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