front end parts...
08-26-2002, 10:13 PM
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Racer
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front end parts...
ok, so on the steel arm that connects the "center point" of the two control arms, there are 2 rubber bushings that are at the brackets connecting the bar to the frame. what are these, and where can i get them? i think the dealer called them "caster bushings" but i'm not sure... anyway, i don't see how these could affect the handling of the car, but i guess in combination with my other suspension problems they could be contributing 
by the way, what's the limit on acceptable play in ball joints? i hear 1mm vertical travel is the max before they're considered bad...
by the way, what's the limit on acceptable play in ball joints? i hear 1mm vertical travel is the max before they're considered bad...
08-26-2002, 10:46 PM
#2
The steel arm that connects center points of the two control arms is the sway bar. Get a set of sway bar bushings for your bar. The castor blocks are at the rear mounting point (chassis) of each control arm.
08-26-2002, 11:18 PM
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so would a castor bushing be the part on the rear of the control arm? i thought they meant one of the control arm bushings, but but they all look fine and the sway bar bushings certainly do not.
08-26-2002, 11:35 PM
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The bushing on the rear of your control arm is your caster block. Older cars (pre 85.5) have the bushings seperate from the clip that holds it in place, while the later cars have the bushings pressed into the clip. I replaced my '86 turbo alloy control arms with steel units so I don't have to worry about the major PITA associated with changing out ball joints (which I have a feeling I will have to do more often since my car is lowered) in the alloy arms...I had almost new M030 rear caster blocks so I used those instead of the stock bushing and clip as they are supposedly an upgrade. There is another bushing between the a-arm and the crossmember...don't recall the name of it, but my new control arms had them installed already.
The swaybar bushing you are referring to is the drop link bushing. The metal bracket you are referring to is called a drop link. Here is what mine used to look like before I replaced it (and every other suspension bushing in the front end):
Its not that hard to replace it...just make sure you know what diameter your swaybar is when you order it. To replace it:
-Jack up the front of the car
-remove the wheels
-remove the plastic undercarriage if you don't want to tear yours (I tore mine because I left it in place...I don't really care about it though)
-unbolt the center bolt holding the swaybar mount to the control arms (85.5+) or the two bolts holding the swaybar mount (83-85)
-unbolt the drop links from the body
-unbolt the drop links from the swaybar and bushing so as you can slide the bushings out
-using a floorjack, lift the control arms and compress the suspension of the side you are working on so the swaybar will move foward and underneath the control arm (you may not have to do this, but its there just incase you need to)
-remove the swaybar mounts off of the end of swaybar
-slide the old bushings off of the swaybar
-apply vasoline (or something similar) to your new swaybar bushings and slide them on (this will make it much easier)
installation is opposite of removal. It should take you an hour or less to do once you have the car lifted. HTH,
The swaybar bushing you are referring to is the drop link bushing. The metal bracket you are referring to is called a drop link. Here is what mine used to look like before I replaced it (and every other suspension bushing in the front end):
Its not that hard to replace it...just make sure you know what diameter your swaybar is when you order it. To replace it:
-Jack up the front of the car
-remove the wheels
-remove the plastic undercarriage if you don't want to tear yours (I tore mine because I left it in place...I don't really care about it though)
-unbolt the center bolt holding the swaybar mount to the control arms (85.5+) or the two bolts holding the swaybar mount (83-85)
-unbolt the drop links from the body
-unbolt the drop links from the swaybar and bushing so as you can slide the bushings out
-using a floorjack, lift the control arms and compress the suspension of the side you are working on so the swaybar will move foward and underneath the control arm (you may not have to do this, but its there just incase you need to)
-remove the swaybar mounts off of the end of swaybar
-slide the old bushings off of the swaybar
-apply vasoline (or something similar) to your new swaybar bushings and slide them on (this will make it much easier)
installation is opposite of removal. It should take you an hour or less to do once you have the car lifted. HTH,
08-26-2002, 11:53 PM
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[quote]Originally posted by yoyoguy2:
<strong>wow, thanks for the write up. mine aren't as bad as yours in the picture, but they're on the way
</strong><hr></blockquote>
No problem. I'm just glad to be able to help others as others have helped me here. About the ball joints...I don't know what the acceptable play is in them, but once mine started clicking and popping I knew that they needed to be replaced (this was after one of them was replaced 2 years ago). If you have a pre 85.5 (I don't know what year car you have) replacing them is a cinch and you might as well do it now as you are 8 bolts, 20 mintues, and $26 away from doing it already anyways. If you have an 85.5+, you have to remove your control arms to do it and either have them rebuilt (~$200/each), replaced with new ($400+ each), re-press them yourself (there is a kit for $120 that lets you do both), or if you have a pre '87, consider swapping them out with steel units like I did. HTH,
<strong>wow, thanks for the write up. mine aren't as bad as yours in the picture, but they're on the way
</strong><hr></blockquote>No problem. I'm just glad to be able to help others as others have helped me here. About the ball joints...I don't know what the acceptable play is in them, but once mine started clicking and popping I knew that they needed to be replaced (this was after one of them was replaced 2 years ago). If you have a pre 85.5 (I don't know what year car you have) replacing them is a cinch and you might as well do it now as you are 8 bolts, 20 mintues, and $26 away from doing it already anyways. If you have an 85.5+, you have to remove your control arms to do it and either have them rebuilt (~$200/each), replaced with new ($400+ each), re-press them yourself (there is a kit for $120 that lets you do both), or if you have a pre '87, consider swapping them out with steel units like I did. HTH,
08-27-2002, 09:58 AM
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yeah, i don't get clicking and popping, but i get a vibration when turning one way, not the other, and the direction switches. i think this is a combination of both ball joints, one wheel bearing, and maybe the sway bar bushings, cause those are the identifiable problems, and none of them alone would cause this. my car is an 86, so the ball joints are quite the pain. i was wondering about the play in them, i heard 1mm and i get abouth 3-4 mm on the left and 1-2mm on the right.
