field report: quickstrut,LCA,inner/outer tie rods, sway bar links

So as others have read in "time quote for new front suspension" I installed new quickstruts, 1 lower control arm (I'd just done the other one 4 weeks ago, new inner and outer tie rod ends and stabilizer bar links today. I used Moog components which have zirk fittings for grease. My van is a 3.8L, 2000. It's got 130,000 km on bumpy roads.

I started at 9:15, finished by 5:00 pm on the dot and had 3/4 hour off for lunch. Pretty good time really. I'm quite impressed with how well it went.


First off, every nut/bolt that was to come out or loosen was sprayed with PB blaster. I removed the cowl fully. This made access easy.

I removed both calipers and hung them with tie wraps. The ABS line was loosened from the clamp. The first thing I did was remove the existing struts/springs. The pinch bolt at the bottom came out easily and I used a spring compressor to ease the bottom out of the wheel knuckle. The top 3 nuts came off easily. Once the strut was out I tried, just for a laugh, to see if the quickstrut would just fit in without compression. Luckily it did! So, I installed the quickstrut torqued the pinch bolt. I did add red locktite to the pinch bolt as there was evidence of it on there originally. The other side was just as easy. Next I removed the outer tie rod end from the steering knuckle. It popped off with the help of a tie rod tool (the one that has a gripping set of 2 fingers with a threaded shaft that tightens to push the tie rod threaded shaft out). Next I removed the stabilizer bar links. I had to use an 8mm socket and hold the large nut with a pair of vice grips as the bolt turned and I didn't have a wrench to fit the bolt on the link. 18mm I think. They gave a bit of resistance but came out. I found it easy to remove both L and R, then torque up the bottom nut on the L and R side, then rotate the stabilizer bar upward and attach it to the new quickstruts at the top. I then removed the single lower control arm. It is pretty easy to remove and the new one slipped in without too much effort. As the quickstrut was already installed the hub didn't fall down and the CV joint didn't suffer too much. Next I measured the outer tie rods and made a mark on the inner for reference. The outers came off really easy. I was kinda wondering when the "problem" would occur as they always seem to do. Well the inner tie rod was a challenge. The special tie rod removal tool I bought (basically a 18" socket that's 1 5/16") wouldn't slip over the OEM inner tie rod as it had the ball and then the wrench flats closer to the rack. Any wrench was was too long so I was kinda stuck. I called our local Ford and talked to the service guy. He managed to lend me a crow's foot version of the same tool. (I owe them 2 dozen donuts!). I had to turn the wheel so that the rack was partially out to the driver's side so that I could get an adjustable wrench on to hold the rack during untorquing the inner tie rod. It made a huge bang when it let go and I thought for sure I'd broken the whole rack. Anyway, no apparent damage. Once the old inners were off the new inners installed well with the 18" socket I'd bought. They get torqued to 74 ft-lbs. Hold the rack again!. The inner tie rod boots were slipped on, nylon tie and clamps installed, the little tube which connects them was a PITA to install but doable. Then I centered the rack again as I'd had to move it (as if making a R turn). I attached the new outer tie rod jam nut, then the tie rod end. My measurements were used for reference and the jam nut tightened. I lowered the van, torqued the lower control arm to the 98 ft-lbs the FSM calls for (weight of the van has to be on the LCA before it gets torqued). The cowl was put on, wipers installed.

I took it for a test drive and found a huge scraping, grinding sound. :banghead: . I stopped and found that the rotor protector plate had got bent and was rubbing on the rotor. Easily fixed. Then, feeling really proud, I drove home and hear a clunk then a really bad grinding sound. Extra :banghead: :banghead: . I was only about 400 yards from home so I limped back to the driveway. Upon pulling the wheel off I found one of the pinch bolts I'd pulled off the old tie rod had got jammed in the rotor/plate. I checked everywhere and all connectors were solid so I'm pretty confident that nothing has fallen off. Fortunately I have my mechanic friend doing an alignment in 2 days and the van won't be driven much if at all before that.

Tomorrow I'll upload pictures I had taken while I was doing the work. My hands are too sore and I need a faster connection to post them.

For what it's worth, my:2cents:

Piper

Soon, Ill have to do the same, minus the rotor shield rub! "Ive done this too hehe Its always nice to get the job done and know your going to get another 100k outta them..

Piper -

Wow! A long day, but it sounds like things went pretty well. Yeah, you had two "gotcha" moments at the end of the day, but both were easy to solve and didn't do any damage. So I count it a good day.

