out of commission, cant drive my dart anymore

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Yup, just turn counterclockwise until they loosen. Great advice above about measuring the floor to fender lip and counting the number of turns. I replaced my bars and had to adjust, lower the car, measure to make sure both sides were the same, raise the car, adjust, lower the car, measure, again and again until I was satisfied.

I sprayed my with PB Blaster for several days prior. In fact, I sprayed every nut that was coming out.

You have to slide the torsion bars back enough to get the lower control arm pivot pin out of the k-frame. I used slip joint pliers to remove the torsion bar retaining clips. I was very fortunate that my torsion bars came out with a good tug using both hands. You can slide them back about 6" to allow room for the lower control arm to come out.
 
hemi71x said:
DRUM brake ball joints attach to the spindle with 1/2" bolts.
DISC brake ball joints attach to the spindle with 9/16" bolts.
A DRUM brake ball joint can be drilled out to 9/16, and then be used on a disc brake set up.
Easy, peasy.
Click to expand...

Thats it! Thats what it was i read! I remember those sizes now that you said this..The thing im trying to remember now is about the lower ball joint that is already attached to the KH setup i bought..if i can use it or do i need to buy the drum brake ball joint and drill the holes out and use them..? I cant remember what the deal on that was. Makes me mad, i had all this in my head a long time ago and was wanting to tackle the job and never did it..now its all fuzzy..
 
Well, if your ball joints are already bolted down onto a disc brake spindle, they are 9/16.
 
hemi71x said:
Well, if your ball joints are already bolted down onto a disc brake spindle, they are 9/16.
Click to expand...
correct, but those ball joints will work with my LCA'S? I dont have to order the lower ball joints for a drum brake car and drill the holes out to bolt to the disk spindle to fit into the LCA? I was thinking that was the case, that the lower ball joint stud that goes into the LCA was different so i would have to get the balljoint for the drum brake car and use it...?
 
mopower440 said:
correct, but those ball joints will work with my LCA'S? I dont have to order the lower ball joints for a drum brake car and drill the holes out to bolt to the disk spindle to fit into the LCA? I was thinking that was the case, that the lower ball joint stud that goes into the LCA was different so i would have to get the balljoint for the drum brake car and use it...?
Click to expand...
ALL lower control arms from 1962-76 are all the same thing, on the A body cars.
Makes no difference in a ball joint.
The only thing different between some LCA's are where sway bar mount tabs are welded on, between 65-72 and then 73-76, if a car is sway bar equipped.
 
Do one side at a time. Take your time. Once you finish you will wonder what you even worried about. You will learn how an A body suspension works and will dream about tweaking it to your driving style. It will be incredibly awesome. You will make friends in the meantime. You will spend money on tools and not on someone elses labor. This is just another right of passage... the door is open....go through....
 
All of this only has to be done if you intend to replace the LCA bushing.
You have to, as said, slide the T-bars back. If yours won't move, you can pry the LCA backwards with a big ol' pry bar, after you remove the retaining nut. This will also drive the T-bar back. Then you have to figure out how to hold rearwards while you club the LCA back into it's pin-hole. Repeat as often as required to get her outta there, just don't but a plier on the bar! You can put a C-clamp on the hex anchor at the back, after it pops outta the socket far enough.
 
mopower440 said:
Dartman, a long time ago when i was thinking about doing this, i read somewhere that all you have to do is drill out 2 mounting holes to the next size or something but i do not remember how this went..
Click to expand...

hemi71x said:
DRUM brake ball joints attach to the spindle with 1/2" bolts.
DISC brake ball joints attach to the spindle with 9/16" bolts.
A DRUM brake ball joint can be drilled out to 9/16, and then be used on a disc brake set up.
Easy, peasy.
Click to expand...

Hemi71x has it nailed
 
Another trick:

When you get the nuts off of the ball joints studs holding the knuckle on, you will need a pickle fork and/or a big hammer to separate them. The ball joint studs are tapered and designed to tightly wedge into the matching tapered holes in the knuckle. The pickle fork and hammer is easier to see how it works but very often damages the ball joint boot. If you are replacing the ball joints, then that is not an issue.

