1971 Fury GT, Gold, Promo Car

[1970FuryConv]

Steering Linkage: received a 24 hour soaking in rust remover solution
this is the original steering linkage. One tie rod was badly bent, so it had to be recycled. I used a hammer and this pickle fork to bust the good tie rod off of the center link.

This is the linkage from a parts car. It was able to donate a 2nd good tie rod. Tie rod ends were recycled.

Steering linkage in the soup

Vise was handy for removing tie rod ends from the tie rod

threads in the tie rods look all right

I measured the length of the tie rod and ends at 12 15/16 inches center grease fitting the center grease fitting, measured horizontal along the tie rod. That should get me in the ballpark when I assemble the steering linkage.

Tie rods will look better after more cleanup, but it was encouraging that the rust remover did loosen the tie rod ends in the tie rods.

 

[HWYCRZR]

Looking good.
For big parts I have used the jumbo ziplock bags. Gently put the part in fill the bag, remove the air and it is submerged. Would still set the bag in a tub in case you spring a leak.
For long pieces I have used a cheap PVC rain gutter capped on both ends or PVC pipe capped at one end.

 

[1970FuryConv]

Looking good.
For big parts I have used the jumbo ziplock bags. Gently put the part in fill the bag, remove the air and it is submerged. Would still set the bag in a tub in case you spring a leak.
For long pieces I have used a cheap PVC rain gutter capped on both ends or PVC pipe capped at one end.

Good ideas!

 

[fury fan]

I've used vinegar, these HD tubs, and a similar 1500-watt heater to derust parts.
Also used some cut-down plastic barrels for rim-soaking.
If doing a smaller part in the big tub, I would put vinegar jugs filled with water in the tub to raise the fluid level.

Used Dawn-type soap for degreasing first when needed.
Within 1-3 days of vinegar soaking, paint wipes off with fingers, and rust like on this rim's bead wipes off with a scotchbrite pad. (soaking 24-7 but with heater on only in evenings when I was home)

The vinegar seems to hold potency for awhile.
It's fairly safe and fairly environmentally-friendly.

#vinegar

 

[live4theking]

You're using the press to r&r the bushings right? Not the ball joint.

 

[73Coupe]

I would use a torch to quickly heat the A-arm around the ball joint, then unscrewing it....

 

[1970FuryConv]

You're using the press to r&r the bushings right? Not the ball joint.

Correct. Upper ball joint is 2 9/64 socket. Where so i find cheap socket for upper ball joints on my '65 new yorker?. @MetalManiacAZ @Big_John gave excellent guidance. Sourced the socket from Metal Maniac's link. I have an A-Body ball joint socket. Key to know from Big John that A & B body do not fit C-body upper ball joint.

I would use a torch to quickly heat the A-arm around the ball joint, then unscrewing it....

After 2 days in rust remover, I'm soaking both sides of the UBJs with Liquid Wrench.
Thanks! Jerry has a torch. I'm going Friday to use his press to hold the upper control arms, then apply heat, then ball joint socket, breaker bar, and cheater pipe. Hope after all that, UBJs turn easy.

 

[1970FuryConv]

I've used vinegar, these HD tubs, and a similar 1500-watt heater to derust parts.
Also used some cut-down plastic barrels for rim-soaking.
If doing a smaller part in the big tub, I would put vinegar jugs filled with water in the tub to raise the fluid level.

Used Dawn-type soap for degreasing first when needed.
Within 1-3 days of vinegar soaking, paint wipes off with fingers, and rust like on this rim's bead wipes off with a scotchbrite pad. (soaking 24-7 but with heater on only in evenings when I was home)

The vinegar seems to hold potency for awhile.
It's fairly safe and fairly environmentally-friendly.





View attachment 583213

View attachment 583214
#vinegar

Thanks!
Where did you buy the heater?

 

[DeltaV]

Distilled white vinegar is wonderful; and cheap.

 

[1970FuryConv]

Distilled white vinegar is wonderful; and cheap.

