Front Suspension Assembly questions
 

Hey everyone,

I am in the middle of a suspension refresh on my car and am about ready to begin reassembling tonight. I have a couple of questions for the collective wisdom :)

First, grease vs. anti-sieze. I know grease the Tbars and all bearings (Elephant's goodies going in). I am planning on anti-sieze for the strut pin and ball joint nut. What about the ball joint pin that goes into the bottom of the strut? What about the adjuster bolt for the Tbars? Anything else I am overlooking?

Next, sequence. I am thinking I will install the new ball joints onto the A arm first then onto the car. This way I can torque them properly easier. I am hoping that I can then fit the ball joint into the strut, slip in the strut pin and finger tight the nut on the pin. Then, I would install the Tbars. Is this a good plan? Any alternative ideas that have proven easier? I have read about some other members having problems getting the ball joint into the strut........

Thanks in advance SmileWavy


-Chris

eager for insight ;)

-Chris

The ball joint isn't (typically) all that difficult to get on the strut. The hardest part is getting it good and lined up so that when you install the pin it seats properly. The best plan is to clean the bottom of the strut and use a bit of grease. Here's the sequence I use:

Install A-arms with sway bar attached, securing the crossmember bolts in the rear and the three mounting bolts in the front. Next, line up the ball joints with the strut and use a hammer on the bottom of the a-arm to get things seated. Now install the ball joint pin (fingers crossed that you lined thing up right so that you don't have to separate the strut and ball joint to re-align). At this point you can install the t-bars, set the a-arm height, and install the t-bar "cup" and ride-height bolt (centered top-to-bottom).

With me if it has threads it gets anti-sieze. On the strut pin I put anti-seize on the entire pin.

Thanks guys, hopefully mine will be an easy install. It should help that every last piece is clean and ready to go.

Quick stop at Fed Ex to get my ball joint tool for torque specs and then I can get into it again.

Why does work always get in the way of my projects ???


;)


-Chris

Chris, sent reply to your PM. Also, I used anti-seize on ball joint pin, pin going into bottom of strut, ball joint nut and all susp bolts and torqued all bolts to factory specs. I used valvoline synthetic grease on torsion bar adjusters, torsion bars, splines. Jerry

Thanks Jerry, sounds like we did it pretty much the same :)

I just got in from the garage and the front end is done. Damn. A lot more work that I thought it would be, but I am betting it will be worth it in the end. Tomorrow is the rears which I have done before so I am actually looking forward to them. Kind of like a break compared to these ;)


-Chris

Chris, I have yet to do my rear susp. Really not looking forward to it. Still trying to decide what bushings to use, elephant or neatrix. Any pointers on this job? Jerry

I agree with the anti-sieze crowd.

I don't know how many times I've thought, "I won't have to do this again" and wham... there I am yet again trying to get the ball join out of the bottom of the strut. Just one look at what the previous owner did to your a-arms oughta be enough to tell you ;)