Cant drive my dart anymore

I decided to get my dart out yesterday and wash it up and take it out driving being it was so nice out. Been sitting for 8 months or so in the garage. I took it down the road and had fun with it. I was turning around and heard a pop under the front end and i had never heard that before. I got it back home and raised the front end up and the the upper control arm bushings and the upper ball joints are absolutely SHOT! I almost pooped my pants when i saw how loose they were! I immediately thanked God for letting me still be here and for my car not being destroyed being i was going pretty fast in it and it sure could have come apart on me. Anyways, now i dont know what to do because i dont know anyone in the area that could do the front end rebuild. This may sound stupid being i built the engine and everything else myself, but i dont know much about front end stuff and dont have the presses or tools for ball joints and stuff, then theres the torsion bars..hearing horror stories about them hurting people really bad because they didnt know what they were doing.. I have a really nice kelsey-hayes disk brake set up sitting in the garage that i bought almost 20 years ago that ive never put on the car because i dont feel confident in doing the work.. So, i dont know what im going to do about getting this front end rebuilt.

Dig out your service manual and read through the procedures a few times. It's a chore, but not really a bad job. You'll need a socket for the upper ball joints. The rest of the stuff you probably have already. Loosen the tension on the torsion bars and they are pretty harmless. Take your time, and be careful. You'll be back on the road soon.

Is that socket still available for the upper ball joint?

Really not that big a deal. Just typical suspension wear items that need replaced. If you only need the upper items replaced (which I doubt) all you need to do is release the preload on the torsion bars and you are good to go on the upper items. You don't even need a press. Except for the alignment, any competent mechanic should be able to change the upper ball joints and bushings. It's not that hard.

Now the lower control arm bushings are quite a bit more involved. And unless they have been changed, will be in similar condition.

If we weren't so far apart, I would help you with it.

I got my first car when I was 16, a 1973 Gold Duster. It was as clean as a pin and ran perfectly until one day when the lights dimmed and it sputtered to a stop. After having it towed home my dad (who knows cars very well) helped me identify the problem (bad alternator) and pointed it out to me (nope, I didn't even know what an alternator was yet). He pointed to his toolbox and handed me a Chiltons Repair manual and said " Now go fix it". That's how I learned, I loved the challenge and learned that I enjoyed working on the car, within a month I was doing engine swaps.

My suggestion? dig into it and give it a try, it's not that difficult (or dangerous) if you do some reading first (also, Youtube can be very helpful). Most muffler or brake shops can do any pressing out of parts on the cheap if you don't want to buy special tools but these days you can get a lot of the items you'll need dirt cheap at Harbor Freight, or used on Craigslist.

.02

yeah, from several sources now.
when I bought mine, it was a specialty item and I had to find a snapon truck to get it.
today you can pick one up pretty much at any of the major sellers.
heck some parts stores even "rent" it out.

you didn't say what year dart, as that makes a difference.
The a-bods through model year 1972 use the smaller socket.
73-76 use the larger.
which is the same as the b body and c-body size.
Middle size as there is a larger for trucks and some d-bodies.

This guy used a weird 10 dollar socket
https://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/threads/10-upper-ball-joint-socket-really.280871/

but I have seen them as cheap as 12 bucks for the correct one.

In addition to the upper ball joint socket mentioned above the only other special tool that is very helpful is a torsion bar removal tool. There are several different styles available, just check any of the Mopar suppliers. You may be able to improvise something yourself but be sure to not nick or gouge the torsion bar or you will create a stress riser and a place for it to break. Otherwise I've always been able to improvise tools for removing or installing bushing etc.

Go for it yourself so you know it will be done right!

Where in Middle TN are you?

Whomever told you this



must have some seriously brown eyes.

Unless you drop the thing on your foot or something like that.

If you're careful you can use a pipewrench with a cheater bar to remove the upper balljoints (do them with the A-arms still mounted in the car). The upper bushings are pretty easy to change as well. No need to undo the torsion bars to service the upper A-arms However you best check the condition of the lower balljoints, bushings and tie rod ends, pitman and idler arm as well.

You can buy the entire rebuilt a-arm as well. No need for special tools.

X2 on this

we have a regular press at work (GM shop) that i could get someone to do the A-arm bushings. I think what im worried about is the torsion bars..I have no clue about them..I did NOT know you needed a special tool to remove them though..?

Can you buy the rebuilt lower control arms with new bushings already installed being the lower is the one thats said to be the pain to replace the bushings?

I sell them rebuilt.

https://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopa...ll-the-62-76-a-body-line-of-cars.427755/

torson bars are no big deal.
you don't need special tools.
I have pulled 4 or 5 sets doing rebuilds or replacing them over the years and have never needed any special tools.

