Ol John Lee's gettin a new front end.

[Sharps40]

6 hours and about half way done. Much of that time was spent damaging pickel forks trying to loosen up the idler arm and pitman arm from the drag link. No success. These will wait for the steering box install and go to the shop where they have a hot wrench to bust them loose. Meantime....

I started on the wet side...passenger side is more wet than drivers so figured if it was rusty and bolts busted, might as well break them first and then get all new during the down time. But no worries...48 years of greese and everything came off and went back on lickety split,,,,almost.


Breaking loose the passenger tie rod from the spindle and the drag link. Just three good wacks and the bar is out.



The bar measured 17" long and I counted the removal turns and turned the new inner and outer tie rods back in the same amount....remeasuring indicates its the same length. 17".





Like I said, the idler arm and pitman arm ain't budgin...I'll leave them in a bit longer.



With the lower control arm supported on a jack I have already tapped loose the upper ball joint....nuts still attached to keep the spring from flyin out. Here I gave up tappin the lower with a small hammer and gave it one good wack with the splitting maul (flat end) and the lower ball joint jumped out of the spindle.



I used two jacks to alternatly lower the lower spindle and the old coil just falls out.



Brakes and hoses are end of the month, so tieing off the spindle to save the hose for now.

[Sharps40]

While the upper control arm is still on the frame, I wrench the bushing out of the control arm...easy. 3/4" drive and a long handle, turns right out. Lots of slop in the bushings, I can wobble the control arm on the shaft.



Now I pull the bolts holding the upper control arm shaft to the frame.



These are the front and rear shim stacks and cone washers. Keep the front forward and the rear rearward to preserve the alignment settings.



The lower ball joint is shot, The shaft flops around in the cup, no life left in it at all.



Finishing pulling out the bushings from the upper control arm.



Grinding out the rivits holding the upper ball joint in place. Rivits mean this is the original 1964 upper ball joint. Wow, talk about long service life. It rattles too, shot.



A new moog ball joint ready to go in the upper. Nuts go up, not down. Nuts down will rip the boot. Nuts up are boot friendly.

[Sharps40]

Upper ball joint installed, nuts up and awaiting torque.



Carefully separate bushing seals from the bushings and place them on the shaft against their abutments.



I notch the bushings, started 2 turns onto the shaft each side. Gotta keep them even as they go on. One turn in each front and rear untill they bottom out against the control arm ears.

[Southcity]

Well done and keep up the good work, your post is well thought out - great pics and quick tips.

[Sharps40]

More comein tonight...imgur is cranky.

[Sharps40]

Turning out the steel bushings on the lower control arm. Again, only a slight grunt with the 3/4" drive wrench.



Lower is off and the shaft is out. Another very rotton ball joint too.



The press is free at Orellies, $127 refundable deposite on return. And gettin the lower joint out was easy, twist and pop, its done.





New and the old lower ball joints.



Gotta take the boot off the new one to install the ball joint.

Useing the same bushing c-clamp, I pressed in the new ball joint till it bottomed out. Darn that was the hardest part. Me standin on the 3/4 drive wrench and pushin the control arm around to max the leverage, then it finally slid home with a few more turns.

[Sharps40]

Boot and retainer springs reinstalled.



New and old lower control arm shafts. Pin hole goes to the front and sets on the pin in the front shackel.



A jack helps to hold it up while I get the shackels on and the nuts torqued.



A new moog spring and the old chevy spring



While there is no tension on the spring get the top of the spring correctly set in the upper pocket on its tennon and get the bottom tail of the spring against its stop in the lower control arm, use your third arm to position the jack and put the slightest tension on it to hold it in place.

Now the truck ain't heavy enough to compress the spring as much so losen the upper ball joint nut, lower the spindle, raise the lower control arm, line it up, wiggle the ball joint studs into the spindle, catch some threads on both ball joints and then pull the nuts on the ball joints up tight with the torque wrench and install cotter keys.



The new dirty shock goes back on. I'll clean it tomorrow, its gettin dark.



