Front-End Rebuild Begins!! ['78 1500]

[tosoutherncars]

Hi all,

Great news! Took Milo to the garage yesterday (Union Auto, just west of Ottawa) to have his safety inspection done. A big thanks to J-P for the front turn signal lights, which worked beautifully.

Only failing points were:

- one backup light bulb,
- play in the p/side front wheel bearing,
- play in the steering knuckles.

I was anticipating a front-end rebuild, so that's no problem... I'm just particularly happy that they didn't find anything else that needs fixing! And, I already have new tie-rod ends, steering rack gaiters, tapered roller bearings, and a full PolyBush kit sitting on the shelf.

I'm using a couple of different webpages, and the workshop manual, as guides. See https://www.teglerizer.com/midgetstuff/suspension.htm for some good pictures.

So, started dissasembly yesterday. Front end jacked way up in the air, all weight off the wheels. Wheels off, steering disconnected, pushed the A-arms down and the spring fell right out. Lovely! Yanked the caliper off and hung it in the wheelwell, to avoid having to bleed all over again. I have new metal braided Goodridge hoses though, so I suppose I should bite the bullet.

With much prying and smacking, I finally got the inner A-arm connections undone - bushings totally shot, collapsed rubber, etc. What a mess this must make of the steering geometry... it's no wonder my tires were wearing heavily on the edges!

Now, we come to my first QUESTION... I'm having a bit of trouble separating the A-arm from the kingpin / hub assy. There is a very small nut & washer on the bottom of the joint, which I have removed (exposing a small threaded bolt end.) Then there's the large slotted bolt-end, which I haven't tried too hard to remove yet, since I *thought* there was some sort of offset pin that had to pull first. Can anyone shed some light on this?

Pix to follow, as I reassemble. I'm also considering recoating the wheelwell in rubberised 'rocker-guard', since brake fluid has removed the paint in several places. I know this will not be 'stock', since it should be body-coloured, but I'm more interested in durability and rust protection than concours points!

Expect to be finished this weekend, unless the dating life picks up significantly! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

 

[tosoutherncars]

OK, I've just found the Moss diagram; https://www.mossmotors.com/SiteGraphics/CatalogPDFs/SPMC-0702.pdf

I have removed 19A and 19B, as above. I gave the pin a few taps, but it seemed a little hard to shift. I'll make sure there's a new one in my rebuild kit, before getting out the torch and/or the BFH.

 

[Bugeye58]

That tapered pin can be a bear to remove, but it <u>has</u> to come out to remove the fulcrum pin. There definitely should be new ones in the kit, as they are normally destroyed removing them.
Jeff

 

[tosoutherncars]

There's the image, for anyone who's doing a similar job.

 

[Billm]

Duncan
Just bite the bullet and use a grinding wheel or torch to seperate them (I prefer grinding them to save the brazed-in bushings in the "A" arms). I just cut away the king pin and start the rebuild.
Bill

 

[JPSmit]

The pin - 19 - should pound right out. then if you're lucky the bolt - 12 - will unscrew. As a California car I'm hopeful for you - On mine, one did, one didn't had to cut out the didn't.

Mine are reassembled if you need pics (they are off the car)

BTW - FWIW - The washer I coldn't figure out what to do with was - 20 - seated at the bottom of the dust caps.

Go at it!

 

[regularman]

You can buy new threaded bushings for the end of the A arms where the fulcrum pin screws in. I think they were 9 dollars a set compared with $100 for new A arms. They are brazed/silver soldered in.

 

[kcbugeye1275]

Agree with above. If all else fails, when removing you can have the arm linebored and then bolt with a high grade bolt. Undercoating is the way to go in the wheel wells. Good luck with both your future things to do.

 

[blkcorvair]

cut both mine with a grinding wheel. Sawsall too slow. Onlt took a moment. Slapped new kingpins and fulcrum pins in while I was there but old king pins looked great coming out. (now Ive got some spares.)