Wayne, what ratio of vinegar to water?
Do you use a heater? thanks, Ben

 

[DeltaV]

I only did small (approx 10") parts and so I just used it full strength and no heater. I don't leave electrical stuff plugged into the wall and my garage gets into the 90's during the summer. Maybe try 2/3 vinegar and 1/3 water...it will just take longer to strip off the paint.

As a side note, I've used the water-based degreaser from POR-15 on McPherson strut suspensions and coil springs. It worked very well.

 

[1970FuryConv]

Buying vinegar at Walmart and using it full strength sounds like the solution. No pun intended

 

[1970FuryConv]

Finished cleaning up all of the steering linkage parts that I'm going to reuse. Wide wire wheel on my bench grinder, along with SOS pads in my utility sink, and flat blade screw drivers to scrape did the job.

Tie Rod clamps came out nice. I had 6 overall, but 2 had oblong bolt holes. They also had a lot of rust pitting. Here are the 4 good ones.

Upper control arms: the rust remover worked at least on the smashed upper control arm bumpers. Both nuts came off and the square index holes in the control arm remain square.

What's left of the upper control arm bumpers

 

[fury fan]

Thanks!
Where did you buy the heater?

Got the heater at amazon. $40-50 seems the going rate, the one I got did not have any fancy electronic display on it like shown above (the one I got is unavailable).

I used the vinegar at < full strength when I started (50-50?) to get my tub filled, then added full-strength as it evaporated. Std household vinegar is 5% acidity, so mostly water, and the heater accelerates evaporation, of course.
As with most things, you exchange money for time.

I got used to buying 4-6 jugs of it every time I went to the store. Went thru prob 50 gallons - I got a LOT of parts powdercoated last spring.

You can get higher-strength industrial/weed-control vinegar from Amazon, but it must be handled with more caution as the acidity and smell are much higher.

 

[fury fan]

Buying vinegar at Walmart and using it full strength sounds like the solution. No pun intended

I shopped around, Menards had the best price but not by much, walmart was #2.
Costco had bigger jugs (1-1/3 gal?) but price was 1.33 higher.
I basically bought at whatever store I was in when I needed it. Felt mildly like I was shopping Sudafed.

 

[DeltaV]

By George, it is diluted to 5% acid strength. It's obnoxious even at that strength.

Side note: I pour it down my PVC a/c condensate lines a couple times of year. It kills whatever tries to grow in the lines. Keeps everything free and clear.

 

[fury fan]

.. It's obnoxious even at that strength.

I liked it. Made the workshop side of my basement smell like dill pickles.

 

[1970FuryConv]

Upper and lower control arms: removing control arm bushings and upper ball joints.

Upper ball joints: the left side upper control arm was the hardest job of the day, regarding getting off the upper ball joint. Jerry has a 1000 foot-pounds ¾ inch impact gun. The tool did not budge the upper ball joint even though Jerry has correct 1 59/64 inch upper ball joint socket. We also tried clamping the upper control arm against a workbench and using ¾ inch breaker bar with a cheater pipe. It still not did not work. Following @73Coupe suggestion, Jerry pulled out a MAP gas torch. Jerry says that MAP gas burns hotter than propane. Also, unlike acetylene, MAP does not require separate oxygen. Jerry put the fire directly on the area around upper ball joint, and heated the area until it had changed to a burgundy color. He put the impact gun and ball joint socket back on the upper ball joint and it finally came out.
Ball joint

Upper ball joint removed

For the right side upper control arm, I was surprised that no heat was required. The upper ball joint came out with the impact gun and the ball joint socket.

Upper control arm bushings: these were a lot easier than the ball joint. Jerry has a piece of pipe that is wider than the outer edge of Mopar upper control arm bushings. He used a jackscrew, which is basically an a long bolt with washers and a nut inserted through the pipe and then through the bushing from the outer end. With an impact gun, he tightened the nut on the bolt and the washer pushed the bushing out of the flange of the upper control arm and into the piece of open pipe. Because both upper control arms are in excellent condition, this job went easily. No heat was required.
Jerry at work

a new upper control arm bushing. If you imagine this with dry rotted rubber, you have a good picture of what we removed.