The passener side tie rods go on. Short tie rod shaft goes to the spindle, long tie rod shaft goes to the back side of the drag link. Torque and install cotter keys.



Thats it for tonight. Its dark. Tomorrow the clean up, drum on, break adjusted and then rip out the drivers side for replacement. And locate a shop to rip off the idler arm and pitman arm next week......Hunting thursday in my truck, I hope!

[61_FL_Apache]

Been there done that!! You still gonna replace that idler arm? I still need to replace mine but was worried about what you ran into.. I think I will take mine to the alignment shop and let them fight with it!!

Nice job!!

[Sharps40]

Yep, idler arm and pitman arm will get replaced in a month or so with the steering box and rag joint and an alignment. Gotta save some pennies, fix an oil leak and split the breaks first. Tomorrow is the drivers side job. After that, I'll try to post up all the part numbers and where I got them from. All of the aftermarket parts fit fine as frog hairs and it might save someone some grief to have the part numbers and where to get them from.

[KVB]

Very helpful posting, thanks. I am going to be replacing all the same parts in my 65 come the spring. This will be a reference.

[Sharps40]

Get the best tools you can, heavy duty. Pay the deposite at orellies and they refund it in full when you bring back the tools serviceable and clean. I highly recommend 3/4" driver and lots of PB blaster and plenty of brushes and putty knives! Get some help. I was alone today and lemmie tell ya, I was lucky. Nothing stuck or broken on the passenger side. (Idler and pitman arm not withstanding.) Don't ever torch ball joints, they explode. Get a sledge hammer just in case. A spring compresser would be a potential arm and life saver to trap all the power in that suspension as you assemble and disassemble. I had to think three times to be sure I was no where under that control arm during spring removal and install.

More tomorrow night as I do the drivers side and clean up. Then I'll add all the part numbers. Everything came from Advance Auto or LMT. I bought the cheeper from each location and most of it came from advance cause they have free shipping and 20% (up to 50 bucks) off internet orders with code P20 so I broke up the shipments. Even got a coupon for $50 off my next internet order. Used that right away!! Many of the parts were moog or drive works with moog part numbers on them.

[jonathan-m]

Excellent post, stuff like this is what makes this forum great. Thanks!

[63sbssbbw]

Nice work sharp
gonna ride /drive like new
T

[Sharps40]

More comeing tonight. Still gotta do the drivers side today and grease it all up for a test ride and report. However, I woke up to the realization that at 49, my muscles and bones are still not as tough as Ol John Lees parts. I have aches on my sprains and cuts on my bruises. So its a bit slow on the take off this morning as I drink some extra strong coffee, a bit of honey with cinimum for the arthritus pains, an asprin for the sprains and I say another prayer or two to the rusty bolt gods for additional blessings of unfrozen bolts and no broken fastners. See ya this evening, perhaps After I have a soak in the whirlpool tub.

[63sbssbbw]

I'm in the same boat sharp(51)
Still ,,a bad day working on my truck is still better than a good day at work
T

[KVB]

I really appreciate this information.
My front end is completely pulled apart already, I have had the frame, plus all the front end parts sandblasted and painted. I have removed the original ball joints and tie rods.
My concern is the purchasing of the parts and the reassembly, like the correct placement of the bushings on the A-arm shafts, and the shims used to between the A-arm shafts and the frame. I imagine the shims can be added when an alignment will be done on the truck just before it’s road inspection
Can I replace just the bushings on the A-arm shafts, or I am better off to replace the shafts themselves?

[Sharps40]

Drivers side is done. Returning the tools now for the refund and gettin some cigars. After that, greese it up, final assembly and a ride tonight. More pics comeing this evening. Had to work some of the control arm bushings off the frame since the exhaust crossover and collecter get in the way. But its on, all torqued and the steering wheel feels much tighter. We'll see how it rides tonight.

More to follow.

[Sharps40]

Originally Posted by KVB

I really appreciate this information.
My front end is completely pulled apart already, I have had the frame, plus all the front end parts sandblasted and painted. I have removed the original ball joints and tie rods.
My concern is the purchasing of the parts and the reassembly, like the correct placement of the bushings on the A-arm shafts, and the shims used to between the A-arm shafts and the frame. I imagine the shims can be added when an alignment will be done on the truck just before it’s road inspection
Can I replace just the bushings on the A-arm shafts, or I am better off to replace the shafts themselves?

