HELP! I am replacing my Front Suspension today
- Thread starter DissFigured
- Start date
DarkBuddha
Founding Member
Congrats on the victory. I think everyone hit on all the good suggestions too. I can completely empathize, since I did my first suspension rebuild when I was 17 in my driveway, with absolutely no help, no internet (it was 1990 afterall), no instructions, and just dad's basic tools (he was in Kuwait at the time). I remember that exact same damn spring compressor and what a pain in the ass it was. It was tough and time consuming, but it was totally rewarding in the end and I drove it on that suspension rebuild for the next 5 and half years.
Anyway, if my dumb ass 17 year old self pulled it off, then you sure as hell can too! Keep it going...
Anyway, if my dumb ass 17 year old self pulled it off, then you sure as hell can too! Keep it going...
DarkBudda, that is cool. I did my first one in Navy Housing parking lot about 1999 Mare Island Ca. It was tough back in the Dark Ages (before Internet). I was about 19. Thanks for drawing that memory out. My first mustang. HiPo 289 w/ Toploader. 66 coupe. Enkie wheels. Shelby glass. Porsche Guards Red with white =stripes. Insane car. Fun times.
As I understand it, I don;t need to do the pickle fork thing.
The kit I bought came with the ball joints installed on both control arms.
My assumption is that all I need to do is un bolt the spindle swap out the control arms, and bolt the spindle on to the new control arms.
The kit I bought came with the ball joints installed on both control arms.
My assumption is that all I need to do is un bolt the spindle swap out the control arms, and bolt the spindle on to the new control arms.
jcode68
Active Member
Look at you with $350 still in your wallet!
Congrats on sticking with this! You can use the pickle fork to separate the ball joint and tie rods from the spindle. If you were keeping the existing ball joints, most would tell you don't use a pickle fork as they are prone to damage. Also, don't put a nut on the threads of the tie rods and hammer on it as this will destroy your threads. If you give them a squirt of good penetrating oil and take a steel hammer (not rubber mallet) and give the spindle a few raps on the side where the tie rod or ball join pass thru, it usually will separate without destroying anything. Good luck and keep us posted.
Congrats on sticking with this! You can use the pickle fork to separate the ball joint and tie rods from the spindle. If you were keeping the existing ball joints, most would tell you don't use a pickle fork as they are prone to damage. Also, don't put a nut on the threads of the tie rods and hammer on it as this will destroy your threads. If you give them a squirt of good penetrating oil and take a steel hammer (not rubber mallet) and give the spindle a few raps on the side where the tie rod or ball join pass thru, it usually will separate without destroying anything. Good luck and keep us posted.
krash kendall
Active Member
Okay, first thing is you should turn those jack stands 90 degrees so the cast part cradles the frame rail. You are just perched on one lip of the casting. Also, you only need one stand per side, they are plenty strong. Now for the steering knuckles. Take a 3-5 lb. steel mallet and repeatedly hit all around the ball stud socket portion of the casting with the nuts loose. Keeping the nuts on loose will give you a larger target for then tapping on the studs to knock them free without the risk of bending them over and making them impossible to get out. It has taken me up to 1/2 an hour in the past to just free one ball joint, although I had to reuse it so I was being carefull not to damage it.
EDIT: I agree with jcode about the tie rod ends, don't hammer on them. As for the pickle fork on the ball joints, all I ever acomplished with that is to bend the pressed steel control arm, but it could work. On the tie rods I use a 4" three jaw gear puller - no damage.
EDIT: I agree with jcode about the tie rod ends, don't hammer on them. As for the pickle fork on the ball joints, all I ever acomplished with that is to bend the pressed steel control arm, but it could work. On the tie rods I use a 4" three jaw gear puller - no damage.
You will need the pickle fork to separate the OLD steering and suspension components to get them off the car..........
I found a post on one of these forums about making a spring compressor out of an old lower shock mount and half inch threaded rod. I made one and it worked like a dream. the way it works in you cut off the lower bracket from your old shock and drill a half inch hole in it. then weld the threaded rod to it. Slip it down through the shock tower and bolt it to your spring perch. You will need something to span the opening in the shock tower at the top( I used a piece of my old lower control arm with the rod going through the sway bar link hole). Undo your perch bolts and tighten a nut onto the rod. Your spring will compress until it releases from the upper arm. Then take a pry bar and pry i over and start loosening the nut on the rod ( make sure the rod is plenty long enough, I made mine at 21 inches) and releaseing pressure on the spring. Took me 45 min. with another type of compressor, this one was out in 5 min. Hope this helps
Alright, tell me more about the pickle fork. How much is it, and is it simple to use. Does it go by another name? I can;t find anything called a pickle fork at autozone.com.
krash kendall
Active Member
The reason you had so much trouble....
was that you did not hook the compressor as high on the spring as you could. The top hooks should be touching the topmost coil on the spring.
