Great to see this all coming together Ben.
1971 Fury GT, Gold, Promo Car
- Thread starter 1970FuryConv
- Start date
3175375
Senior Member
Good work!
I have been cleaning up some heater box and other smaller parts for my 1965 Ford Ranchero using cleaning vinegar (6% and up to 10%) in a 10 liter heated ultrasonic cleaner. I set the temperature to 50 degrees C.
The parts come out fabulous. This process even removes most of the paint.
Thought you could use the tip.
Samplingman
Old Man with a Hat
Excellent work and write-up Ben! After 10 years of doing mine the cheap-o rubber boots I installed on the upper ball joints have completely disintegrated and I have to pull it all apart once again, and that’s just from sitting. Yours looks like it will last a lifetime.
Ripinator
Old Man with a Hat
I just finished reading all the posts regarding the stub frame alignment and suspension assembly. I had to take two Advil. . . Terrific job you are doing. Mighty fine!
1970FuryConv
Old Man with a Hat
Left side lower ball joint
Upper ball joint, left side: on tightening the stud nut to spec, I found that the cotter pin hole was below the castle nut, so the cotter pin couldn’t engage the nut. Moog K772 upper ball joints come with a washer to correct this problem. I removed the nut and installed the washer. 7/8 long socket, ½ inch torque wrench at 125 foot-pounds. 7/8 long socket, ½ inch breaker bar, turn clockwise until cotter pin opening appears in castle nut. Cotter pin install. I did the upper ball joint with the steering knuckle turned as if the car was turning hard right.
Upper ball joint, right side: I removed the cotter pin which did engage the very top of the castle nut. I wanted to use the washer on both sides if possible. I repeated the install for the left side with the exception that I had the steering knuckle turned as if the car was turning hard left. Right side Cotter pin went thru with a couple light taps using my ball peen hammer
Some additions both sides:
Upper ball joint, grease fittings both sides: 3/8 inch wrench. Grease fitting hole is self- tapping, which is a pain with such a small fitting.
Lower ball joint, grease fittings both sides: 5/16 inch wrench. Rare Parts lower ball joint is nice because the grease fitting hole is threaded.
Brake caliper mount, both sides: bolt head faces inward. Install bolt through brake caliper mount and into the back of steering knuckle, ¾ inch short socket, ½ inch torque wrench at 75 – 100 foot-pounds
Brake Dust Shields: there are 3 mounting bolts per side. The threads were deteriorated on all of the bolts, such that when I tried to torque them to spec they spun in the bolt holes. Tapped the bolt holes in both steering knuckles 5/16 X 18 coarse thread tap. Blow the debris out of the hole. From my bolt box, I found 6 bolts with 5/8 inch thread length, ¾ inch total length from the bottom of the bolt head. I cleaned them on the wire wheel. Installed brake dust shields ½ inch long socket, 3/8 inch torque wrench at 220 inch pounds.
Other than that. Left side went together same as right side yesterday.
Right side had better light and more parts installed, so I took more pictures.
Upper ball joint, left side: on tightening the stud nut to spec, I found that the cotter pin hole was below the castle nut, so the cotter pin couldn’t engage the nut. Moog K772 upper ball joints come with a washer to correct this problem. I removed the nut and installed the washer. 7/8 long socket, ½ inch torque wrench at 125 foot-pounds. 7/8 long socket, ½ inch breaker bar, turn clockwise until cotter pin opening appears in castle nut. Cotter pin install. I did the upper ball joint with the steering knuckle turned as if the car was turning hard right.
Upper ball joint, right side: I removed the cotter pin which did engage the very top of the castle nut. I wanted to use the washer on both sides if possible. I repeated the install for the left side with the exception that I had the steering knuckle turned as if the car was turning hard left. Right side Cotter pin went thru with a couple light taps using my ball peen hammer
Some additions both sides:
Upper ball joint, grease fittings both sides: 3/8 inch wrench. Grease fitting hole is self- tapping, which is a pain with such a small fitting.