Generally I raise the front end, then loosen the adjuster on the torsion bars till they have slack, and then have a jack stand just a little lower than the lower control arm. then pop the upper ball joint. When it gives, it drops right one to the jack stand, controling its spring.
Then I use a jack to pick it up and then lower it with the knuckle till it is unloaded and just hanging there.
you can then use another jack or jack stand to support the knuckle as you unbolt the lower ball joint.

Then you can use like a tie rod puller to break the lower balljoint off the lower control arm.

Or you can do it the lower balljoint first and unbolt it from the knuckle later, instead of popping the upper first.

Once the lower control arm is down all the way no tension is left on the torsion bar.

I then note the indexing and if it is resting on part of the frame.
That is the flats on the torsion bar orientation to the lower control arm.

there is a retaining clip in the rear of the torsion bar, and all the years of crud have to be cleaned out.

Unbolt the lower control arm pin and hammer it back to push out the torsion bar.
hammer the control arm forward with the torsion bar cocked a bit to lock it in place to get the lower control arm off.

probably a few items like the shocks and strut rods I missed. but those all unbolt first too.
Might as well replace all those bushings while you are under there.

I usually take a week. unbolt it all, then clean them up and repaint pieces, then bolt it all back together.

you can piece together parts, or order a kit from PST or some others.

As said above, you can order parts from places like firm feel with stuff already installed on it.
like ball joints and bushings.
but most machine shops will do the press in and out for 10 bucks a bushing. Depending on if they have done it before.

All good stuff but those LCA bushings are pretty stupid to get out. The torsion bars are really simple and I have no problem getting them out of the way to replace a starter for instance. To the OP I think you should look at it as an opportunity to either get dirty with it, it is a filthy job, or upgrade the parts and take it to a pro to set up for you. Buy a factory service manual for the car or car line. They are the single best investment for keeping this old crud running.

I like this idea! So they are literally ready to bolt back in the car besides painting them? Do they need primer first or is this coating on them ready to accept paint? These alone seem like they could help me a lot..Im not sure how hard the bushings would be to replace by our front end guy at work with our press so maybe have to do this.. Are they hard to replace even when you have a press?

When I did the front end on my car I pulled the control arms out and took them to a shop to have ball joints and bushing pressed in. You don't have to do that yourself if you don't want to.

I sure hope you didn't get you ball joints pressed in. they are screw in types

I've never had to use a press to change control arm bushings. Just a piece of pipe, all thread and large washers.

they don't need paint.
http://www.firmfeel.com/a_body_mopar_upper_control_arms.html

http://www.firmfeel.com/a_body_mopar_lower_control_arm_reinforcement.html

but it is a significant cost over pressing out and unscrewing pieces and bolting this stuff back in instead.

Highly unlikely you need torsion bars, leave them alone.
Buy the preassembled upper control arms and bolt them in.

The torsion bars are not usually too hard to get out. But once in a while one will be difficult. I use a 1" rope clamp on them and hammer on it for the really difficult ones. Cheap, handy and effective.

Some people (I think Eberg described them as "shivvy cretins") will clamp a vice grip onto the t-bar and smack it with a hammer to drive it out. You want to avoid this because any grooves that you cut into the bar can cause it to splinter later. The factory made a tool to remove the bars without damaging them, but there are other ways.

ah, now i understand how they come out when you said they clamp vise grips to them and hit them to make them come out! Thank you! Now it makes sense..i wasnt sure what was meant about using a special tool to get them out.. SO, how does the special tool work without clamping onto them? (im hoping i can grab them and pull them out with my hands, but probably just wishful thinking)

The factory tool is a two piece clamp with a diamond shaped hole. Think "wall-drive" socket. I have to wonder if you could slip a piece of hose over the bar, and attach the vice grip over that. It might take a little longer but if it doesn't nick or scratch the bar, it should be ok.

I have removed and helped remove literally dozens and dozens ( heck, maybe hundreds) of torsion bars over the years but have never seen one of the factory tools 'in the field'. And I have seen many bars with serious marks on them from previous removals. But in all my years working on these cars, I can only remember seeing a couple of broken bars. And we often used old 6 cylinder bars under our big blocks along with weak shocks to 'help' with the launch. Torsion bars are not indestructible, but they are really tough.

Usually, removing the lower control arm shaft nut and then prying the LCA back and forth will break the torsion bar loose enough to be able to work it on back and then on out of the sockets. But occasionally, a bar will resist coming out of the sockets enough that it will require being driven back. That means getting a hold of the round shaft with enough grip that a hammer can be deployed. This is where the Vice Grips can come in. And they can work, but will leave deep gouges in the bar. Definitely not good.

