ES poly front bushings ('92-'97)

[1987cp]

Just to be clear: the kit I need for my 85 towncar (all stock) is 4.3150? Are there any other bushings I should change while I've got the control arms out? Thanks.

Pete

Roger that.

I goofed and bought the cop kit (4.3153), and had to modify two bushings to make it work. That was a pain, don't recommend it if you can be smart and buy the right kit to start with.

The kit includes the eight front control arm bushings, new spring seats, and some special grease for the bushings. I bought some extra grease and ended up actually using a tube or so.

If you've read this far, you'll already know to replace the locknuts on the upper control arm shafts (I want to say about a buck each?), and to thoroughly clean the washers and shells.

Since you'll have your front suspension completely disassembled, this is a convenient time to put on new balljoints, tie rods, pitman arm, and idler arm, provided you have the money for all that.

Also, come to think of it, if you want to do your swaybar bushings and endlinks at the same time (and if your endlinks are like mine, they'll break when removed anyway), you'll need to measure your swaybar diameter and order those separately.

Only problem? After buying all those extra parts, it's no longer a 55 dollar project. :p

[1987cp]

bag says 91837A268 pack of 25 goes for 12 bucks. 5/8-18 toplock nut is what you're after.

FWIW, I was able to just buy my toplock nuts at Ace Hardware.

[Piece-it pete]

... if you can be smart and buy the right kit to start with.

Lmao, I'll try but don't bet on it.

Since you'll have your front suspension completely disassembled, this is a convenient time to put on new balljoints, tie rods, pitman arm, and idler arm, provided you have the money for all that.

Also, come to think of it, if you want to do your swaybar bushings and endlinks at the same time (and if your endlinks are like mine, they'll break when removed anyway), you'll need to measure your swaybar diameter and order those separately.

Only problem? After buying all those extra parts, it's no longer a 55 dollar project. :p

Yeah I'd love to, particularly the ball joints, but see above re: being smart

Really it's the cash more than anything.

Thanks for the confirmation!

Pete

[1987cp]

Yeah, all that does come to a lot of bucks. I had like 5 guys here breathing down my neck to do a full suspension rebuild back when I had the motor mounts out (far easier to do with the lower control arms out), but there was zero extra cash at that time and I wanted the little engine project I was working on done ASAP, so all I could do was weather the nagging. At least I was able to learn how to separate balljoints by beating the spindle with a hammer so that I didn't have to hunt around for the replacement boots no one sells.

[gadget73]

FWIW, I was able to just buy my toplock nuts at Ace Hardware.

I'd expect any good hardware store to be able to get these. Lowe's probably doesn't have them though, and sometimes its just handy to have a bag of them available instead of running to the store. I wouldn't buy a bag of 25 just to do one car though, that would be silly.

[1987cp]

I wouldn't buy a bag of 25 just to do one car though, that would be silly.

It depends on how much you enjoy seeing the remaining 21 taking up space in your very own Magic Bolt Box for the rest of your life.

[Piece-it pete]

Got the parts, fired up! Upper and lower ball joints, energy kit, springs! (my greaseable tierod ends look very good and they're easy anyway)

Looks like Saturday. Any more tips and tricks appreciated!

Pete

[Piece-it pete]

Arrrrgh it's supposed to rain off and on Sat with a chance of thunderstorms.

Add to that that I'm going to see the granddaughters' dance compitition Sunday at 10 am.

How long has this job taken folks? I'll start at 8-9 am Saturday. Access to impact wrenches but no torches. Will 12 hours do it possibly, or should I just start on it (ball joints)? Input appreciated

Pete

[1987cp]

I thought the worst part was getting the bushings out of the upper arms I got from my organ donor (originals from Gabe's Marquis, in this case). Took seemingly eons of heating, setting the rubber on fire, and digging out with a screwdriver until I was able to finally get the shafts. Then I still had to grind on the bumps by the mounting holes in order to get the shafts fully extracted so they could be cleaned and painted. The original bushing sleeves were a particular pain in the butt to get off, and of course the knotted wire wheel was a big help for cleanup.

I wasn't sure how to go about cleaning up the inside of the original bushing shells (which you reuse without removing them), and didn't seem to have access to a wire wheel that was small enough, so after wire-brushing as much as I could reach (10ga size bore brushes could have helped this process), I stuck a coarse-grit wrapper on a small sanding drum and used that to carefully clean out the rest of the cooked-on rubber from each of the eight shells.

So all in all, I took a LONG time for the job, but thankfully I was able to do it over a period of a few days and not be in much of a hurry (snuck outside and worked on it while the little guy was napping!). Probably ended up spending at least 10 hours on it, not counting periods of headscratching and waiting decades for the paint to dry in Nov.-Dec. weather.

You're probably already planning on this, but I found it helped immensely to obtain proper tie rod separator presses. Pretty sure they have those for balljoints too, but I used the hammer-the-spindle method. The huge C clamp thing for changing the balljoints is on my new list of undowithoutable equipment for such a job. If you have an AutoZone nearby, their free rental program leaves you with no excuse (except ignorance, which was my reason in the past) not to use the right tools!

[Piece-it pete]

Hey, ignorance is my primary excuse too! Don't take that from me, all I'll be left with is stupidity

Thanks for the comments. I think I'm going to go for it! I may not have enough in the bank to cover the ball joint press - what's the hammer-the-spindle method?

Pete

[gadget73]

Use the tool loaner program from Autozone or whatever and borrow a ball joint press. I dont think you're going to get the ball joint in and out without one.

You can smack the side of the spindle to seperate it from the ball joint, but thats it. Use a BFH and whack the flat part of the spindle right where the ball joint goes through. It will usually come apart with a couple of hits. Make sure the lower control arm is supported or it will fly down, eject the spring, and possibly make birth control a thing of the past.

[sly]

I used a pickle fork (wider tie-rod separator) to get the upper control arm bushings off my of wife's vic and replace them. The 93 does allow a little better access to hammering the hell out of them than my 88 does though (hence the reason I haven't replaced those yet).

A fat cold chisel (an air hammer works great too) and a BFH and just smack the hell out of it until it moves also works.

[Piece-it pete]

Ah I thought it refered to removing the lower ball joints.

Thanks for all the help guys. I'm going for it tomorrow! Better impregnate the wife tonight lol.

Pete

[82LTDQS]

DID IT. LOVE IT.

[1987cp]

Better impregnate the wife tonight lol.

Uh ... how is that going to make her happier with you spending time under the car?