Lower ball joint, grease fittings both sides: 5/16 inch wrench. Rare Parts lower ball joint is nice because the grease fitting hole is threaded.
Brake caliper mount, both sides: bolt head faces inward. Install bolt through brake caliper mount and into the back of steering knuckle, ¾ inch short socket, ½ inch torque wrench at 75 – 100 foot-pounds
Brake Dust Shields: there are 3 mounting bolts per side. The threads were deteriorated on all of the bolts, such that when I tried to torque them to spec they spun in the bolt holes. Tapped the bolt holes in both steering knuckles 5/16 X 18 coarse thread tap. Blow the debris out of the hole. From my bolt box, I found 6 bolts with 5/8 inch thread length, ¾ inch total length from the bottom of the bolt head. I cleaned them on the wire wheel. Installed brake dust shields ½ inch long socket, 3/8 inch torque wrench at 220 inch pounds.
Other than that. Left side went together same as right side yesterday.
Right side had better light and more parts installed, so I took more pictures.
1970FuryConv
Old Man with a Hat
Does the heat speed up rust removal? How?
Thanks!
1970FuryConv
Old Man with a Hat
I hate those Dorman replacement dust boots. Tie rod end boots disintegrate within a few miles of use. Junk! Ball joint boots aren't much better. We need to buy from Moog somehow.
1970FuryConv
Old Man with a Hat
After moving the subframe and measuring over and over for a few days, I was ready to beat my head on the bottom of the car. Head ache or no head ache. Grateful that persistence paid off!
1970FuryConv
Old Man with a Hat
Here's the Moog K772 upper ball joint directions showing when to use a washer to make the cotter pin engage the castle nut.
Also, I thought it was interesting that Moog is against hitting the steering knuckle with a hammer to dislodge a ball joint. Step 1 below. I know some shade tree mechanics try to do that to protect the boot. I usually use a pickle fork because it's the only way I can hammer with enough force to break the ball joint free from the knuckle, but that's out of necessity, rather than protecting the knuckle.
Also, I thought it was interesting that Moog is against hitting the steering knuckle with a hammer to dislodge a ball joint. Step 1 below. I know some shade tree mechanics try to do that to protect the boot. I usually use a pickle fork because it's the only way I can hammer with enough force to break the ball joint free from the knuckle, but that's out of necessity, rather than protecting the knuckle.
3175375
Senior Member
I believe that it does help.
73Coupe
Senior Member
I used those exact upper and lower bawl joints when I did the front end on my former '73 NYB. Good quality, you'll be pleased if you drive this car a lot.
I hear you on the dust boots. With so much engineering put into the metal components, why can't they engineer a good boot? Seems like urethane would work best. Or leather.
At one point I tried searching for good boots but had little luck when I did that, can't recall....
( @1970FuryConv )
I hear you on the dust boots. With so much engineering put into the metal components, why can't they engineer a good boot? Seems like urethane would work best. Or leather.
At one point I tried searching for good boots but had little luck when I did that, can't recall....
( @1970FuryConv )
Fantastic thread and great work!
1970FuryConv
Old Man with a Hat
Firm Feel 1.18" Torsion Bars, 44 inch length (some Dodge & Chrysler take 47 inch)
Clean torsion bar mount openings at lower control arm and transmission X – member, rags
Right trans x-member mount, front
Left trans x-member mount, front
Left lower control arm mount
Right lower control arm mount
Grease: torsion bar mount openings at lower control arm and transmission X – member, Valvoline wheel bearing grease
Firm Feel Torsion Bars, 1.18" diameter: ends are marked with right and left. The hex end of the torsion bars are the same front and back.
Firm Feel Torsion Bars: insert through the hex opening at the rear of the transmission X – member.