It also goes a lot faster if you put the compressor into place with the spring fully extended and then slowly jack up the spindle with a floor jack until it is just about to lift off the jack stands. That way the spring is already partly compressed. Then hook the compressor and start compressing the spring the rest of the way.
was that you did not hook the compressor as high on the spring as you could. The top hooks should be touching the topmost coil on the spring.
It also goes a lot faster if you put the compressor into place with the spring fully extended and then slowly jack up the spindle with a floor jack until it is just about to lift off the jack stands. That way the spring is already partly compressed. Then hook the compressor and start compressing the spring the rest of the way.
mitchcj1 said:Good job, I am a few weeks ahead of you so I already have the answer to your next question. Pickle fork and rubber mallet. Good luck!
Yeah, your next question is about how bad that pickle fork will tear up anything it touches. Throw that thing away, get a big hammer, then read this:
http://www.mustangsplus.com/tech/shockandfall/shockfall1.htm
I will never do this work myself again
I am trying to get a lower control arm out but the bolt holding it in is hitting a part of the car and so I can't get the bolt completely out. I am trying to remove the bracethat it is hitting, but it has a bolt in it that will not come out. All I am doing is damaging the bolt trying to unscrew it.
What do I do. I have a wratchet that is 3 feet long for leverage, and I nearly broke my arm when it gave way as it rounded off the edges of the bolt.
I don't know what to do.
I am trying to get a lower control arm out but the bolt holding it in is hitting a part of the car and so I can't get the bolt completely out. I am trying to remove the bracethat it is hitting, but it has a bolt in it that will not come out. All I am doing is damaging the bolt trying to unscrew it.
What do I do. I have a wratchet that is 3 feet long for leverage, and I nearly broke my arm when it gave way as it rounded off the edges of the bolt.
I don't know what to do.
RGS0907
New Member
Big_B said:
Agreed. never use a pickle fork..
Big question. Do you have a Ford Shop manual for your car? I couldn't have done any of this without the shop manual. If not, at least try to get a Chiltons or a Clymer manual at pep boys tomorrow. Trouble is, these books aren't typically for sale on the store shelves any more. If you are really getting stuck, throw a tarp over the car & get the books before you continue.
I had the same problem.....fortunately for me I was replacing everything, including the section of frame just before that bolt so I just cut everything out.DissFigured said:I am trying to get a lower control arm out but the bolt holding it in is hitting a part of the car and so I can't get the bolt completely out. I am trying to remove the bracethat it is hitting, but it has a bolt in it that will not come out. All I am doing is damaging the bolt trying to unscrew it.
What do I do. I have a wratchet that is 3 feet long for leverage, and I nearly broke my arm when it gave way as it rounded off the edges of the bolt.
I don't know what to do.
Have you tried a judicious application of WD-40 or some other penetrating oil, let it soak at least over night. If that doesn't work, try a plumbers torch AROUND the bolt head...NOT on the bolt, you may heat up the nut inside enough to break it's grip. Any air tools available? Try an impact wrench................
BE PATIENT and Good Luck!
dodgestang
Active Member
For the record looking at your pictures you are performing thing in the wrong order.
1. Remover the spring/fender cover thingy to actually allow full access to the springs.
2. Disconnect sway bar
3. Remove shock
4. Disconnect lower ball joint from spindle
5. Disconnect spindle from upper ball joint
6. Now that upper a arm is puched all the way down by spring, install compressor and remove spring
7. Un bolt upper a arm
8 unbolt lower control arm.
The order is important....you're going to find out why when you go to put it all back together. As for the stuck bolt hitting the cross memeber, I replied in the other thread....but just cut the old bolt with a sawzaw and get a replacement. WHen you install, put it from the other side and put the nut on that side.
1. Remover the spring/fender cover thingy to actually allow full access to the springs.
2. Disconnect sway bar
3. Remove shock
4. Disconnect lower ball joint from spindle
5. Disconnect spindle from upper ball joint
6. Now that upper a arm is puched all the way down by spring, install compressor and remove spring
7. Un bolt upper a arm
8 unbolt lower control arm.
The order is important....you're going to find out why when you go to put it all back together. As for the stuck bolt hitting the cross memeber, I replied in the other thread....but just cut the old bolt with a sawzaw and get a replacement. WHen you install, put it from the other side and put the nut on that side.
yup, I had no idea what order to do things in. However, Everything is off the car now except this LCA.
On another note, the pickle fork worked perfectly. The only thing it destroyed was itself. The end of that handle is mashed from me hitting it 6000 times.
I think I will try and cut the LCA bolt.
On another note, the pickle fork worked perfectly. The only thing it destroyed was itself. The end of that handle is mashed from me hitting it 6000 times.
I think I will try and cut the LCA bolt.
