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Rebuilding Front End


Guest JohnSavage
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Guest JohnSavage

Hey Guys!

 

My 88's front end is long overdue for an overhaul, so I'm getting everything together to do it up as right as possible. I'm Rebuilding the steering as well while I'm at it.

 

I already have the L & P centerlink here and ready to go, and already put a new idler arm on with a L & P brace. I have all the polyurethane bushings on the way for the control arms, tension arms, and sway bar as well as low profile bump stops.

 

I also have ordered NAPA Chassis ball joints, tie rod ends, adjusting sleeves, wheel bearings and seals.

 

All of this has come to a grand total of about $900. :o

 

Not what I wanted to spend, so my first question is...is there anything that I have that is just a waste of money and not needed? Something that's stock would be just fine instead of the expensive "Chassis" brand?

 

Secondly, any advice so that I won't make any huge mistakes or have to back track? Any advice to make it a little easier? Special tools I need to get hold of?

 

Thanks in advance for any info or helpful links!

Edited by JohnSavage
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nothing wrong with what youve got. i did my front bearings, swaybar bushings & radius rod bushings (i think you called em compression rods) around a year ago. everything else you mentioned, except the control arm bushings (not actually sure what you mean by that) i did about a month ago. got her aligned & other than caster being out of spec due to no spacers on the uca bolts the front end has been sweet as, tracks in a straight line and almost zero slop. its great to drive.

 

as for the install you will need an alignment at the end of it. other than that take your time, follow your maunal (take that as hint if you havent got one), double check stuff at the end of it all and you should be good to go.

 

btw ive rebuilt both my ps pump and steering box so if you need help dont hesitate to ask.

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  • 1 month later...

The biggest problem that I had was pressing out the original rubber bushes from the chassis on the inner end or the lower control arms. Infront of the torsion bar pivot point. You need a press or a propper tool. I used bloody big bolt flat washers and a strong tube and it was no easy job. If these bushes are OK then leave them alone unless you can get the propper press tool.

 

Same goes for the ones in the Upper Control arm except you can take the whole arm out to do it. (or fit replacement UCA)

 

Have fun

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i myself am a massing the parts i need, im going to redo the whole front end. ive got the UCA bushings and BJs, all the wheel bearings and seals, new manual warn hubs, new rotors cause mine are gouged out and screwed, compression rod bushings. all i need are the lower BJs and LCA bushings. then i can dive into the project of getting it done.

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