RobKarloff

Hey dudes, about to take off the old a-arms from my HQ subframe and get all the parts powdercoated before rebuilding. I have new bushes, balljoints, etc that I bought from RareSpares maybe 2 years ago now. Just wondering if there are any good tips or methods for this?

For example, I see there is an arrangement of spacer plates between the subframe mounting point and the pivot bar that the top a-arm mounts to, I guess for setting the caster/camber. I guess I should keep these together and make sure I get them back on the way they came off with only a thin lick of paint for protection?

Also I guess looking at it that I will need to carefully cut out the old top a-arm bushes to remove them and the pivot bar they mount on? And I guess I will need to use a large vice or a hydraulic press and some suitable sockets to fit the new bushes to the top arm with the pivot bar in place?

Probably obvious to you guys but it's not an arrangment I've seen on any old cars here in Scotland or on any of the yanks I've helped out on.

Cheers,
Rob - Aberdeen.

ahk068

How did a hq end up in scotland?

76lxhatch

Yes keep all the shims in the same spot so you don't upset your wheel alignment. No need to cut anything to get the top arm out, once the pivot bar is undone you should be able to take it out complete by pivoting it the arm up high enough and sliding the bar off its mounting bolts (double nut them and knock them out of the subframe similar to a wheel stud if you can't manage to do so). You will need a press to remove and refit the bushes in both upper and lower arms, as well as the ball joint in the lower arm. Make or find suitable pieces of steel to support the arms while pressing or you will warp and damage them (especially the uppers), you'll find you need a few pieces of pipe the right size to make this work, exhaust tubing is normally good enough.

RobKarloff

Well it hitched a ride on a ship from NZ to sunny England, then it took a rest break on a driveway in the Midlands for a few years. Then it hitched a ride on a trailer up to bonnie Scotland eh

RobKarloff

Cheers for the info. Pretty much what I figured and my friend has a hydraulic press so no probs there hopefully.

pistoncrazy

Push the bushes in before you powder coat or paint or youll most likely scratch, crack, fu*k the nice new paint job....Take your time to mask em up, itll be well worth it.. Dont put to much in depth thought into the shims location because if your replaceing the bushes (because they are off centre and flogged out) you'll have to re-align anyway cause it'll be up the shit. Also dont fit any polyurethane bushes in the load bearing wish bone (lower) makes em ride hard and crack chassis....everywhere else is fine.. The more time you spend making the spacers so the arms dont colapse the better... clean out the arms with course emry not removeing to much metal... and put some good ol engine oil on the steel outer of the bush when you press em in goes easier with-out gauling. Good luck.