Front suspension bushings

[pluktv]

So, last question before I jump in feet first (it's starting to warm up). The pickle forks to seperate the ball joints I'm looking at come in two sizes, 11/16 or 15/16. Which one do I need?

[pluktv]

So I've torn the whole set up off the body, separated the ball joints with an 11/16 pickle fork (as it happens). Now I'm just left with 2 dirty looking a arms. I will do the other side after I do this one.
All ends up, with the amount of work involved with purchasing and fitting the new ball joints and bushings, to anyone that is thinking of doing this themselves BUY THE WHOLE ARMS WITH BALL JOINTS AND BUSHINGS ALREADY INSTALLED!!
Hindsight is a wonderful thing, it now seems crazy that I have to clean these up when I could have the new a arms already on by now... Oh well. I'm learning new skills every day. I'm also glad that I aren't leaving this until next year, as the bushings are pretty well perished and the original ball joints with the wheel off were very stiff to turn, so I know that everything will be good for a few years yet.
http://i1152.photobucket.com/albums/p48 ... %20001.jpg
http://i1152.photobucket.com/albums/p48 ... %20003.jpg

[vandor]

Wire wheel the lower a-arms where the balljoints attach and carefully inspect for cracks.
Start soaking those lower bushings in penetrant ASAP, they can be a bear to press out of the arms.

[pluktv]

The torch is my friend. Could not get the bushings to budge at all even with soaking them in triple 8 for two days. Put a bit of heat on the bloody things and they literally with a few taps and turning them with a pipe wrench they just slid straight out. Amen.
Checked all over for cracks and other anomalies and everything looks pretty well perfect.
Order placed with AR, new ball joints (I'm replacing them anyway) tie rod ends, and we'll let battle commence!

Truthfully, it's not been so bad, so far...


http://i1152.photobucket.com/albums/p48 ... G_1379.jpg

[DieselSpider]

Mixed feelings on the issue of replacing the arms with new over rebuilding them since environmentally keeping the old ones from being re-smelted and rebuilding them when they are not cracked or otherwise damaged probably helps maintain a lower carbon footprint.

Inspection showed the bushings needed replacement so your doing good now.