Rebuilding the entire front end.

Zymurgy

Old Man with a Hat
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Ok this is more unchartered waters for me. Everything needs replaced in the front end of my '66 300. First is there a good Mopar rebuild book on this or a good how to on-line link? I have never worked on a torsion suspension before.

Is there a one stop materials place for everything? I see some of the guys here have used PST. I also have the anti-sway bar bushings too. I am having Steer and Gear rebuild my Pitman arm and I replaced the shocks last year. I basically need everything else.
 
Is there a one stop materials place for everything? I see some of the guys here have used PST. I also have the anti-sway bar bushings too. I am having Steer and Gear rebuild my Pitman arm and I replaced the shocks last year. I basically need everything else.
Mostly Advance Auto to get the Moog U.S.A. stuff.
Several pcs. you'll have to source fromr different vendors. The only thing you will not find are the Torsion Bar boots if your T-bars are over 1.030". Nothing out there will slide over them correctly. Search for the thread (by Bill Grissom I think??) where you use strut boots instead. Wish i had done that.
 
And hopefully this helps:
http://www.forcbodiesonly.com/mopar...10294-74-Fury-steering-and-suspension-rebuild
Specialty tools needed:
Torsion bar tool. Don't let everyone tell you how to make a cheap home built Mickey Mouse one. Not worth it.
index.php


Upper ball joint socket. Don't get the smaller one.
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Ball joint spreader. The most important tool you can have.
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3/4" drive socket set
3' heavy iron pipe.

Parts:
two threaded upper ball joints
two lower press-in ball joints
Two lower C-arm bushings
two pairs of upper C-arm bushings
two C-body (1.00+") torsion bar boots
two strut bushings
one set of stabilizer bushings
two upper C-arm bump stops
two lower C-arm bump stops
Two shock absorbers
one idler arm
one pitman arm
two outer tie rod ends
two inner tie rod ends
two tie rod adjusting sleeves
two stabilizer bar links
two brake rotors with races and inner and outer bearings
two calipers
two sets of brake pads
two front brake hoses

Reuse you stabilizer bar, your struts and your upper and lower C-arms.
Reuse or upgrade your torsion bars. Measure them. If they are under 1.00" diameter, you may want to upgrade to 1.00+"

All suspension and steering parts are available as U.S.A. made. Get the USA ones!

one can of Go-Jo
one bottle of Hydrocodone.
pressure washer, kerosene, tub, and scrub brushes.
one qt. of Rustoleum Semi -gloss black.

Don't try to remove the C-arm bushings. Have a machine shop remove them, press in new ones and press in the ball joints. Best cheap money you will ever spend.

Replace your steering box from one from FirmFeel.
 
I purchase all of my components (Moog) from Mid Canada Suspension. It was a one stop shop and those guys know their stuff. For the Torsion Bar Boots, I used a standard set and cut the first relief with a pair of scissors and they were a real nice, tight fit. I haven't had any issues going on 4 years now.
 
Some more advice. When you remove the center link, leave the tie rods in place and don't remove them. You can match the new ones with the old ones to get an approximate length before you install them on the center link. This will prevent your alignment from being way out of whack so you can drive it to the tire shop to get an alignment. Also, don't forget to reference the torque specs in the back of the manual for everything you are tightening. Last, but certainly not least, remove the upper ball joints (threaded) with the control arms on the car. Most of the time, they are a ***** to get off and you'll need the stability to get enough torque on them to break them loose. Good luck! Post plenty of pics!
 
Also on the note of getting to alignment shop, front of control arm out all the way rear in all the way then bring it out enough to stand wheel almost straight up at ride height, that should keep stabile enough to get to shop.
 
If there's any marks left on the upper control arm from where the bar originally was locked in at, will get you to the shop too. If this pic makes no sense to you now, it will as soon as you see it in person.

amb995.jpg
 
Stan I just read through your thread and my head hurts. If it was later I would start drinking, wait I'm not allowed to do that yet from surgery. I think I'll take put an ice pack on my face and take a nap.:BangHead:
 
Stan that picture has no relevance to a C-body does it? I've been around these mopars for many years and can never recall a GM style set-up on the upper control arms?
 
Stan that picture has no relevance to a C-body does it? I've been around these mopars for many years and can never recall a GM style set-up on the upper control arms?
I lost track on who's car we were talking about. Sorry. There's a couple of other front end jobs going on here at the same time.

That's my 76 NYB. This will help the guy doing the 74 Fury.
Loosening the two bolts and liding the ends of the bar in their slots sets up your caster and camber simultaneously. It's not the ideal setup. You can't set up both caster and camber to ideal specs. As you adjust for one, you lose the other. You just have to settle for the best compromise.
In a perfect world you would use offset upper control arm bushings to set the ideal camber and then use the bolted bar only to then lock in the caster. Or is it the other way around? I don't know and don't care because nobody does it.

