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Posted by: ldino21 Mar 11 2004, 04:08 PM

I am getting ready to replace my stock shocks with Koni Yellow adjustable shocks all around, do most of you find it necessary to also replace the Front Ball joints at the same time?? Is there anything else I should consider repairing or replacing while I am doing this.

Also, I auto-crossed my 73-1.7 this weekend and on the first run my stock stabilizer bar broke off at the U-Tab bracket on the A-Arm. I am going to replace the Stabilizer bar with a 22mm Weltmeister Anti-Sway Bar in its place. Do you guys find it better to just weld the stock U-Tab back on, or should I just grind them off and put the bolt on tabs supplied by Welteister.

Any suggestions please.....

Lou

Posted by: ChrisReale Mar 11 2004, 04:11 PM

I say do the whole thing:shocks, ball joints, wheel bearings and a-arm bushings. Will take a bit longer, but you will get a lot of maintenence out of the way

Posted by: fiid Mar 11 2004, 04:13 PM

I didn't do my ball joints or wheel bearnings. I plan to do them both when I go 5 lug, when I win the lottery.

Posted by: lagunero Mar 11 2004, 04:29 PM

I'm doing the struts, tie rods and ball joints but no bearings or bushings. I know that it would be better to do all but, was it a big difference (like in Fiid's case) or can I wait til later to do the rest.

Posted by: ldino21 Mar 11 2004, 04:37 PM

I was kinda hoping the same thing as fiid was saying, because I to eventually want to go to 5 lug later.

Do any of you think it makes a big difference whether I weld that U-tab back on or not??

Posted by: tat2dphreak Mar 11 2004, 04:52 PM

excuse my ignorance:

I replace the wheel bearing on GPs(general principles) everytime I pull my rotors off the front...

on the Ball joint though: how can you know when these need to be replaced? do it when the shocks need it?

Posted by: SirAndy Mar 11 2004, 04:54 PM

bolt through is a no no ...

do it the right way, weld 'em on.

just lay a nice seam all around and they won't brake again, promise.
Andy

Posted by: thesey914 Mar 11 2004, 07:55 PM

The ball joint usually is fubar by the time you actually remove it. I've never managed to get one off without destroying the rubber boot and since there is no replacement boot it means new ball joint. Shame really as the ball joint is a major PITA to remove from the A arm!
Brad wrote once that he removes the ball joints every time without damage by jacking up the hub and using the torsion bar to help with the separation.....tried this only last night and despite repeated twatting with a BFH on the A arm plenty of heat and WD40 no joy.
I had to use the fork type ball joint splitter which is what wrecks the rubber seal.

Posted by: Brad Roberts Mar 11 2004, 07:58 PM

Yep. Just did this again less than 4 days ago using the torsion bars to help put tension on the ball joint.

Oh.. Lou.. weld them on.


B

Posted by: d914 Mar 11 2004, 08:03 PM

electric impact gun worked great. ball joits where history.

Posted by: rhodyguy Mar 11 2004, 09:16 PM

since i'm spending your money. install some turbo tie rods as well. do it all, get an alignment. if you have a rear sway bar get all the bushings for that too. use a air chisel bit in one of the notchs in the retaining nut on the ball joint. it takes about 5 seconds.

kevin

Posted by: rdauenhauer Mar 12 2004, 12:26 AM

Im missing somthing, I thought you had to unscrew the funky keeper from the bottome of the a-arm to reomove the b-joint?

Posted by: rhodyguy Mar 12 2004, 07:06 AM

the funky nut on the bottom is what i'm refering to. also, the pins that secures the ball joint to the strut tube can be tough to get out. when you reassemble DO NOT use the nut to draw the pins in. i learned the hard way and had to buy two new ones. they're kind of exspensive.

kevin

Posted by: ldino21 Mar 12 2004, 03:20 PM

I would like to add turbo tie rods, but for now I am trying to keep my vehicle in CS Class for Autocrossing this year, and I was under the understanding that since my Sway Bar was standard equipment upgrading that was OK and that I could upgrade the shocks also, I am not sure if I upgrade the Tie Rods that I can stay in CS Class.

My biggest question was whether I needed to order the splined tool that Pelican sells to remove the Nut that holds the balljoint in place or if people use some thing thats cheaper without damaging it.

Posted by: lagunero Mar 12 2004, 03:52 PM

Idino21, I think that question was answered. I don't think there's a safe way but to use the right tool. I'm doing this tommorrow and will probably use the sperm tool suggested.

rhodyguy, sorry but what do you mean buy "not drawing the pins in"?

Posted by: bob174 Mar 12 2004, 04:31 PM

Idino21, when I did the turbo tie rod upgrade, the concensus was to use a pipewrench to get the nut off. It works great, however the pipe wrench will leave some bite marks on the nut. Is it a driver or a museum piece?

Posted by: Jeff Bowlsby Mar 12 2004, 04:44 PM

Lou, Dave Hunt on this BBS just a few months ago made his own tool to remove the castle nut. He took a large sized socket of the correct diameter and marked wheret he notches had to be, then cut out the nothces to make the tool to fit the nut. Ingenious if you ask me. Search for the thread or for DNHunt.

Posted by: rdauenhauer Mar 12 2004, 05:52 PM

Jeff thats gotta be a 27-30mm socket!
How much is the sperm(?) tool? Evan a cheepo socket is gunna run some chingolla Then you still gotta take a grinder (Dave howd ya do it) to it.

Posted by: rhodyguy Mar 12 2004, 08:36 PM

i think dave cut it out of a galvanizsed pipe fitting and a piece of pipe. lagunero9catorce, (what's your name) the pin goes in tight . if you use the nut to pull the pin in, the pin will prob break. tap it on the other end with a little ball peen hammer. well, that's what i did the second time.

kevin

Posted by: lagunero Mar 12 2004, 08:57 PM

rhodyguy thanks I got now. First time doing this so it was hard to visualize.

alberto

Posted by: rdauenhauer Mar 14 2004, 12:21 PM

Ok Im struggling to get the castlated nuts of the A-Arms. they are not budging using makeshift tools (tried the chisel approach and the pipe wrench)
Whats the trick? Do they have reverse threads or are is this just generally a SOB?

Posted by: bob174 Mar 14 2004, 12:27 PM

I'm tellin' ya man, a BF pipe wrench works like a champ! Put a cheater on it (I have a hunk of steel pipe that I used to extend the length of the pipe wrench). Those bad boys are on there. I don't think this is unusual, they're just generally a SOB. Keep cranking on them.

Posted by: Bleyseng Mar 14 2004, 12:30 PM

If you are taking off the ball joints then pop out the little cotterpin, soak the big nut in PB Blaster. Hit it a few times to let the oil settle in. Then use a large drift to loosen the nut.
If you are taking off the tie rods then its about the same except use some heat too.


Geoff

Posted by: SirAndy Mar 14 2004, 03:03 PM

just did the ball joints last night. if you're not sure about their age and condition, replace 'em.

mine were toast and made for some funny suspension weirdness under heavy braking.

Andy

Posted by: Aaron Cox Mar 14 2004, 03:09 PM

ball joints are fun and easy to replace. i made my Pa buy the porsche tool and i used an electric impact wrench. came off like that (snapping fingers). pull the cotterpin, funky munky washer, and then use brute force on the sucker!