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Re: My first A body.
[Re: Crizila]
#2291748
04/21/17 07:31 PM
04/21/17 07:31 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,158
Park Forest, IL
slantzilla
Too Many Posts
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Too Many Posts
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,158
Park Forest, IL
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John, IIRC you can take the clip out of tge torsion bar anchor, back the torsion bars off, loosen the nuts up on the LCA, and drive them back far enough to get the strut rods out without pulling everything apart.
Bent strut rods will cause odd alignment issues too, but as Mike said, check the frame rail real good.
My copper Duster had been whacked hard enough on the driver's side it had ripped the UCA mounts off. They had been welded back on.
"Everybody funny, now you funny too."
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Re: My first A body.
[Re: MR_P_BODY]
#2291787
04/21/17 09:28 PM
04/21/17 09:28 PM
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 7,506
Az
Crizila
OP
master
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OP
master
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 7,506
Az
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Nice looking Duster John! Check the front end really well, probably has all the bushings rotted out. Check all the torsion bar mounting points too, A bodies rust/break in those areas a lot. Thanks Big D. Actually, torsion bar mounts look good. I will look more carefully for cracking in that area. Ball joints are good ( some one has done some work on it at some point in time ). Upper control arm bushing are fare ( will replace them anyway ). Both strut rods are bent and could use new bushings. Do I have to do something with the lower control arms in order to get the strut rods out so I can straighten them? Don't want to change the lower control arm bushings as they seem ok. Still haven't figured out why I can't get the camber in line on the left side ( negative 3 degrees and out of adjustment )? Something gotta be bent, just aint seeing it yet. Could be the frame mounting points? Under body of car ( floors, wheel houses, rear extensions, unibody frames, K frame / mounts, are all rust free. Might consider sub-frame connectors while I am down this far - could need them with that 300 HP nitrous shot to that 225.  99% of the time when its that far out something is BENT in the front end.. look at the frame rail on that side.. doesnt take much.. to be that much out I would say that car was hit in that corner EDIT Years ago I use to do frame straightening on cars of that era and normally it was bent.. if you cant get the front end to get into spec   Just don't see it yet. Frame eyeballs straight, but the front upper control arm mount on the frame ( where the excentric adjustments are)looks suspect to me - welding is too "birdshitty" to be factory IMO. Also, the left front fender has some filler in it.
Fastest 300
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Re: My first A body.
[Re: Crizila]
#2292013
04/22/17 10:47 AM
04/22/17 10:47 AM
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 19,307
north of coder
moparx
"Butt Crack Bob"
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"Butt Crack Bob"
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 19,307
north of coder
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Also, the left front fender has some filler in it. back in the early to mid 70's a friend and i were at the auto auction we attended on a weekly basis, and looking at a car we were interested in bidding on. while we were inspecting it, an old guy popped between us and said in a quiet, no nonsense voice : "cars with bondo are unsafe !" then he just disappeared, leaving us to look at each other as, "did this just happen ?"  we looked around, and he was just GONE. no trace of him. never saw him during the rest of the auction, and never saw him again ! we still talk of this event to this day ! so just take that as a warning...........  
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Re: My first A body.
[Re: slantzilla]
#2292308
04/22/17 08:12 PM
04/22/17 08:12 PM
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 7,506
Az
Crizila
OP
master
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OP
master
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 7,506
Az
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John, IIRC you can take the clip out of tge torsion bar anchor, back the torsion bars off, loosen the nuts up on the LCA, and drive them back far enough to get the strut rods out without pulling everything apart.
Bent strut rods will cause odd alignment issues too, but as Mike said, check the frame rail real good.
My copper Duster had been whacked hard enough on the driver's side it had ripped the UCA mounts off. They had been welded back on. Did that today Dennis. Worked good. Thanks. Just kidding on the Nitrous system - at this time. 
Fastest 300
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Re: My first A body.
[Re: dvw]
#2292318
04/22/17 08:24 PM
04/22/17 08:24 PM
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 7,506
Az
Crizila
OP
master
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OP
master
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 7,506
Az
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If it has negative camber for sure the lower bushings are toast. Don't mess around. New lowers, offset uppers and good strut rod bushings. I took my strut rods and cut the threaded ends off. Turn them down the ends a touch on the lathe and connect with moly tubing. Make them 3/8" shorter. Pulls the lower arm forward slightly increasing caster. Cheap, strong, light, easy. This combined with offset upper bushings (forward location) will usually get acceptable alignment results, done many.
Doug This car does not have the conventional shaft mount for the upper control arms like B cars. It has 2 separate frame mounts that use eccentric bolts for adjustment. the arms take regular bushings - no offset stuff like B cars. At this time, I'm pretty sure my problem lies in the upper control arm mounts - where they are welded to the frame. The front mount looks like it has been rewelded - incorrectly. Heat, porta-power, welder, BMFH, will fix it.
Fastest 300
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Re: My first A body.
[Re: Crizila]
#2292358
04/22/17 09:37 PM
04/22/17 09:37 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,158
Park Forest, IL
slantzilla
Too Many Posts
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Too Many Posts
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,158
Park Forest, IL
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Moog makes offset bushings for A bodies too.
"Everybody funny, now you funny too."
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Re: My first A body.
[Re: slantzilla]
#2293168
04/24/17 12:04 PM
04/24/17 12:04 PM
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 7,506
Az
Crizila
OP
master
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OP
master
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 7,506
Az
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Moog makes offset bushings for A bodies too. Checked - you're right Dennis. I will order a set up. That will probably get me real close on the camber problem without a lot of "extra curricular" activity. I will press the strut rods back straight and install new bushings there. Upper and lower ball joints, lower control arm bushings, are all good, and I have replaced the inner / outer tie rods, adjuster sleeves, shocks, and idler arm, so I should be good to go up front. Next stop - brakes.
Fastest 300
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