Torsion bar boots: Firm Feel boots are extremely stiff. 1 inch inner diameter. The hex ends of the c-body torsion bar are more like 1.5 inches diameter at their widest point. The rubber/polyurethane is very tight. I spent an hour and a half trying to slide their new boots over the end of their new torsion bars. After some Internet research, I found that people on FABO and FBBO were doing all sorts of things. Heating the boots in the oven. Boiling them. I tried heat in the oven but the boots cooled off faster than I could get back out to the garage to install them. Then on FBBO, someone had cut a transmission oil funnel at a point slightly wider than the end of the torsion bar. The person had slid the boot over this cone and then on to the front of the torsion bar. I followed his example. I had an assistant under the vehicle with a 2 x 4 against a stiffening rib for the floor pan to hold the back of the torsion bar so it wouldn’t slide back in the transmission X – member mount. I cut a transmission oil funnel where it was 1.6 inches wide at its widest diameter. I greased the funnel. I slid the boot over the narrow end. I pushed really hard and it popped on to the front of the torsion bar. From there it’s pretty easy to just push the torsion bar boot back towards the rear of the torsion bar.
The tool that saved the day. Custom Made Firm Feel torsion bar boot installer. @rags there's a tip for you
Lower control arms: I found that the right side did not easily engage. I used a flat file to file the edge of each of the 6 sides of the hex opening in the lower control arm. After that with a little grease, the torsion bar slipped right in. Flat file and Left side was cake.
Torsion bar rear clips: I used the factory rear clips that I had removed when I took out the old torsion bars in October. There are slots in the transmission X – member mounts for these clips.
Right side
Clean torsion bar mount openings at lower control arm and transmission X – member, rags
Right trans x-member mount, front
Left trans x-member mount, front
Left lower control arm mount
Right lower control arm mount
Grease: torsion bar mount openings at lower control arm and transmission X – member, Valvoline wheel bearing grease
Firm Feel Torsion Bars, 1.18" diameter: ends are marked with right and left. The hex end of the torsion bars are the same front and back.
Firm Feel Torsion Bars: insert through the hex opening at the rear of the transmission X – member.
Torsion bar boots: Firm Feel boots are extremely stiff. 1 inch inner diameter. The hex ends of the c-body torsion bar are more like 1.5 inches diameter at their widest point. The rubber/polyurethane is very tight. I spent an hour and a half trying to slide their new boots over the end of their new torsion bars. After some Internet research, I found that people on FABO and FBBO were doing all sorts of things. Heating the boots in the oven. Boiling them. I tried heat in the oven but the boots cooled off faster than I could get back out to the garage to install them. Then on FBBO, someone had cut a transmission oil funnel at a point slightly wider than the end of the torsion bar. The person had slid the boot over this cone and then on to the front of the torsion bar. I followed his example. I had an assistant under the vehicle with a 2 x 4 against a stiffening rib for the floor pan to hold the back of the torsion bar so it wouldn’t slide back in the transmission X – member mount. I cut a transmission oil funnel where it was 1.6 inches wide at its widest diameter. I greased the funnel. I slid the boot over the narrow end. I pushed really hard and it popped on to the front of the torsion bar. From there it’s pretty easy to just push the torsion bar boot back towards the rear of the torsion bar.
The tool that saved the day. Custom Made Firm Feel torsion bar boot installer. @rags there's a tip for you
Lower control arms: I found that the right side did not easily engage. I used a flat file to file the edge of each of the 6 sides of the hex opening in the lower control arm. After that with a little grease, the torsion bar slipped right in. Flat file and Left side was cake.
Torsion bar rear clips: I used the factory rear clips that I had removed when I took out the old torsion bars in October. There are slots in the transmission X – member mounts for these clips.
Right side
Last edited:
I just placed a big order with Firm Feel myself last Friday and I am doing much the same thing right now............................lots of work..............................
1970FuryConv
Old Man with a Hat
Left Side
Grease at front of torsion bar transmission x-member mounts. The factory shop manual calls these annular openings. It says to pack them with grease. I packed them with Valvoline high temperature red grease, general-purpose including wheel bearings. I had on rubber gloves and I pushed grease into the opening until I couldn’t get any more to go in. Once it was all squeezing out to the side, I felt like I had the opening full.