You're very fortunate to have such an accomodating dealer nearby; I doubt I could get that kind of cooperation from my local dealer. Treat them well; a few dozen donuts is a small price to pay for their help.

You mentioned grease fittings on some of the new components: Which parts now have fittings, and where are they located? Does it look like they'll be difficult to get to, or placed in a manner that they risk damage on the road?

The moog parts that have grease fittings are the outer tie rod ends and the stabilizer bar links (both top and bottom attachments points). The LCA, also a moog, doesn't have a grease fitting which I thought was kinda stupid but it does come with a lifetime warranty, so yep, I'll be taking them up on that in 40,000 km!. The grease fittigns are very easy to get to and the stabilizer bar links actually have a sticker on them reminding you to install the link with the zirk the right direction. I have a flexible shaft grease gun which allows for access pretty well. The wheel has to come off but I only really imagine doing greasing when I remove my snow tires and install summer tires so twice a year is fine I think.

Piper

The grease fittings are nice - and even the stabilizer bar links!

Still, the one grease fitting I'd like to see is for the ball joint. I suspect putting a fitting on the bottom of the LCA risks damage, and there's no space on top. Oh well, I'll stick with the grease gun needle method.

Here are some photos. Not fantastic but you'll get the idea.http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2042954500103248450ZrWBCp

Thanks for the pictures! Hmmm - Any pics of the new LCA?

Let us know how the alignment works. I'd be curious to see how close your tie rod measurement technique got to the final numbers.

Hi Phil

I added the only pic I have of the new LCA. It's not very good but does show it. I wasn't the one taking the photos so I didn't seem them till after the whole job was done.

Piper

Thanks for the picture! Yeah, I've taken a lot of pictures to document some projects - and it really does add time. It goes like this: Stop work; wipe hands; take picture; wait - reposition parts for better view; take another picture; oops - got grease on camera...

At first glance, the LCA bolts look to be pretty painful to remove. You didn't mention problems in this area. Are there tricks that help, or do things simply come apart without hassle?

Suprisingly the LCA wasn't a big deal. I undid the pinch bolt at the bottom, wedged a 2x4 between the frame and the steering knuckle and pushed down. Both sides came out easily. You do have to remove the pinch bolt fully as the ball shaft has an undercut to accept the bolt though. From there I undid the rearward bolt and nut, then the front. The front one (on my 2000 3.8) had a 10mm head on the "inside" of the frame. This bolt head has to be held while the larger, visible nut is removed. I just put a 10mm socket/handle on it and cranked on the nut. Once the nut is off, I used the socket to unthread the bolt. The only thing to watch for is that if you use a deep socket by the time the bolt is unscrewed the depth of the socket makes it impossible to remove the bolt and socket/handle. Using a shallow socket works fine. I actually used a shallow socket the second time I did it to "crack" the nut and then switched to a gear wrench which worked like a piece of cake. If you've got one of those the job works even faster. Once the 2 bolts were off the LCA just fell out. Reinstalling the new one I put the forward attachment in first with the bolt just thru the frame and the LCA, then pushed the rear attachment point into place and put the bolt thru. I then used a bottle jack to push the ball part into the steering knuckle. It didn't take any force at all to do this. Attach the 3 nuts, torque the pinch bolt fully but leave the 2 frame nuts until the wheel is back on and the van is on all 4's. Only then are the LCA frame bolts torqued which does involve a bit of wheel turning to get the torque wrench on.

Piper

A link to a picture of my Moog Lower Control Arm on my '96.
You can see the grease fitting.
I had the work done by my local independant shop.
http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2463787290011220610PMGWiC

The picture right before this one shows the front view.
I had the original strut/springs replaced with the Monroe "Quick Strut", original LCA on driver's side and original wheel bearing on front passenger side replaced.
The stabilizer links were also replaced....as the old ones melted when they used the "blue wrench" to heat up the bolts to get the strut assemlies out.

So I had the alignment done today after all the work. The shop is really great and gave me the computer print out. I totally trust them to do the job right. Here is what they found.

New components installed by me but before alignment:

L toe range: min -0.12, max 0.03 -- My setting was 0.33
R toe range: min -0.12, max 0.03 -- My setting was 0.47

After alignment:

L toe 0.01
R toe 0.00

Considering I was doing this on my driveway with a tape measure and scriber and 2 eyes, I think I did pretty good!

Anyway, thanks for everyone's help.

Piper

Looks good! Enjoy driving your newly-rejuvenated van.