Front Suspension rebuild tutorial

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POPS6T6

POPS6T6

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So I have torn apart the front suspension and pulled out the K-frame and dissasembled the entire suspension. Everything has been sandblasted and primed and soon to be painted. Also Wilwood brakes are on order and should be arriving shortly. New poly bushings and boots and all that. Just wondering if anyone knows of a good tutorial (step by step, pic by pic would be nice) for putting this all back together correctly? I just don't want to miss anything or put anything back together incorrectly.

Thanks!
John
 
Did you buy the American Muscle tool set yet? I just got my K frame snad blasted and welded the two halfs together instead of Ma's spot welds. Smoothed it all out and now in primer. Have the Mancini plates welded to the bottom of the UCAs and as soon as I can get the damn bushing shell out of them, and the shell off the pivot shafts it's off to the platers.

Here is a factory manual from AbodyJoe: this is a very big file.

[ame="http://www.abodyjoe.com/pictures/Misc.%20car%20info/1972%20Plymouth%20Chassis%20Serv%20Man.pdf"]http://www.abodyjoe.com/pictures/Misc.%20car%20info/1972%20Plymouth%20Chassis%20Serv%20Man.pdf[/ame]
 
I didn't do any welding on it. Never even considered it, but since it is out, might not be a bad idea to look into it. I have it completely dissasembled, and everything but the K-frame has been blasted, that is happening tonight. I went to harbor freight and picked up a 12 ton press on Saturday and was able to remove the bushings in about 5 minutes..Press was on sale and had a coupon so only paid about $100 and figured I'd get a new toy for the garage as well instead of paying someone to press them out.

Thanks for the file, going to look at it now and see what all I can print at work here!

Thanks,
John
 
That is pretty much EXACTLY what I was looking for! Thanks! Just by looking at your thread I see a few things I might have to do. Are those stiffening plates a necessity? And since I have it all out, should I replace idler arm, pitman arm, and ball joints?
 
POPS6T6 said:
That is pretty much EXACTLY what I was looking for! Thanks! Just by looking at your thread I see a few things I might have to do. Are those stiffening plates a necessity? And since I have it all out, should I replace idler arm, pitman arm, and ball joints?
Click to expand...

If you have a sway bar, I would definitely add them. Yes, replace all that stuff, it'll tighten up your steering.
 
So I was looking at the Kframe and I don't see anywhere that hasn't been welded aready? I'm wondering if it has already been welded. There are solid seam welds along all the joints, is factory that way or are they spot welded?
 
The top and bottom halves are spot welded. Those are the seams that should be welded. My son is in your area (near Arco Arena), but I don't how much suspension build stuff he really remembers, but he's done a few.
 
The game is to check all factory welds, most are halfway done, have big porous holes, gaps, etc. 'box in' any open areas on the steering box mount with 1/8 flat stock, give a 1" bead ever 3" or so around the perimeter, or go the whole way, check over the welds on the LCA pin holes. Probably the most important bases rounded.

Take a peek here for an idea:

http://firmfeel.com/reinfkfram_a.htm

http://www.forbbodiesonly.com/moparforum/showthread.php?33133-Have-you-welded-your-k-member

This would be a good thing to do too, you can make them from 1/8" flat stock, strap in 2 or 3 places, leave enough room for a socket to adjust torsion bars:

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=118699

Another cool Mod is to add some 3/16" round stock in a 'U' shape to the front center for easy tie down/towing.
 
Seems like the more I do, the more I have left to do...

I will have to look into it further. I will be installing the plates from Mancini's for the LCA's, will have to look into whether or not welding the K-frame is something I should do or not.

Thanks again for all the info!
 
Word of advice. Dont tighten your lower arm pivot bolts until the car is on the ground , with ride height adjusted, and all the normal weight in it. This allows the lower arm rubber bushing to be centered so it can deflect or allow up and down movement in the lower arm equally

Otherwise if you tighten the pivot bolt when car is up in the air and arm is deflected down, then rubber bushing will be at full twist deflection at normal ride height, when you hit a bump the arm will move farther up, and will most of the time tear the rubber bushing.

No worries about this if you are using greasable polygraphite lowers

Hope this helps
Matt
 
I know how you feel. When I first heard what I had to do, I didn't want to either.

Step by step, making plates for the steering box and over the factory crap welds we go. Lowe's and home depot have 3' sticks of 1/8" flat stock for $7. The perimeter, well after doing all that it isn't much more to buzz a 1" bead 20 times.

It will make a large difference!

One last thing, do a search on the 'offset UCA bushings' and see if it's something that would be worthwhile for you. Radial cars greatly benefit from them, adding much needed positive caster.

Here's a link to a write up that helps explain:

http://www.allpar.com/history/mopar/front-end-alignment.html


Might as well do it while it's out.
 
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