Lower Control Arm Bushing Replacement

[Randy]

I have this haven't tried it yet. and don't think for me its going to come out this easy, we can hope!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcCfWmrVQfM

[GeoffInCarlsbad]

Is the nut pressed into the spindle?

Is the ball joint stud pressed into the spindle?

[jopizz]

No, it's not pressed in. The nut and the taper is what holds it in place.

John

[simplyconnected]

I was looking for an illustration showing the space between your ball joints but couldn't find one. In the mean time, here's your front suspension:


The lower bushing is important but so is the bushing stack (3A187). I suggest you do ALL the bushings at once. If you had done them when changing ball joints, it would have been 'once and done'. Then do the other side the same way.

Give me a close measurement between the ball joint studs. Also, NEVER remove the ball joint nuts until the taper is separated. After the nuts are cracked loose, give 1-1/2 turns then separate the joint from your spindle. - Dave

[GeoffInCarlsbad]

Mission accomplished

I got it done today. Will post many pictures later.

[GeoffInCarlsbad]

Mission accomplished

Hi Dave: I got the work done today. Thanks for the diagram. I also have that same picture, however it is not 100% accurate. That diagram does not show the stabilizer bar that I have. I don't know why because I do see it on the 63/64 diagram. My reference is Larry's illustrated book.

I know the car is a 61, but why would you think it's not shown.

Secondly, I had to also replace the stabilizer bar link bushings as they were really chewed up. I suspect that came from the car jerking that started this project. Then I noticed that the shock absorber also shows sign of rubbing against the spring.

Upon reassembly, there was no dust boot on the ball joint! Another victim of the jerk.

So there was significant movement there.

So when everything was reassembled and we went on the test drive, the car braked true. No jerk. Then as the wheels heated up, the car started the drift right again! Not really jerking but a significant drift.

I am going to take a longer ride then check the state of the stabilizer bushings. I will probably have to replace the ball joint dust boot or the whole ball joint if I cannot get just the dust cover.

Like I said I'll post all my pictures Monday morning, and the procedures I followed, per the shop manual.

I did have a victim of my assembly. My 22 year old 5" vice broke at the body when trying to press in the control arm bushing. Result was a new vice!!

[Randy]

I stop by this morning after driving LAX 240 miles, stop by Geoff
I had talk to him yesterday when in San Diego, said I'd stop by today and met a fellow square, I brought a Ball joint Separator
from HF. to see, if it would help and to see how well it worked. Nice Fellow He lives by the coast, has nice convertible and surfs Dude! can't get better that Right. he has nice clean place to work, i'm jealous, Talk about Squarebirds.org are Big family try help how ever they can. with all the other stuff he did, intake manifold, exhaust. I look at his lower ball joint said this was going to be a breeze for you, he thought so. Talk some more about how to support the upper spring, wile they took lower Aarm OFF and fix bushings, his friend had some knowledge in this area, and he was coming over in a few. OK nice to met Geoff see you at the Square. I still got to ge home fule up change cars and get back to LAX for my #2 and run out the rest of my 500miles today!!
........................................
That Geoff w/1960 thunderbird........https://www.flickr.com/photos/126764...57668787139560

[Dan Leavens]

Now that is just way too cool Just goes to show you that squarebirds.org is a family.

I stop by this morning after driving LAX 240 miles, stop by Geoff

[simplyconnected]

Geoff, your car left the factory with the correct suspension. Somewhere down the line someone changed it because the '63 system didn't exist in '61.

Here's a genuine Ford diagram of the 1963-66 T-bird front suspensions:


I cannot stress enough, ALL the bushings work together. If you change a couple it will help BUT the new ones won't last long. It's a system that needs to be rebuilt all together, both sides and stabilizer bar bushings as well. I am most concerned with the upper 'A' arm bushings.

I hope you left the bushing bolts loose until the car was sitting at normal stance, THEN tighten them. If you tighten the bushings with the suspension hanging, you will hyper-extend the urethane at the first bump or driveway apron.

Yes of course, your ball joints need dust shields. Dirt is an abrasive. If it gets in there, premature failure. I don't see how loose bushings can possibly affect your ball joint boots.

It does make sense that your shock was rubbing the spring because of bottom-sideways motion but that is not the product of one bushing. Furthermore, both sides work the steering together.