Its over 40 years old. No since doin half a job with bushings only. Replace the shafts too. As for correct placement of the bushings, thats why I notched a flat and turned them in one turn at a time. Drivers side appears to be dead on and as I measure the passenger, it looks to be w/in 1/16" or so on the upper and dead on for the lower. Good enough for me.

[Sharps40]

Another six hours today and a clean up and a test ride. All went very well.

Here on the drivers side, and update on removal of the spindle and ball joints as yesterdays pics were not too good. I loosen the nuts on the upper and lower ball joints but did not remove...letting the coil spring help me break the spindle loose.



A few quick and hard blows (no girlie wacks neither, real he-man hits) and the spring forces the spindle off the ball joint with a pop.



Now the gap is between the spindle and control arm.



The jack is in there for safety. Time to smack the lower joint at the spindle and break its grip, nut keeps things from flyin around the garage.



More than three or four hard blows and the spring forces the lower control arm down, the upper up and pulls the lower stud from the spindle, see the joint between the lower nut is gone now.



Now only the jack holds the spring from smashing the floor and anything under it like tools and legs.



Spindle is hung up out of the way and useing two jacks again, lower the control arm to disarm that coil spring.

[Sharps40]

Here the old spring out and side by side. The drivers side spring is a bit shorter than the passenger. 49 years of wear and tear. To the dump with these.



Setting up a few shots to show the ball joint being pressed out. Much easier when the lower is still bolted to the frame, gives me something to push against!



Pressing it out is easy.



And here the old lower joint is out and laying in the bottom cup.



Here it is, another floppy worn out part for the trash.



I could not pull the rear lower control arm bushing with the control arm installed, the exhaust crossover and connector is in the way. So, harder but I have to pull this one bushing on the floor, standing on the control arm for leverage.



And here on the upper control arm, the 3/4" drive wrench fit behind the steering shaft and I was able to remove that bushing on the car. For the rear upper bushing I had to use an adjustable wrench for removal to clear the shock mount.

[Indian113]

Man,You do a great job explaining the steps needed! This is better than my manual-only way it would be better is if it was a video

[Sharps40]

Since there is not a lot of room to install the rear lower control arm bushing on the truck, I'll do it on the floor. Same system, center the shaft, mark the top flat of each bushing and one turn each at at time till both are down flush. Vice grip is to keep the shaft from spinnin.



This is the pin on the underside of the front lower control arm shackel. It mates to the hole in the front of the lower control arm shaft to keep the shaft from turning in the clamps.



Once the lower control arm is rehung on its new shaft, there is just enough room to torque all of the shackel bolts. Find a way to torque them, tight enough ain't right for rollin stock.



A couple shots to show the new lower ball joint being pressed in. Boot is removed for the install, and all the sliding surfaces get a coat of grease.



The view from below, the ball joint is just a kiss shy of slamming home to its working position.



And there it is, in and bottomed and a squoch of greese squishin out to show the job is done.



Creative wrenching....to install the upper control arm bushings on the car, bolt up the shaft and control arm assembly. The 3/4 drive socket clears the steering shaft, barely, and the front bushing install went fine....the rear bushing needs a smaller wrench so I turn it in with a cresent. It takes some muscle and I'm tired so, layin on my back, pullin down on the control arm with a Big wrench and pushin up on the crescent wrench with my foot. Success, the joint assembled, one turn each at a time and well centered. Darn, I'm gettin sore all over too.

[Sharps40]

Originally Posted by Indian113

Man,You do a great job explaining the steps needed! This is better than my manual-only way it would be better is if it was a video

It would have to be a silent film cause of all the cursin!

[Reyals Bemus]

You're too funny! Good work man!

[Indian113]

Originally Posted by Sharps40

It would have to be a silent film cause of all the cursin!

That I undestand,still great job on explaining how