Front Ends Ollie's Ramblings

[Ollie <satellite1965@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I am somewhat perplexed about the front end issues that come up here. I cannot believe that a front end is totally wore out and will cost a few thousand dollars to overhaul.

Most our cars do not have the mileage on them to be a total disaster. 

>From my 2 cent view, the only items that would normally need to be replaced would be first, the lower ball joints and second LCA bushings. The way that our cars are set up with no coil springs there is not usually that much wear and tear on the upper ball joints. The third item that may be of issue would be the A-frame bushings. Here more than likely you have just wore out rubber. A squeak that drives u crazy. As far as outer  tie rod ends, they just don't go bad unless they have been run on real bad lower ball joints or severely out of line, ie toe/in out. Inner tie rods last forever, same as pitman arms and idler arm.  

All parts can be inspected. Don't let rotted cracked rubber tell you a part is bad. Take your pry bar and pipe wrench and try to more tie rod ends, pitman arms, idler arms. A good wack with a stress relieving hammer on the drag link will cause something bad to move. If there is no play.its good. Grease it and go.

Lower ball joints and LCA bushings can be changed at home. Of course you will have to take the lower control arms to a machine shop to be pressed.

One more bit of rambling. Change your torsion bars first before you do anything. I put this off until one of my last projects. WRONG..should have been my first act of terrorism. It will improve your Mopar so much your will think you just bought it new.

Ollie
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