65-73 use shims, yes?

Posted via Topify on Android
 
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I'm feeling much more confident now. I now have a list of what to order, and some how to recommendations. I also just texted my local Mopar Mechanic, who is rebuilding my transmission, he said he has all the specialty tools I need and will show me how to use them.

I won't do a happy dance until it is done, but I know I'm headed in the right direction.
 
I lost track on who's car we were talking about. Sorry. There's a couple of other front end jobs going on here at the same time.

That's my 76 NYB. This will help the guy doing the 74 Fury.
Loosening the two bolts and liding the ends of the bar in their slots sets up your caster and camber simultaneously. It's not the ideal setup. You can't set up both caster and camber to ideal specs. As you adjust for one, you lose the other. You just have to settle for the best compromise.
In a perfect world you would use offset upper control arm bushings to set the ideal camber and then use the bolted bar only to then lock in the caster. Or is it the other way around? I don't know and don't care because nobody does it.

65-73 use shims, yes?

Posted via Topify on Android

No the 65-73 uses an eccentric waskers on the bolts and nut on each upper control arm bushing, to adjust the upper control arm alignment.

The formals and 73 up b bodies are like that with the rod all the way through the upper bushings.

Well I learned something new today...Thanks guys!
 
Don't panic, it is easier than it looks. I'm going to try and simplify the steps needed, in order to give some encouragement.
First, spray every moving thing with the best WD-40 or blaster you can find. Then, Remove all tension from the torsion bars. Then look at the camber bolts, and draw a 360 degree picture of where the settings are right now. copy it down on a piece of paper, seeing it as a 24 hour clock. (done this way in the 60's) then Remove the cotter pin and nut from the upper ball joint. Unhook the brake hose and tie rod end. ( I always replace the hose at this time anyway) Then Using a hammer and pickle fork, knock the spindle away from the upper A' frame. done.

Remove the camber bolts, remove the upper A frame, go to a machine shop, and have a beer. They will press in new uppers ,and remove and Install your new ball joint for you. Then, remove the strut rod nuts. and sway bar bracket hardware, and the little keeper at the back of the torsion bar in the cross member, as well as the larger nut on front of the lower A' frame that sticks out toward the front of the K member.( I leave the brakes on to add weight).

Then, gently tap the lower A' frame with a hammer near the K member as you bounce the lower A frame. the weight of the brakes bouncing up and down will jar the torsion bar loose, and the rearward motion pushed the bar out. I would go back and forth a couple times, popping the strut rod from the frame as well. I used to attach a torsion bar tool to the bar, but found that this worked even better. Once the torsion bar is completely out, but the lower A' frame is still in the K member remove the lower ball joint Cotter key and nut, Take a hammer, and knock out the lower ball joint from the Lower A frame. The whole thing will fall on the ground. Or, You can remove your drum and backing plate from the ball joint, before or after you knock out the lower ball joint, your choice. or take it as a unit to the machine shop, and have a beer. if you haven't done this before, you have learned a lot already.

going in reverse is a matter of thinking about it. Lower A' frame goes into the K member first, with nut loose, then attach lower ball joint, cotter key and all. The upper frame goes in second with camber/caster bolts,( don't worry about the setting right now). then attach spindle and backing plate to bottom ball joint and upper ball joint with the four bolts, nuts and cotter key provided. top is now attached to bottom. Take a break.
clean and grease torsion bars, and Insert in the lower A' frame. Make sure the torsion bar adjuster bolt is screwed all the way out and then a couple turns back in, with anchors just touching adjuster at the lowest possible setting. If you have to Install new boots, do them now. then Insert bars into the frame. Your already almost an expert.
when replacing tie rods, a good habit is to Unscrew old tie rods one half turn at a time counting the exact numbers, re-install with the exact same number, and Inners do the same. You will be close enough to get to the alignment shop. Regarding the camber, try to put the camber bolts close to where you saw them and made the drawing from the beginning, then Tighten them up. you will make it to the alignment shop. I found on 99 percent of mopars, when you turn each torsion bar bolt up about 34 -36 full turns, your height is close, and You will get to the alignment shop. I found the easy way to get close is , to be able to get two fingers between the new A' frame bumper and the body, close enough to get going. Then tighten up the big nut on the lower A' frame, not before. This allows the bushing to turn as the tension goes up, rather than putting tension prematurely on the new bushing.( Old trick from a mopar front end guy that passed away 30 years ago) I left out things you can figure out, re-attach sway bar, shocks, brakes etc, I hope this simplifies what your looking at, so it doesn't seem so Intimidating. I've done at least 100 of these over 35 years, and it was a learning experience every time. I'm sure someone else will be able to give even more tips to making the job easier. Chryslers are easier than darts and B bodies, as you have a lot more room to work!

I got my last C body Kit from PST, and the lower ball joints were Included. they are a very good company as well.
 
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