I cannot say enough for Randy Harsha. He is not afraid to help at every turn and he is easy to talk with. I admire his tenacity and willingness to learn new things. He can help you with pictures as well since he is a financial supporter (paid member). - Dave

[jopizz]

If it was a suspension issue I would think it would drift all the time; Not just when it heated up. Drive it until it's hot and starts to drift. Then jack up each wheel and check how free they turn. I suspect that you have one brake that is not releasing all the way and causing it to pull.

John

[GeoffInCarlsbad]

My Thoughts Exactly

Hi John:

Yes, I am taking a long drive this morning to get those wheels heated up. Upon my return, I am going to check the wheel spin and then the wheel cylinders to see if they are releasing properly. In the mean time, I have lots of pictures to post on yesterday's adventure. I am working on that right now until the Mrs. is ready for this test drive.

I have about 30 pics, is there an easier way to post all those pics? I see Randy used Flikr. If I can get access, and create a link, is that the easiest way to post high volume of pictures? I don't want to rely on postimage.org for this one....

Any suggestions appreciated.

By the way, I think all the bushings and the ball joint dust boot, including the control arm bushing I just replace are VICTIMS of whatever the issue is with the car jerking to the right.

I, like John, still theorize this as a brake issue, because I have already rebuilt the suspension 1 and a half times now. I will report back in and get those pics posted.

Also, per Randy's recommendation, I will be signing up this morning!

~g

[Randy]

pictuers

Why I ues Flikr. for me is eazy I have it set with my phone it auto
down load to site, when i get home to my wifi,
I know they have easier resizer that do all at time I haven't tryed.
Flikr one at time I just hit 555 and down load to my file for squares, But my favorite is to just make a album with the picture you want, then put the link in your thread, and your flikr pictures are big and a lot of them, and you can set who can see them. and i can do it with my phone when on the road which it most of the time. one thing about the latter is if you want the thread to have thoese pic. at a later time don't move them, make copy use that.
or, when a new Square starts looking reading cleck on link sorry no pic for you.
I know there a simpler way its just how Randy dose it

[GeoffInCarlsbad]

Results and such

Couple of comments:

My theory is back to this being a braking issues. The Control Arm Bushing was in OK shape before all this started after I had the brakes worked. The Left side is perfectly fine, but ALL the new and old bushings on the right side, including the dust boot on the ball joint, have been destroyed, roughed up, or slightly damaged, including spring rub marks on the right hand shock absorber.

I have replaced ALL the bushings and both ball joints on the Right side. So, this tells me that the movement "jerking" to the right at braking is most likely causing the damage.

So, at the very least, I am going to have to replace that lower ball joint or at least find a dust boot to put back on there. So there will be some disassembly once I find out what I can get locally or have to order.

Secondly, the results of my test drive yesterday were as follows:

1) Upon backing out of the driveway, and beginning our drive, there was NO drift as long as the wheels were cold. As the wheels heated up, after about 2 miles of stop & go, top speeds of 45mpg, I began to feel the "pull" to the right. This is ok, since before it was a severe jerking to the right but now feels more like a drift or pull to the right.

2) As the wheels go more heat in them, the car would pull more. But there were a few times where there was little or NO pull at all.

So, this could be wheel cylinder, drum linings, shoe mis-alignment? All of the above?

One last comment, I had to tighten the nuts beneath the car before lowering. This car is so low, that there is no way for me to get my arm beneath the front chassis to do any work. I am too big and the car sits too low. I tried. I suppose I could lower the car's front wheel (sans the rim/tire) and keep it high enough, but I don't really feel safe doing that. Or I could go buy a set of ramps! Shoot, I just figured that out! Ok.....

Need to figure this out, as I don't want to do all this work all over again & again. it was fun, but it was a lot of work.

I have 32 pics to edit and post, so I do apologize that it is taking me so long to post those. I am working on them.

So, in conclusion, my mission was accomplished, but the root cause of the issue has yet to be solved.

Today I will take another drive, do a lot of driving in reverse somewhere to adjust those brakes, heat them up, raise it up, and have some more fun today. The hardest part MAY be taking HOT drums off, but I would like to avoid that if possible.

[jopizz]

If you have a brake that is dragging or sticking the wheel will usually get very hot. After driving for awhile feel the center of the wheels. If you have one or two that are hotter than the rest then you've found the trouble.

John

[GeoffInCarlsbad]

Right is HOT

Right side get hot, even the lugs are too hot to handle. So, there you go...back to brakes.

Once I start work on that I'll go back to my original thread.