Front end rebuild

[ptbill]

Thinking of rebuilding the front end on my 65 Barracuda. How hard is it to do and do I need any special tools?
Thanks Bill

 

[yellow rose]

Thinking of rebuilding the front end on my 65 Barracuda. How hard is it to do and do I need any special tools?
Thanks Bill

A press or some way to press out and in bushings and a big socket to,remove and install the upper ball joint.

It's pretty easy stuff.

 

[krazykuda]

doable... Get a good upper ball joint socket and tie rod pickle fork and ball joint pickle fork... (Ball joint fork is wider...)

Lower bushings can be done at machine shop if you don't have the proper equipment/press...

Upper bushings can be done with air hammer/chisel and vise....

 

[72Dart6pack]

I'm doing mine now but it's off the car. Probably doesn't help you much.

 

[AJ/FormS]

That's pretty.
Mine was like that once;1999

 

[72Dart6pack]

It's the way to go if you have the time & space to do it.

 

[yellow rose]

doable... Get a good upper ball joint socket and tie rod pickle fork and ball joint pickle fork... (Ball joint fork is wider...)

Lower b
Bushings can be done at machine shop if you don't have the proper equipment/press...

Upper bushings can be done with air hammer/chisel and vise....

I forgot about the pickle forks. I bought mine in 1980 so I never think about them until I actually need them.

 

[67Dart273]

Pickle forks should only be used if you are NOT going to re-use the part, as they destroy the rubber boot. I'm guilty of this myself!! You want a puller if possible. It puts strain on the two parts, then you "smack" the part with the tapered hole with a hammer, and it "shocks" loose. Sometimes you can do this with a pry bar and hammer and no puller

For changing bushings, review the tool section here. Others and myself have made bushing pullers out of pipe fittings. I even made a upper ball socket wrench, something I would not do again, LOL

 

[72Dart6pack]

Replacing Mopar Front Suspension's Lower Control-Arm Bushing

Read this. It's a good article and starting point.

 

[ptbill]

Pickle forks should only be used if you are NOT going to re-use the part, as they destroy the rubber boot. I'm guilty of this myself!! You want a puller if possible. It puts strain on the two parts, then you "smack" the part with the tapered hole with a hammer, and it "shocks" loose. Sometimes you can do this with a pry bar and hammer and no puller

For changing bushings, review the tool section here. Others and myself have made bushing pullers out of pipe fittings. I even made a upper ball socket wrench, something I would not do again, LOL

Would not be reusing the parts or boots

 

[sireland67]

Mancini racing has a decent set of front end tools.

Front Suspension Tools

 

[rich006]

I made a thread when I did it, so you can learn from my mistakes. See here. Unfortunately the images got removed when Dropbox stopped image hosting, but if you send me a message (conversation) with your email address I'll share a link to a Google drive folder of all the pictures.