Right. Opening to left in this pic is for exhast
Left
Torsion bar boots at transmission mount openings. I pushed them over the area that I had just greased. There is a groove on the end of the mount. An inner rib on the boot slips over the end of the mount and then falls into this groove to give a seal. There are no clamps.
Right
Left
Torsion bars: they have about .25 inch of play front to back. After installing the boots, I slid them all the way forward, because I wanted as much of them in the lower control arms as possible.
Right
Left
Torsion bar adjusters: 15/16 long socket, impact gun. I tightened the bolts against the bottom of the adjuster until I had about 1.875 inch between the top of the bolt head and the bottom of the adjuster. This is roughly where the old torsion bars were, although the old torsion bars didn’t have nearly the power of these 1.18 inch diameter brand-new torsion bars. It’s likely I’ll have to lower the car once the final suspension height is set.
Trans x-member
Top View
Grease at front of torsion bar transmission x-member mounts. The factory shop manual calls these annular openings. It says to pack them with grease. I packed them with Valvoline high temperature red grease, general-purpose including wheel bearings. I had on rubber gloves and I pushed grease into the opening until I couldn’t get any more to go in. Once it was all squeezing out to the side, I felt like I had the opening full.
Right. Opening to left in this pic is for exhast
Left
Torsion bar boots at transmission mount openings. I pushed them over the area that I had just greased. There is a groove on the end of the mount. An inner rib on the boot slips over the end of the mount and then falls into this groove to give a seal. There are no clamps.
Right
Left
Torsion bars: they have about .25 inch of play front to back. After installing the boots, I slid them all the way forward, because I wanted as much of them in the lower control arms as possible.
Right
Left
Torsion bar adjusters: 15/16 long socket, impact gun. I tightened the bolts against the bottom of the adjuster until I had about 1.875 inch between the top of the bolt head and the bottom of the adjuster. This is roughly where the old torsion bars were, although the old torsion bars didn’t have nearly the power of these 1.18 inch diameter brand-new torsion bars. It’s likely I’ll have to lower the car once the final suspension height is set.
Trans x-member
Top View
3175375
Senior Member
Fabulous work and documentation! Stay on it!
You may have to adjust height a couple of times as your new bushings settle in. I set it initially and then after a couple hundred miles, needed to adjust again. Haven’t touched it since. But check every spring anyway. (Is easy on a 4 post lift)
1970FuryConv
Old Man with a Hat
SWAY BAR INSTALL
15/16” diameter sway bar: From Facebook, my car has a 15/16 diameter sway bar because Chrysler put the larger diameter sway bar on cars with the 440 engine. Nick on Facebook says that he’s pulled 15/16 inch sway bars off of 1970 Chrysler New Yorker 440 cars in a junkyard. C-bodies with smaller engines got the 7/8" diameter sway bar. Difference in sway bars applies to 1970-71. Not sure about other years although my 1973 Monaco 360 had 7/8" sway bar. Firm Feel has 1.25" sway bar, but I wanted to keep my car original.
Larger 15/16" 1971 sway bar above. 1970 7/8" sway bar below
Cleaned 1971 sway bar and applied Loctite Rust Neutralizer
I painted the sway bar black later
Links (hangers) were a lot of work
Some had to be bent in vise with cheater pipe
Soaked in vinegar for a week. Note: clean the part immediately after removing from vinegar or it will rust fast. Brake Cleaner, wire wheel, etc
Wire wheel and sand paper
15/16" link bushings at sway bar, OEM 2269708. Could not find any
Drill: I drilled 5/16 inch hole on the side of the flange that doesn’t have the heavy weld, that extends beyond the bottom of the flanges and appears to the eye. I selected points that were 3/8 inch from the bottom of the flange and .5 inch from the side of the flange. I used Dewalt 135° Split tip drill bits.
15/16” diameter sway bar: From Facebook, my car has a 15/16 diameter sway bar because Chrysler put the larger diameter sway bar on cars with the 440 engine. Nick on Facebook says that he’s pulled 15/16 inch sway bars off of 1970 Chrysler New Yorker 440 cars in a junkyard. C-bodies with smaller engines got the 7/8" diameter sway bar. Difference in sway bars applies to 1970-71. Not sure about other years although my 1973 Monaco 360 had 7/8" sway bar. Firm Feel has 1.25" sway bar, but I wanted to keep my car original.