The challenge is to be able to grip the round bar with enough grip to be able to hammer it back and yet not damage the bar.

Rope clamps are about the only handy items I know of that have enough grip on the bar without damaging the bar so that it can be driven out. And I have seen bars stuck bad enough that they needed 2 rope clamps backing each other to provide enough grip.

For a guy like the OP that is only likely to pull one set of bars, what are his choices to remove a difficult bar without damaging it?

I made a poor man's tool. Took two pieces of 2x4 and screwed them together to make a 4x4. Drilled a hole down the middle through the seam where the two meet. Drill the hole with a wood bit a smaller diameter than your bars. I can't remember what size I used, 3/4 probably. Clamp the pieces of wood around the bar and fire in a couple screws to keep the wood aligned. Then clamp the hell out of it with 3 or 4 big c-clamps. Then hammer away on the wood. Do it right and the wood can grab good but not mark up the bar.

The T-bars are always cocked into the LCA socket. Take a pipe wrench to the LCA socket and uncock the T-bar. Pretty much falls out.

I got out in the garage today and got the car on jackstands and removed the wheels and sprayed everything with PB blaster, the stupid can ran out of pressure with it still being 3/4 full of oil..Makes me mad, what a waste, so i will go buy more. I got the shocks took off. I started on the torsion bar tension and stopped because i am not sure on which way to go to loosen the tension. Im ASSUMING its the normal counter clockwise to remove the tension from them? Also, if it IS counter clockwise, is it that way on both sides or is one side reversed..?

One way is tighter and the other way is looser (the looser is the way you want to go . . .) . . .

Both sides the same. CCW to loosen. Righty tighty and lefty loosy.

wheres the cheapest place to buy moog lower ball joints?

Amazon

I have only used Moog for many, many years, but they are now made overseas and I actually got a counterfeit set a couple of years ago.

Proforged is my go-to ball joint now. Available at most places including Rockauto, Amazon and Jegs.

I buy a lot from Rock Auto, only one issue so far when I got the wrong product in the right box. Since Moog is crap anymore I just buy what's ever middle of the pack price-wise. I'm guessing it would take most of us a couple decades to put 40-50k on the odometer, so really what does it matter.

There are only two potential gotchas in this deal, otherwise everything is straight forward mechanical work. 1st, release tension off the torsion bars. Do this and they are safer and easier to work with than coil springs. 2nd, upper ball joints require a special socket. If you don't want to borrow or rent this socket, than any machine shop can screw in the replacement ball joints for you. I trust you have machine shops near by enough to support your engine work. They can also hot tank parts to clean them and press bushings into your control arms.

FYI Mancini has a complete kit for doing the job $160 on sale. I have it but have not used it yet so I cannot speak for it's function.

https://www.manciniracing.com/unfrsuprotok.html

If you are removing the lower control arms then there is no need for a special tool to remove to torsion bars. Loosen the big nut holding the lca pin that goes thru the k member WITH THE T BAR AT FULL TENSION. That will help to hold the pin in place and not spin if the LCA bushing is tore up. Once the nut is cracked loose on the LCA pin, THEN loosen the t bar adjuster. Pull the clip out of the end of the t bar socket on the trans x member. Unbolt the lower BJ from the spindle or remove the lower bj from the control arm.. Unbolt the control arm strut from the k frame. Use a big pry bar, screwdriver, tie rod fork, whatever, and pry between the k frame and lower control arm. The t bar will come out with the lower control arm.
If you are going to replace the bushings, REPLACE THEM ALL - STRUT ROD, LOWER CTL ARM AND UPPER CTL ARM. Yea. it's a lot, but all of them are important to hold the alignment - any of them shot and all your other work is for nothing.

Important: unscrew the upper ball joints while the control arms are still installed on the car. I had mine in a big vice bolted to a big metal table with my lead casting equipment on the bottom shelf and I was still dragging the table around my shop before the screw in ball joints cracked loose on my dart. Just did a dakota a few months ago and I needed ox/a heat and leaning hard on a 6’ cheater bar before the upper ball joints started unscrewing.

well i ended up having to remove the upper control arm, lower control arm and knuckle all together as an assembly because i could NOT get the lower ball joint to let loose from the control arm..Ive never had that issue before! I really need my lower control arm to rebuild for this but i dont know how i can separate it from those stubborn ball joints.. I literally beat the cast knuckle with a 10 pound sledge hammer while someone else stood on a 6 foot pry bar and they would not budge..