Right tools for the job! Rebuilt my front upper and lower control arms.

[BAD69FURY]

It’s amazing how smooth a job can go when you research how to’s and get the right tools for the job. I cannot take credit for this process, it’s been shown around here before, but was successful in trying this method below. Tools purchased that helped me do the job was :

1.) harbor freight 12 ton press
2.) 1’ 3/8 tap ( for LCA inner bushing sleeve removal)
3.) steel pipe 1 1/4 x8 steel pipe with connector ( to press in pivot shaft)
4.) various grade 8 bolts to press components out with
5.) powerbuilt 648604 upper control arm service kit and buy one separate 1 5/8 socket with 3/4 drive
6.) angle grinder with cutoff wheel and some cold steel chisels ( for pivot pin inner bushing sleeve removal)
7.) custom made upper control arm mount to vise if not installing ball joints on the car.

 

[BAD69FURY]

Here’s what I started with , bought a set of 1970 Chrysler Newport upper and lower control arms from desert valley auto/ Arizona

disassembled everything g and had all parts sand blasted and powered coated.

 

[BAD69FURY]

Once I got the parts back from powder coating , I pressed out the pivot shafts. Forgot to take a picture of this step but you basically take a bolt or steel pin and press out the pivot pin from the back of the lower control arm (torsion bar end). Then take the pivot pin to the vise to remove the inner sleeve from the pin. I used an angle grinder and slowly cut a groove horizontally on the inner sleeve , then chiseled it carefully till it split and it slides

right off.

 

[BAD69FURY]

Now with the inner sleeves off I pressed the pivot pins into the new bushings. I used mcQuay-Norris from rare parts.

 

[BAD69FURY]

Backing up to the beginning I found pics of pressing out the pivot pins.

 

[BAD69FURY]

Next I attempted to remove the lower control arm outer sleeve. I tried the welded washer with no success, ( welds broke) so I went with the 1 3/8 tap route and bravo came out very easily.

 

[BAD69FURY]

Now with the lower bushing sleeves completely out I cleaned up the bore with some scuff pads and my dermal to remove some previous guys butchery, was some deep scrapes inside the bore, so I smoothed them out with my dremel in preparation for the new bushings to be pressed in later.

 

[BAD69FURY]

Here’s a pic of the old outer sleeve pressed out. Shows you how deep I turned that tap.

 

[BAD69FURY]

So now I’m ready to press in my pivot shafts into the lower control arms, was recommended in this order, press pivot shaft into bushing first, then pivot shafts with bushing already in it pressed into lower control arm. A 1 1/4x8 pipe with connector did the trick for me. On this step you need to press the lip of the outer bushing so it all goes in evenly together. I’ll let the pics do the talking.

 

[BAD69FURY]

Lower control arms are done, I’ll paint the shafts later.

 

[Boydsdodge]

Nice work. I do the same. Last go around my 1 3/8" tap split on me. Thanks for reminder to find another. Where did you source your tap?

 

[BAD69FURY]

So now moving onto the upper control arms. I bought this kit and 1 5/8

socket and the job was a piece of cake. Here I’ll show installing my new moog bushings since I had already removed my old bushings.

 

[Boydsdodge]

Nice work. Good tools go along way on a job.
Is that power built the same tool above? Craftsman?

 

[BAD69FURY]

I’m now ready to install the upper ball joints. I bought the special socket and I’ll be threading these on off the car on a vise. So I had something fabricated to mount the control arm to and secure it to the vise. Should make the job easy.

 

[413]

Great work and photos, thanks.

FYI don’t paint the lower shafts, they need to be bare to seat firmly against the crossmember. The factory left them bare.

 

[BAD69FURY]

Nice work. I do the same. Last go around my 1 3/8" tap split on me. Thanks for reminder to find another. Where did you source your tap?

Thanks, I bought my tap from Mcfadden Dale industrial hardware in Santa Ana Ca.

 

[BAD69FURY]

Here’s the tap info:

 

[BAD69FURY]

Nice work. Good tools go along way on a job.
Is that power built the same tool above? Craftsman?

the Powerbuilt is the service kit only. The socket needs to be bought seperately from craftsman 1 5/8 (to cup the bushing lip to press into control arm)

 

[BAD69FURY]

Great work and photos, thanks.

FYI don’t paint the lower shafts, they need to be bare to seat firmly against the crossmember. The factory left them bare.

oops already painted, if I have an issue I'll sandblast it off again.

 

[hemi71x]

Good job.
Nice that you posted.