Larger 15/16" 1971 sway bar above. 1970 7/8" sway bar below
Cleaned 1971 sway bar and applied Loctite Rust Neutralizer
I painted the sway bar black later
Links (hangers) were a lot of work
Some had to be bent in vise with cheater pipe
Soaked in vinegar for a week. Note: clean the part immediately after removing from vinegar or it will rust fast. Brake Cleaner, wire wheel, etc
Wire wheel and sand paper
15/16" link bushings at sway bar, OEM 2269708. Could not find any
Drill: I drilled 5/16 inch hole on the side of the flange that doesn’t have the heavy weld, that extends beyond the bottom of the flanges and appears to the eye. I selected points that were 3/8 inch from the bottom of the flange and .5 inch from the side of the flange. I used Dewalt 135° Split tip drill bits.
1970FuryConv
Old Man with a Hat
Bigger weld at bottom
I cut the lower flange completely off on one link. Not necessary.
Small side weld is that silver dot
Reciprocating saw: on the same side that I drilled the hole, I cut the 2 flanges apart. It is important to clamp the upper flange in the vise, but not the lower flange when using the reciprocating saw. That way the lower flange can move away from the upper flange as the saw cuts through the weld. I stopped and looked several times to verify that my cut was through the weld. Also, I started the cut with the reciprocating saw on the front side. I finished with the saw on the back side.
Corded Dewalt. Excellent. my cordless could not have handled this job with a clean cut.
Exhaust cut-off wheel to clean up cut
Links (hangers) ready for prep/paint
Loctite Rust Neutralizer. Factory calls the cupped washers: retainers.
I did a 2nd set for my 1970 Fury
Rustoleum Gloss Black Paint
I cut the lower flange completely off on one link. Not necessary.
Small side weld is that silver dot
Reciprocating saw: on the same side that I drilled the hole, I cut the 2 flanges apart. It is important to clamp the upper flange in the vise, but not the lower flange when using the reciprocating saw. That way the lower flange can move away from the upper flange as the saw cuts through the weld. I stopped and looked several times to verify that my cut was through the weld. Also, I started the cut with the reciprocating saw on the front side. I finished with the saw on the back side.
Corded Dewalt. Excellent. my cordless could not have handled this job with a clean cut.
Exhaust cut-off wheel to clean up cut
Links (hangers) ready for prep/paint
Loctite Rust Neutralizer. Factory calls the cupped washers: retainers.
I did a 2nd set for my 1970 Fury
Rustoleum Gloss Black Paint
1970FuryConv
Old Man with a Hat
Moog Bushing K – 7061, square link bushing at sway bar: both of the bushings had oblong extensions on one side because they are made to set up with Moog sway bar hangers, not factory hangers/links (not true of later production K7061 after Moog discontinued it's aftermarket links). I ground those off carefully using a grinding wheel on a bench grinder. Then they were right for factory links.
Bushing Drill, 15/16 inch: Moog K – 7061 bushings usually come split, although the one on the left was not. They are manufactured with 7/8 inch inner diameter, so I had to widen the hole to fit my 15/16” sway bar. No 15/16 inch inner diameter bushings are being produced at this time by any manufacturer. I had one FCBO member advise me to use a hole saw, but a split bushing just crumples under a hole saw. I used a new 15/16 inch twist drill bit for the 2 bushings that I was going to install on the sway bar.
I made this fitting out of upper flange of a broken link and used it to hold the bushing in my vise while I drilled it out.
1/2" Industrial Quality Drill. Old, but still works (like its owner)
Drilled out bushing
Split bushings are harder to hold steady when drilling. With patience it can be done
Link select: I had painted 4 hangers/links. I selected the 2 that I thought were in the best condition and it had the largest cavity for the bushing because the links for the 15/16 sway bar and the 7/8 sway bar are the same, but depending on how the upper and lower flange were welded together, the cavity can be smaller or larger. I intend to use the other 2 links to install a 7/8 inch diameter sway bar on my 1970 Plymouth Fury convertible.