Upper control arm bushing mounting flange

Upper control arms: ready for clean and paint

lower control arms
This is a view of the top of the left lower control arm.

I removed and cleaned the torsion bar adjuster's on a wire wheel

Bottom of the left side lower control arm

Jerry has a 50 ton press

 

[1970FuryConv]

Lower control arms: the pivot pin has to be pushed out using a press and a bolt that is extended through the forward torsion bar mount. Essentially, we used ½ inch thread bolt and lined it up on the end of the pivot pin at the center front of the forward torsion bar mount. With the torsion bar mount facing upward on top of the press and 2 metal bars with V – cuts that surrounded the piston pin below the lower control arm, Jerry was able to set up the press above the ½ inch bolt, then I spun the chrome 4-bar handle and lowered the fitting on the press until it was lined up at the top of the bolt head. After that, Jerry could move the lever of his 50 – Ton press up and down until the fitting had pushed the bolt far enough down that the pivot pin dropped out of the bottom of its mount in the lower control arm.

Torsion Bar Mount. The bolt goes through that Center hole to press the pivot pin out the other side of the lower control arm.

The bushing mounting flange on the other side of the torsion bar Mount. The pivot pin installs in the center of this open area..

Pivot Pin: inner sleeve of the lower control arm bushing comes out with the pivot pin. I had heard that the best way to remove the inner sleeve of the lower control arm bushing from the pin was to take a chisel and make a longitudinal notch every 90°. Then the inner sleeve can be removed with pliers or Vise-grips. Jerry said that it’s a better idea to use MIG Welder to make a longitudinal ridge on the inner sleeve from the end of the Pitman arm all the way to the other end of the sleeve. The MIG Weld does 2 things: heat up the sleeve and give an extension to hit with his air chisel. His method works like a charm. Here’s one inner sleeve with the MIG Weld Ridge that he created and here’s the air chisel.
Inner sleeve with MIG Weld and Jerry's air chisel

pivot pins with no inner sleeves

Lower control arm bushing outer sleeve stays in the lower control arm when the pivot pin is pressed out: the rubber bushing can be removed from the outer sleeve with needle-nose pliers. Removing the outer sleeve from the lower control arm is a lot harder. This time though I got to teach Jerry something. I learned from @BAD69FURY , that Brubaker 1 3/8 – 6 tap installed from the front of the lower control arm into the outer sleeve of the lower control arm bushing gives something for the press to push against, the same way that it pushed against the bottom of the pivot pin. Jerry thought the teeth on the tap would break, but I had bought the tap with me, so what the hell. Let’s try it. We installed the tap in the outer sleeve and put the lower control arm back on the press. We followed the same procedure as removing the pivot pin. And we were both excited to see that the outer sleeve came right out. This happened with both lower control arms, such that the job took far less time than we thought. Way to go @BAD69FURY Right tools for the job! Rebuilt my front upper and lower control arms.

outer sleeve removed with Brubaker tap

removing the outer sleeve leaves the open for control arm bushings flange that I showed before

Lower control arms ready for a final cleaning, prime and paint

All in all a successful day and a great learning experience.
Tomorrow in my area is supposed to be freezing temperatures much of the day. Not ideal weather for priming and painting. At least I can get some of the cleaning done. And Sunday will be warmer!

 

[fury fan]

Jerry put the fire directly on the upper ball joint, and heated the area until it had changed to a burgundy color. He put the impact gun and ball joint socket back on the upper ball joint and it finally came out.

It came out , so what I'll say here doesn't matter for today, but it might for someone reading along in the future.

Don't put heat directly on the BJ, put it on the surrounding area as much as possible. (moving in a circle and bending the flame around the U-shaped area would be best)
Heat would make that area expand and help loosen the grip on the BJ.
Yes, heat will transfer, but it will always be hottest where the flame touches, so when the BJ was heated it expanded it in the UCA to some extent.

If doing this with oxy-acetylene and can turn everything orange, making the surfaces slightly 'greasy', then this doesn't matter.
But when using MAPP or propane, with less heat available, take every advantage. Put the heat on the item that should be expanded.