If you want to separate the ball joint from the knuckle without the pickle fork, then you take the 3 lb hammer, take very careful aim, and whack the side of the knuckle where the ball joint stud sticks through. When I say 'whack', I mean ALL the force you can put into it....WHAM! 1-2-3 whacks usually pops the tapered stud loose from the knuckle.
 
I got out in the garage today and got the car on jackstands and removed the wheels and sprayed everything with PB blaster, the stupid can ran out of pressure with it still being 3/4 full of oil..Makes me mad, what a waste, so i will go buy more. I got the shocks took off. I started on the torsion bar tension and stopped because i am not sure on which way to go to loosen the tension. Im ASSUMING its the normal counter clockwise to remove the tension from them? Also, if it IS counter clockwise, is it that way on both sides or is one side reversed..?
 
nm9stheham said:
Another trick:

If you want to separate the ball joint from the knuckle without the pickle fork, then you take the 3 lb hammer, take very careful aim, and whack the side of the knuckle where the ball joint stud sticks through. When I say 'whack', I mean ALL the force you can put into it....WHAM! 1-2-3 whacks usually pops the tapered stud loose from the knuckle.
Click to expand...

It works even better if you hold another BFH on the opposite side of the knuckle from where you are aiming your whacks.
 
mopower440 said:
I started on the torsion bar tension and stopped because i am not sure on which way to go to loosen the tension. Im ASSUMING its the normal counter clockwise to remove the tension from them? Also, if it IS counter clockwise, is it that way on both sides or is one side reversed..?
Click to expand...

Counter clockwise. It should be obvious because the bolt gets easier to turn as you release the tension. Also remove the upper control arm bumps stops to allow the suspension to drop completely.
 
Hahaha... at work we would have one guy hold the hammer on one side and the other guy swing it... it was better to be the guy swinging. One guy I used to work with would swing a 3-lb sledge in each hand and whack the knuckle perfectly 180° apart every time. For him, one whack was all it ever took.
 
well, i found a set of rebuilt upper control arms ready to bolt on a hair cheaper than i can even rebuild mine for, so im thinking about doing that but then i got my old ones laying around and probably no one would ever need them..
 
so where is the cheapest place to buy the Moog lower ball joints?
 
mopower440 said:
so where is the cheapest place to buy the Moog lower ball joints?
Click to expand...
I like rock auto I have got a bunch of my stuff from them. Summit, rock auto, Ebay, and Amazon. Are my primary shopping spots I always compare the prices with shipping. Most of the time rock auto wins but not always, I have saved money at summit on some stuff just because of the free shipping over 100 dollars. If I already have some big ticket stuff in my cart at summit and rock auto has one thing and I have to pay shipping it is usually cheaper to get it from summit. I always shop around for several days calculating every different combo just to get the best deal. Lol I'm cheap.
I will say this tho. Stay away from the economy suspension stuff at rock auto. I got burned in my bushings they didn't fit right and I had to reorder them. The second time around i got the proforge ones they look to be really good quality. As far as my ball joints go I got the skp brand they look to be really well made. I haven't used them yet so I can't speak of the fit or how long the will last. Every thing else i got mevotech or moog. All my bushings (upper control, strut rods, control arm bumpers etc) are moog and all my hardware is moog. My tie rod ends and connectors are the mevotech and my idler arm is too. I ordered the moog pitman arm as well.
 
Brake hoses, does anyone know if the front rubber brake hoses are the same between the 10 inch drum and the kelsey hayes disc? I also need to figure out what master cylinder to get.The car does NOT have power brakes. I dont think the current one will work being it currently has drum all the way around..
 
mopower440 said:
Brake hoses, does anyone know if the front rubber brake hoses are the same between the 10 inch drum and the kelsey hayes disc? I also need to figure out what master cylinder to get.The car does NOT have power brakes. I dont think the current one will work being it currently has drum all the way around..
Click to expand...
I recommend you email Dr Diff with these questions.
 
I believe the hoses are the same, checked Rock Auto, only lists one for the front, same on both sides, also lists master cylinder for front disc. You will also need to change the proportioning valve, adjustable ones are available from Summit, or a used one.
 
Reminds me of a similar situation.
When I was 19, 35yrs ago, I drove some friends to an amusement part 3hrs each way in my 67 charger. On the way back I was cruising at 100-110 mph.
The next day pulling out of my driveway the right tie rod fell out.
 
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