56 replies to this topic

[MFM]

How hard are these to replace? Thinking they are the originals. Went over three in a row steel speed bumps (a meter apart) yesterday then noticed this last night. Please tell me I don't have to dismantle the whole front suspension?

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[claysummers]

Not hard. Take off wheel obviously. Support outer lower arm and take up the weight of the car. You can now unbolt and remove the upper inner pivot. Make sure you note placement of shims to reinstall same suspension geometry. I’m more familiar with the earlier steel bushes but same applies.


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[MFM]

Thanks Clay, and what are the best replacement bushes to use, do rares sell them I assume? 

[S pack]

Not as easy as the early holdens to temove the upper control arms. Drop the crossmember down from the chassis rails so you can slide the arm out between the xmember and the rails.

[RallyRed]

Coil spring tension? , if stock coils

[claysummers]

The coil tension is held by the bottom wishbone and crossmember once you h save the weight of the car on it, no?

early Holden nut

[claysummers]

Local parts shop, decent one, will have them. Protec Chinese shit no doubt.

early Holden nut

[RallyRed]

The coil tension is held by the bottom wishbone and crossmember once you h save the weight of the car on it, no?

early Holden nut

I'm happy to be corrected, but you need to remove the upper arm to allow you to press out/ in the bush/ rubber.
To do this, you need to undo the top ball joint.
The spring tension is essentially trapped between the upper and lower ball joints.
I agree the actual spring is in the x member and lower arm, but the tension is still there wrt to the upper arm.
With a SL or SSL type spring, the drama goes away.
Happy to be corrected.

[rodomo]

Local parts shop, decent one, will have them. Protec Chinese shit no doubt.

early Holden nut

McKay still make them AFAIK?

[Ice]

McKay still make them AFAIK?

This 

[Indy Orange]

https://www.ebay.com...CLK|clp:2332490

[rodomo]

McKay still make them AFAIK?

OEM too I think?

[claysummers]

I'm happy to be corrected, but you need to remove the upper arm to allow you to press out/ in the bush/ rubber.
To do this, you need to undo the top ball joint.
The spring tension is essentially trapped between the upper and lower ball joints.
I agree the actual spring is in the x member and lower arm, but the tension is still there wrt to the upper arm.
With a SL or SSL type spring, the drama goes away.
Happy to be corrected.

top balljoint is under tension only when the suspension is topped out and upper wishbone holding tension on the upper bump stop. Compress the spring and tension is released.

With the steel bushes you just unscrew them. Sad day when they moved to rubber bushes, but yes HT onward and no doubt all Torana?


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[S pack]

Not as easy as the early holdens to remove the upper control arms. Drop the crossmember down from the chassis rails so you can slide the arm out between the xmember and the rails.

To do the above requires supporting the body on chassis stands and lowering the xmember with engine attached about 1", which means the weight of the car cannot be supported by the lower control arms and springs.

Best to use a spring compressor to ensure the springs stay where they need to be during the removal and refit of the upper arms.

Whilst the upper arms are out will be a good time to replace the rebound bump rubbers on the underside of the upper arms and the ball joints if they are badly worn. Also plan on replacing the xmember to chassis rail rubber mounting bushes.
 

Edited by S pack, 07 August 2021 - 12:22 AM.

[RallyRed]

GMH shop manual. Maybe they are just being careful.
Just my recollection -
Lowered springs = go for it
Normal springs = compress them, or be careful!

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[claysummers]

That is painful. I suppose the rubber bushes would wear quicker than steel ones. Seems to be bottom ball joints and upper pivots that wear fastest. But might it be possible if not easier, to remove the shaft and bushes without removing the control arm, thereby leaving crossmember in place?


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[S pack]

 But might it be possible if not easier, to remove the shaft and bushes without removing the control arm?

No.
 

Edited by S pack, 07 August 2021 - 08:47 AM.

[claysummers]

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[S pack]

This bush is not seated fully into the arm, sitting proud by approx 10mm by the looks of it. The black paint on the outer sleeve of the bush shows this is not something that has recently occurred.

Highly likely the ear on that control arm is bent and needs to be straightened out. It is possible the upper inner pivot bushes have been replaced once already and that is how the bush was installed by the repairer.

[RallyRed]

Yeah, as Dave suggests, care needs to be taken removing/ replacing the bushes, or the arm will distort.

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[Zook]

Yeah, as Dave suggests, care needs to be taken removing/ replacing the bushes, or the arm will distort.

Like an idiot, I once took a set of the same arms to a suspension shop to have the bushes replaced. Of course the gronks there fcuked them. It's not all their fault, they're a pretty shit design (the arms, not the gronks). I found another set and did it myself after that.

[claysummers]

Anyone tried modifying to use the HK style bushes? Assuming pivot pin same as HT HG? Some one will have early on at least. People didn't like the rubber ones when they first changed as I recall.

early Holden nut

[MFM]

Sounds like I am going to have to replace everything while I'm at it. This is where I need advice from you blokes. What brand make the best ball joints as mine still has the originals (rivets) so they are likely to be stuffed at 113000 miles.

[Indy Orange]

Moog

[MFM]

Anyone used these and have a part number for MOOG (top and bottom ball joints) as I just did a little research and seems these are American manufacture so need something compatible for LJ?