years ago (over 10) and I just now pulled it our and realized I have a "poly" kit. Don't know now if that was intentional or a mistake on their part. I was assuming I had their stock rubber kit. I am not a fan of poly but maybe back then I hadn't yet developed that opinion.

The ball joints and tie rod ends should be fine. I think I would rather get rubber control arm bushings - probably from Moog if I can find them. The bushings have inner and outer sleeves but I'm assuming they are poly as they have silicon grease capsules with them. Anyway to tell for sure?

What about the stabilizer rod cushions (not sway bar) - any reason poly should present a problem for them? Ride harshness? It seems this might be a good place for poly. I usually use poly in sway bar bushings.

This is bone stock GTX - full power and air - a luxury hot rod. No roundy-round workout planned for it.

Bought a 6 ton bench press so I'll try that along with the bushing removal tools I have before I resort to our local truck chassis shop.

Thanks

 

[snakeoil24]

FYI ball joints are threaded in!!! Also weld on the lower control arm plates for strength. Also get a apiary of moog bushings to upgrade the front links ! I can't remember the name of the bars have a senior moment but bushings are called problem solvers