Front Suspension / Steering Overhaul - advice?

[cometcyclonemk]

Hey guys,

So after driving my car sans power steering for about a month now, I've finally taken the plunge and made my order from Maximum Motorsports.

On the way to me now is:

Flaming River Manual Steering Rack
Steering Rack Bushings
Solid Steering Shaft
Adjustable Tie-Rod Ends - bolt through style
Sway bar mounting bushings and end links
Front Control Arm Bushings

I also have a set of J&M CC plates and a set of dropzone lowering springs that came with the car when I bought it.

Here come the questions:

From the vibe I get on the interweb - dropzone = garbage so don't even bother putting them in?

Any tips or tricks for installing the above items?

Anything else you would recommend doing on a 100 and some-odd thousand mile car that's probably all original in the suspension area? Not looking to spend a whole lot more, but if there's something else cheap / easy to do while it's all apart it'd be nice to save from the hassle later on.

Also, does anyone in the Portland, OR area have a bump-steer gauge or perhaps know a way to set that up without one?

Thanks in advance for the help

[Mr. Pink]

Are you going to re-position the alternator once the power steering pump is gone? If so, you'll need the proper bracket....look for an alternator bracket out of a late '70's Pinto that had manual steering. Don't forget that you'll need a new belt too.

[Horsewidower]

How are the ball joints?

[cometcyclonemk]

Mr. Pink - Is there an advantage to moving the alternator? I already have the belt - that's how I've been getting around this last month

Horsewidower - They're jointy? I don't really know how to tell what kind of shape they're in...

[Mr. Pink]

Mr. Pink - Is there an advantage to moving the alternator? I already have the belt - that's how I've been getting around this last month

No....no advantage....other then looks. Once you take the power steering pump out and bracket you need to find another option to secure the alternator.

[Horsewidower]

Search is your friend:

http://www.svoca.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21515&highlight=Ball+Joints

[f14peter]

How are your struts? I know, counter to your "Not looking to spend a whole lot more" approach, but a critical element. Mine are in the process of getting replaced (along with most of the suspension), and they're the originals ... dang front end would yo-yo horribly going down the road. While you have everything torn apart makes replacement easy-sleazy.

Replacing springs or not, might consider replacement spring insulators in poly or factory-type rubber. I'm going with poly in the front to minimize the drop from the Eibach springs.

May want to think about tapping in grease fittings (and notching the bushings) on the control arms, keep those new bushing lubbed and quiet.

[cometcyclonemk]

So the ball joint indicators are sticking out pretty far so they should be fine.
Struts seem pretty good to me - no yo-yo-ing... The isolators look to be in good shape as well.

Thanks for the advice so far guys, I'm going to start tearing it apart Thursday so we'll see how it goes.

[svono50]

Are you going to re-position the alternator once the power steering pump is gone? If so, you'll need the proper bracket....look for an alternator bracket out of a late '70's Pinto that had manual steering. Don't forget that you'll need a new belt too.

Other vehicle options are 79-8? Mustang/Capri's with manual steering. My former '80 Mustang n/a 4-cyl was this way. The top bracket was steel and came straight out from the 3 mounting screws, while there was a cast aluminum bottom bracket for the alternator's bottom pivot point. Only advantage would be a shorter belt setup and a lot more clearance to your alternator or rotated intake.

[cometcyclonemk]

Well, the front end is now completely disassembled... No suspension, no steering. After taking it all apart I spent a few hours degreasing / cleaning everything of the 25 years of road grime and sludge. Anyway I have a few questions about the reassembly...

I need new ball joint boots... After searching it seems SVPU is the only place to have them. Their website says out of stock... Any other place to get them?

My front brake lines are beginning to crack, so I'd like to replace them... Hopefully with stainless braided ones. Searching makes it seem like motion-dynamics and svpu carry them along with summit. Motion-Dynamics web site has been down for a long time now I think and their number comes up as disconnected. SVPU doesn't have them on their website and apparently took a 3 day weekend because their phone just went to voice mail. Summit wouldn't ship until the 20th of July. Does anyone know the quickest way to get these?

[SVO4PWR2]

we like pics around here ya know...
C ya @ the 09 Reunion!
-RICH-

[Mr. Pink]

Yeah, the Earl's brake lines you're looking at never seem to be in stock. I had a set on order at one time and it took so long that the order was automatically canceled. If you need to get the car back on the road you're probably going to have to use the stock rubber ones....order the SS Lines and wait for them to come in and then install at a future date.

[cometcyclonemk]

As awesome as going to the reunion would be... I'm not sure that driving across the country and missing the most of the 2nd and 3rd weeks of class will be in the books this year... Assuming this whole degree deal actually works out, once I get a job with the ability to take time off, I'll gladly go

As far as pics... Here are some I snapped with my phone during the process. I'll take more as I start to paint things and put it all back together.

[cometcyclonemk]

Some more. Pretty exciting stuff...

[SVO4PWR2]

Books smooks ... Total Estimated Time: 35 hours 31 minutes
Total Estimated Distance: 2397.67 miles

Good job, Keep it up!

-RICH-