RE: Front Ends Ollie's Ramblings

[Rich Kinsley <rlkinsley@xxxxxxxxx>]

Ya know Ollie my car stopped so badly I thought the brakes were shot 
when I first got it. It would swerve to the right and then jerk back to 
the left, etc.. Serpentine! A real white knuckle ride. So in my typical 
fashion I replaced everything from the drums to the hardware on both 
front and back. Took it out for a test and it did exactly the same 
thing. Then I started looking at the suspension. Bushings were sooo shot 
they were clanking over to one side and then rebounding to the other 
side. I even found the steering box screws were so loose I could turn 
them in by hand for about 1/8" before they even touched. I had to hang 
on for dear life before. Now I can stop fast even without holding the 
wheel, not that I do :-)

Rich Kinsley '64 Dodge Polara 4dr 318poly w/goodies


=====================================================================
Ollie wrote:
> 
> 
> 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
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> 



Rich Kinsley '64 Dodge Polara 4dr 318poly w/goodies


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