Front Suspension Rebuild Time!

[DbnGrnGiant]

I have launched into a a big teardown of the front end of my '67 Imperial to clean up the engine & detail the engine compartment as well as rebuild the front suspension to fix a bad lower ball joint and install all new bushings.

Engine is not the original engine, it is leaky and three shades of blue so i want to check it over clean it up, reseal it and paint it. The Frame and K-frame are greasy or have surface rust so i can clean those up while everything is out. I've got the front clip off and the engine out and should have the rest of the front suspension parts off shortly.

As the '67 lower control arm and ball joint were originally serviced as an assembly, has anyone pressed the ball joint out of the lower control arm? Anything I should watch out for? I have two Moog K7025 which I think is the correct replacement lower ball joint.

I was going to sand blast and powder coat the suspension components using chassis black for everything, but I guess if anyone knows what colors these parts were on Imperials I'd take some time to use correct colors. I've seen a listing for a B or E body for which parts were natural, which were black,etc.

Thanks!

 

[The_Eagles’_Nest]

Lower control arms are bare metal dipped in cosmoline.

Stub frame, steering gear, upper control arms, bumper brackets, trans crossmember, torsion bars are semi gloss black.

The knuckles and calipers/drums are bare metal

Splash shields are zinc or cadmium plated

Castle nuts and most suspension hardware is zinc phosphate.

A lot of the new parts are going to cut the amount of work. I look forward to seeing what you do.

 

[Boydsdodge]

I would add timing chain and gears to the upgrade. Check all the engine numbers stamped and cast on the block to see what you have.

 

[Xcudame]

Splurge for a Cloyes double roller. I know, not a race car, but all the HP motors and police cars got double rollers because they last longer.

1969 DODGE CHARGER 7.2L 440cid V8 Timing Chain & Component Kit | Shop Now at RockAuto

I have not pressed out an Imperial lower ball joint, but I've pressed a lot of bushings and gears and bearings. The key is to have proper support for the lower control arm so the press can't warp or flex it. And yes, that Moog K7025 is correct for a 67 Imperial.

 

[CBODY67]

"Chassis Black" might look better at an indoor car show, BUT it is terribly incorrect as to how the cars came. Anything not related to the outer sheet metal paint, was painted hastily as the items came down the line, which can mean some light spots and bare spots in the coverage. How well it was painted can vary by the shift and whom was holding the spray gun. Other items were dipped rather than sprayed. "Dipped" meaning a vat of water with a layer of paint floating on it. That's why some items show runs in them.

In restoring "bare cast iron" items, there is a paint termed "Cast Blast", which is supposed to represent the cart iron after it has just been "media blasted" to clean it up. Others might choose to use a satin clear-coat paint. If exactness matters, just have to play around with what's available to best-match what the car came with (evidenced by how it looks now).

Although a normal timing chain set might be just fine (metal cam sprocket rather than OEM plastic), I DO CONCUR with the Cloyes double-roller chain set-up! EASILY worth 400K Miles of durability and "peace of mind", from my experiences. Then add either double-platinum spark plugs or the fine-wire Iridiums into the mix (worth over 100K Miles) and TWO "maintenance items" will be "One and Done" for you and the next, if any, owner(s).

While the car is "down", DO change the rear axle grease, too!

As to "chassis grease", there is a Valvoline chassis/wheel bearing grease that is Ford disc brake spec (which means it has Moly in it) that is synthetic. Usually available at AutoZone or similar. Probably one of the best chassis lubes around, due to "synthetic" and the "Moly" in it. Comes in a grease gun tube.

Congrats on the project!
CBODY67

 

[DbnGrnGiant]

Thanks for all the input! I've got some pictures & info from looking on the A, B & E Body sites as well. This car will never be a concourse restoration but if I'm cleaning and painting i want to be as correct as possible.

The 440 is running fine, but it will be opened up for inspection & replace most of the gaskets so timing chain will be replaced. As I recall, this is a mid 70's 440 and transmission, it has the correct carb, but not the correct Auto Temp A/C compressor.

The Auto temp system is not functioning and I'd like to completly swap out to manual A/C. This is probably the time to do that job as well, but we'll see how this goes! I'll get the suspension done and then decide on the A/C system before re installing the engine.

