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Don’t wait too long to do the other side, there’s no sense in letting your body recover from this job without a hoist just to do it all over again....
Mathilda's Long Awaited Front End Surgery
- Thread starter Gerald Morris
- Start date
Gerald Morris
Senior Member
Quite right, but my finances need to recover. Stuff like rent, internet, electricity, insurance and such. All the same, I DON'T plan to let bad rubber on one side destroy what I just did. I plan to do the rest within the month.
Gerald Morris
Senior Member
UPDATE! As per my original plan, I commenced the passenger side upgrade this Sunday. Despite KNOWING how to use my tools, both purpose built and home improvised, it became terribly clear early on that the passenger side had been done separately, and not even so recently as the decades old driver side; to wit; it's worse and requires greater effort.
Despite that, I DO know a few things I didn't before doing the driver side a couple weeks ago, and got to that point when one MUST drive the torsion bar back to drop the lower control arm. UNLIKE the other side, it stuck HARD and fast in the retainer on the crossmember. Having improved my oak torsion bar tool availed naught, until I decided to use a generous amount of heat on the very back of the retainer, where the ring holds it in place as well as decades old grease. My first two attempts at heating didn't work, due to my caution. I didn't want to start a grease fire with the gas line mere inches away. But I HAD to get that thing OUT, so I heated the back to just barely glowing visibly, noting the smoke starting to curl off the top of the cross member. I then prayed as I picked up my 5 lb sledge, "Sweet Jesus, help me." and struck. Saw a little motion, but it might have been the tool slipping a mm or so. I struck again, THIS TIME IT MOVED A GOOD INCH! I figured I'd go all out, two handed Mjolnir, and WHACK! ... CLANG! The LCA fell to the ground. Torsion bar was freed. Deo Gratias! Iesus gratias!
Good thing to remember when dealing with this sort of problem.
Despite that, I DO know a few things I didn't before doing the driver side a couple weeks ago, and got to that point when one MUST drive the torsion bar back to drop the lower control arm. UNLIKE the other side, it stuck HARD and fast in the retainer on the crossmember. Having improved my oak torsion bar tool availed naught, until I decided to use a generous amount of heat on the very back of the retainer, where the ring holds it in place as well as decades old grease. My first two attempts at heating didn't work, due to my caution. I didn't want to start a grease fire with the gas line mere inches away. But I HAD to get that thing OUT, so I heated the back to just barely glowing visibly, noting the smoke starting to curl off the top of the cross member. I then prayed as I picked up my 5 lb sledge, "Sweet Jesus, help me." and struck. Saw a little motion, but it might have been the tool slipping a mm or so. I struck again, THIS TIME IT MOVED A GOOD INCH! I figured I'd go all out, two handed Mjolnir, and WHACK! ... CLANG! The LCA fell to the ground. Torsion bar was freed. Deo Gratias! Iesus gratias!
Good thing to remember when dealing with this sort of problem.
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Gerald Morris
Senior Member
FINAL UPDATE! Finished the job this afternoon. Took Tilly out and she drove straight and true right off. 
I'll use my AARP discount at an alignment shop sometime if I feel the need. I maxed the caster using stock upper control arm bushings, minimal toe in when I centered the tie rods and ECCE! I can let her toddle down these bumpy barrio streets and she finds her way with scarcely a nudge from me. Not too bad....
I'll use my AARP discount at an alignment shop sometime if I feel the need. I maxed the caster using stock upper control arm bushings, minimal toe in when I centered the tie rods and ECCE! I can let her toddle down these bumpy barrio streets and she finds her way with scarcely a nudge from me. Not too bad....
Good to hear Gerald!FINAL UPDATE! Finished the job this afternoon. Took Tilly out and she drove straight and true right off.
All I would do if she drives nice... is occasionally run my hand across the front tires and check tread depth inside vs outside... you'll see any alignment problems in the tire wear pretty fast if you keep track.FINAL UPDATE! Finished the job this afternoon. Took Tilly out and she drove straight and true right off.
Beat you're glad that's over... I'm finding myself to be less and less excited about working on the ground.
Gerald Morris
Senior Member
Oh I get excited about working on the dirt, with dread, anguish, tears and such. As a Certain Grumpy Old Man noted, plenty DOPE is useful when doing this work. I thank God I'm a legal junky, and get enough narcotic per diem to kill 2-3 strong men, as this makes these jobs endurable. My front tires already are badly buggered, having drove on the the old wrecked suspension for over a year but yes, I WILL ATTEND to their wear closely. With all the positive caster possible with straight UCA bushings, a very slight bias toward wear outside should be observed. I may bump pressure up from 32 to 36 psi for some of that too. THAT ought to put the wear on the middle.