Link, pry apart. In order to install the bushings, I had to pry the lower flange away from the upper flange where I had split the 2 apart with the reciprocating saw. I think the factory may have done the same thing, because the weld between the lower flange in the upper flange is larger on one side. On one side the weld extends beyond the flanges, on the other side it is buried within the flange. I think the factory welded one side together, installed the bushing, and then installed the link with bushing on the sway bar, then welded the opposite side together with a smaller weld.
Bushing installed on Link: install square sway bar bushing. I put the links in the vise to hold them steady while I pushed in the bushing. I put a cloth over the jaws of the vise so that I did not mess up the paint. I put the split in the bushing close to the place that I had sawed apart the flanges to give as much flexibility as possible when I slide the bushings and links on to the sway bar.
Grease: I used SIL – Glyde silicone grease to install the bushings and links as assemblies. I had a member suggest that I use soap and water, however I needed something that lasted longer. Also, Silicone grease, unlike petroleum grease, does not damage rubber over time. I greased the sway bar from the end of the sway bar all the way to the mounting point for the link and I greased the inner opening of the bushing.
Link and bushing install on sway bar: I put the sway bar end into my vise with a cloth to protect the paint. It takes muscle and leverage to push the link and bushing assembly over the flat end of the sway bar. Once you clear the flat end of the sway bar, the bushing and link slides easily down the sway bar.
Bushing Drill, 15/16 inch: Moog K – 7061 bushings usually come split, although the one on the left was not. They are manufactured with 7/8 inch inner diameter, so I had to widen the hole to fit my 15/16” sway bar. No 15/16 inch inner diameter bushings are being produced at this time by any manufacturer. I had one FCBO member advise me to use a hole saw, but a split bushing just crumples under a hole saw. I used a new 15/16 inch twist drill bit for the 2 bushings that I was going to install on the sway bar.
I made this fitting out of upper flange of a broken link and used it to hold the bushing in my vise while I drilled it out.
1/2" Industrial Quality Drill. Old, but still works (like its owner)
Drilled out bushing
Split bushings are harder to hold steady when drilling. With patience it can be done
Link select: I had painted 4 hangers/links. I selected the 2 that I thought were in the best condition and it had the largest cavity for the bushing because the links for the 15/16 sway bar and the 7/8 sway bar are the same, but depending on how the upper and lower flange were welded together, the cavity can be smaller or larger. I intend to use the other 2 links to install a 7/8 inch diameter sway bar on my 1970 Plymouth Fury convertible.
Link, pry apart. In order to install the bushings, I had to pry the lower flange away from the upper flange where I had split the 2 apart with the reciprocating saw. I think the factory may have done the same thing, because the weld between the lower flange in the upper flange is larger on one side. On one side the weld extends beyond the flanges, on the other side it is buried within the flange. I think the factory welded one side together, installed the bushing, and then installed the link with bushing on the sway bar, then welded the opposite side together with a smaller weld.
Bushing installed on Link: install square sway bar bushing. I put the links in the vise to hold them steady while I pushed in the bushing. I put a cloth over the jaws of the vise so that I did not mess up the paint. I put the split in the bushing close to the place that I had sawed apart the flanges to give as much flexibility as possible when I slide the bushings and links on to the sway bar.
Grease: I used SIL – Glyde silicone grease to install the bushings and links as assemblies. I had a member suggest that I use soap and water, however I needed something that lasted longer. Also, Silicone grease, unlike petroleum grease, does not damage rubber over time. I greased the sway bar from the end of the sway bar all the way to the mounting point for the link and I greased the inner opening of the bushing.
Link and bushing install on sway bar: I put the sway bar end into my vise with a cloth to protect the paint. It takes muscle and leverage to push the link and bushing assembly over the flat end of the sway bar. Once you clear the flat end of the sway bar, the bushing and link slides easily down the sway bar.
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