 

[DbnGrnGiant]

Attempted making a urethane LCA bushing. I only have one of the Moog K7043 bushings, so I thought I'd try to make a urethane set until I can find another. I went to YouTube university where I see that the 4x4 and SCCA folks make these all the time.
Modeled a 2 part mold using FreeCAD and 3D printed it using my public Library! Used PMC-770 urethane with a shore hardness when cured of 70A.
Initial part fits ok, but has some porosity. We did use a vacuum of 30 psi to remove most of the bubbles after mixing and its initial cure was done at 35 psi in a pressure chamber. ( I have a friend who uses similar material to make model car parts so he has the equipment)
Cost for the molds was $39, and I think $75 for the urethane and release agent. (Way more than I'll ever use) I'm going to revise the mold for better pouring and try again.

The rest of the front end rebuild is progressing. I had the front stub frame and engine cradle sand blasted and powder coated and have them back on the body. The rest of the suspension parts are ready to have bushings & ball joints installed and assembled. I'll take some photos next time I'm at the garage.

 

[DbnGrnGiant]

New Upper ball joints installed into the powder coated arms. On the RH side, Moog K778 joint came to 150 ft-lbf torque, but LH side couldn't get to 100 ft-lbg. I had a NOS, but shelf worn K714 joint and that met the torque spec. Just doesn't look as pretty.
Joint in the Lower control arms pressed in w/o any issues. Still working on a second attempt at the Urethane bushing before I can install those.

 

[carguy300]

Looks good, wish I had the skills and tools to rebuid my 300 front end!

 

[MoPar~Man]

Attempted making a urethane LCA bushing. I only have one of the Moog K7043 bushings, so I thought I'd try to make a urethane set until I can find another. I went to YouTube university where I see that the 4x4 and SCCA folks make these all the time.
Modeled a 2 part mold using FreeCAD and 3D printed it using my public Library! Used PMC-770 urethane with a shore hardness when cured of 70A.
Initial part fits ok, but has some porosity. We did use a vacuum of 30 psi to remove most of the bubbles after mixing and its initial cure was done at 35 psi in a pressure chamber. ( I have a friend who uses similar material to make model car parts so he has the equipment)
Cost for the molds was $39, and I think $75 for the urethane and release agent. (Way more than I'll ever use) I'm going to revise the mold for better pouring and try again.

The rest of the front end rebuild is progressing. I had the front stub frame and engine cradle sand blasted and powder coated and have them back on the body. The rest of the suspension parts are ready to have bushings & ball joints installed and assembled. I'll take some photos next time I'm at the garage.


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What is the orange stuff covering the LCA?

 

[DbnGrnGiant]

What is the orange stuff covering the LCA?

My attempt to replicate the cosmoline coating. I used amber shellac per some of the comments in the B-body forums.

 

[Boydsdodge]

Your front end is looking great, good work. The lowers came out nice. For my attempt at the cosmoline look, I first did cast iron grey paint, then a light gold with a top coat of cedar exterior wood stain. I thought it came out pretty good.

 

[DbnGrnGiant]

Looks good, wish I had the skills and tools to rebuid my 300 front end!

My RH wheel had play at the ball joint, so I had to dive in. After taking everything apart, I'm sure the wasted lower control arm bushings contributed to it. I had all the parts, the subframe & engine cradle sandblasted and powder coated for around $650. I have bought some tools at harbor freight to R&R the bushings and I already had a small hydraulic press and the large ball joint socket from past projects.

 

[DbnGrnGiant]

Your front end is looking great, good work. The lowers came out nice. For my attempt at the cosmoline look, I first did cast iron grey paint, then a light gold with a top coat of cedar exterior wood stain. I thought it came out pretty good.

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I now find myself looking under cars at shows to see what the LCAs look like. lol...I realize after all this faffing about on getting the cosmoline look correct, no one will likely see it!

 

[DbnGrnGiant]

For Rev2 of the LCA mold, I tweaked the mold diameter's for a better fit to the Control Arm and Shaft and added a funnel feature to make pouring easier. This time I used Urethane with a 90A shore hardness. After mixing and pouring the urethane into the mold, we degassed using 30 psi vacuum, and then let it set up under 35 psi pressure. Result has very little porosity and is very stiff. Fit in the control arm and shaft is tight (used a rubber mallet to install bushing & shaft) No movement of the shaft vs. the arm. I'm going to pour the second bushing and get the car back on its wheels. The engine and front sheet metal are still off the car so it will be a while before I can drive it to test the function, but I think this should work.

 

[Boydsdodge]

Did you leave the metal bushing sleeve in the control arm and on the pin? push bushing into lower control arm, then the pin pushed into the bushing? Looks great. If this works out I am sure some will buy from you.