RE: Front Ends Ollie's Ramblings

[62pluckedchicken@xxxxxxxxx]

Rolik called back yesterday and said he's collected everything I need, 
just needs to get it in the mail.
I've now purchased all the parts.. so whatever the problem, I'm ready :)

I'm going to AF service center tomorrow.. I'll let ya know what they 
say...

But I was wondering how to diagnose what parts are bad, without putting 
the car on a lift?

What symptoms should tell if need new ball joints, inner tie rods, outer 
tie rods, all of the above?


Tom Watters wrote:
> 
> I rebuilt my whole front-end for peace of mind, but I did know a few key 
> 
> parts were bad before I did.
> 
> The outer tie-rod ends on both side were sloppy.  The Pitman Arm ball 
> was quite loose in it's socket and the drivers side upper and lower ball 
> 
> joints had decent play.  Yes the car would hold alignment and only cut 
> tires a little. The car only wandered a little on the highway, but I 
> wanted the peace of mind to KNOW what I was driving on the road.
> 
> There's no way I would have paid someone $2,000 to rebuild it though.  I 
> 
> spent about 8 hours or so, plus < $400 on parts.  I borrowed ball joint 
> sockets and a Pittman arm puller from my friend, and because I wasnt 
> saving anything, just used a pickle fork to remove the components.  The 
> only problem I had was drivers side LCA bolt was stuck and would not 
> come out. A cedar 4x4 and an 8lb sledge drove that out.
> 
> Then took it to an alignment person who I got recommendations from by my 
> 
> local club members.  It needs to be someone who's had good success with 
> these old mopar's.  No matter what the young alignment guys tell you, 
> there is some finess to these cars and not just anybody should be 
> trusted in doing it.  Algined one time the right way, instead of having 
> pull, wandering problems or cutting tires..
> 
> --Tom
> 
> 62pluckedchicken@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
> > I have an appointment with Auto Fitness in Omaha (MO recommended)
> >
> > I'm gonna have them look at and see what they say.. I wasn't gonna tell 
> > about the other guy.. just see what work they think need immediate 
> > attention..  
> >
> > The "2K guy" made me feel like I was driving the "Death-Mobile" and was 
> > taking my life in my own hands every time I drove it... I've been 
> > driving around in-town since (about 8 weeks)... and haven't seen the 
> > tunnel of light yet ;)
> >
> > Ollie wrote:
> >   
> >> Think I would write that guy off. Was trying to get him a good job with 
> >> endless pockets. He ain't the only game in town. New shocks help any 
> >> vehicle. Change those and see what u got.
> >> You high speed is it a shimmy or viberation? Do a careful inspection of 
> >> your 
> >> steering componets. A shimmy may be caused by loose or worn rubber 
> >> bushings. 
> >> The strut rod rubbers are bad about getting old and your rod moves a 
> >> bit.
> >> Only fix whats broke..the other will fly apart soon enough..lol
> >> The interior looks great by the way.
> >> Ollie
> >>
> >> ----- Original Message ----- 
> >> From: <62pluckedchicken@xxxxxxxxx>
> >> To: <1962to1965mopars@xxxxxxxxxx>
> >> Sent: Tuesday, August 04, 2009 5:32 PM
> >> Subject: RE: Front Ends Ollie's Ramblings
> >>
> >>
> >>     
> >>> I was starting to come to the same conclusion.. without really knowing
> >>> the technical reasons...
> >>>
> >>> The guy who quoted me $2K to do the front end, also told me my radiator
> >>> was shot, leaking, and I would start to have over-heating problems.. I
> >>> check my radiator once a week and the fluid is still in the same place,
> >>> and I drove it around town for an hour in 96 degree temp.... it did not
> >>> over heat...
> >>>
> >>> he said my floor pans would need to be replaced, but the under coating
> >>> is still in tact, and I've been walking around on them while
> >>> re-upholstering and haven't felt any weakness.. (how does he know they
> >>> need replacing?)
> >>>
> >>> the $2K for the front end was just the beginning of what he wanted to
> >>> do.. the laundry list of things he said was bad on my car would cost
> >>> about $8K to $9K to do (at his rates)...
> >>>
> >>> by the time he was done with his inspection, I was almost afraid to
> >>> drive the car home, and still haven't taken it on the Interstate since
> >>> then.
> >>>
> >>> I thought maybe he knows what he's doing because he has a real sweet
> >>> hemi-charger he restored, testimonials on his site, and he's been a
> >>> sponsor of the HiPo Mopar event here in town for several years.
> >>>
> >>> My suspension IS sloppy at high speeds, but I now believe maybe just
> >>> ball joints and new shocks might do the trick (the old shocks look
> >>> pretty damn old)
> >>>
> >>> If it turns out a I need to.. I've now bought all the parts for a
> >>> complete suspension over-haul.. so I'm ready for the worst, but hoping I
> >>> can get on the highway without tearing the front end apart ;)
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> 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]
> >>>>
> >>>>         
> >>> ----
> >>> Please address private mail -- mail of interest to only one person --  
> >>> directly to that person.  I.e., send parts/car transactions and 
> >>> negotiations as well as other personal messages only to the intended 
> >>> recipient, not to the Clubhouse public address. This practice will 
> >>> protect 
> >>> your privacy, reduce the total volume of mail and fine tune the content 
> >>> signal to Mopar topic.  Thanks!
> >>>
> >>> '62 to '65 Mopar Clubhouse Discussion Guidelines:
> >>> http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.org/mletiq.html.
> >>>
> >>>       
> >
> >
> > ----
> > Please address private mail -- mail of interest to only one person -- 
> > directly to that person.  I.e., send parts/car transactions and 
> > negotiations as well as other personal messages only to the intended 
> > recipient, not to the Clubhouse public address. This practice will 
> > protect your privacy, reduce the total volume of mail and fine tune the 
> > content signal to Mopar topic.  Thanks!
> >
> > '62 to '65 Mopar Clubhouse Discussion Guidelines:
> > http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.org/mletiq.html. 
> >
> >   
> 


----
Please address private mail -- mail of interest to only one person -- directly to that person.  I.e., send parts/car transactions and negotiations as well as other personal messages only to the intended recipient, not to the Clubhouse public address. This practice will protect your privacy, reduce the total volume of mail and fine tune the content signal to Mopar topic.  Thanks!

'62 to '65 Mopar Clubhouse Discussion Guidelines:
http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.org/mletiq.html.