just do it!

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blatzer
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just do it!

Post by blatzer » Tue Sep 08, 2009 5:34 pm

after 5 years of clunk, wobble, sway- the front end is tight!- to do list included drag link replaced, center pivot pin/bushings replaced, passenger tie rod replaced, BAll joints replaced, front end aligned, it's worth it!
Enlighten the people, and tyranny and oppressions of body and mind will vanish like spirits at the dawn of day.
Thomas Jefferson

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Amskeptic
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Re: just do it!

Post by Amskeptic » Wed Sep 09, 2009 6:05 am

blatzer wrote:after 5 years of clunk, wobble, sway- the front end is tight!- to do list included drag link replaced, center pivot pin/bushings replaced, passenger tie rod replaced, BAll joints replaced, front end aligned, it's worth it!
Congratulations. where did you get your ball joints, and does the car return to center after a corner?
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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blatzer
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Post by blatzer » Wed Sep 09, 2009 10:14 am

i bought the ball joints from the 'community' one pair of nakata and a pair from vw/mexico and a local machine shop did the work on the extracted torsion arms- it does return to center after the turn!
Enlighten the people, and tyranny and oppressions of body and mind will vanish like spirits at the dawn of day.
Thomas Jefferson

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chitwnvw
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Post by chitwnvw » Wed Sep 09, 2009 10:40 am

Did you replace the steering damper? It helped a lot with my highway speed stability.

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blatzer
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Post by blatzer » Wed Sep 09, 2009 6:44 pm

not yet, but i will!
Enlighten the people, and tyranny and oppressions of body and mind will vanish like spirits at the dawn of day.
Thomas Jefferson

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chitwnvw
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Post by chitwnvw » Wed Sep 09, 2009 8:28 pm

blatzer wrote:not yet, but i will!
The one I took off was very pliable, the new one was like a shock absorber, took some muscle to compress. 20 bucks and two bolts to replace...if only they all were that easy.

I am going to do the drag link and the tie rods next. How hard were the ball joints to replace?

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blatzer
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Post by blatzer » Thu Sep 10, 2009 9:40 pm

with the bus on stands, wheels off, i used a floor jack to move the u & l torsion arms to relieve the tension and remove them from the steering knuckle, pay close attention to which way the sway bar clips are oriented, and using a friend to tweak and/or tap the upper arm back into its home were the key items; once out the machine shop got them, they were back in my hands in less than a day- props to precision engine in atx
Enlighten the people, and tyranny and oppressions of body and mind will vanish like spirits at the dawn of day.
Thomas Jefferson

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