Fighting the front end... • The Dodge Challenger Message Board

by **Hans (72challenger)** » 18 Oct 2002 11:09

Can anybody help me with explaining what the best way is to remove the upper & lower arm, steering knuckle and steering gearbox? I can't get them out of the car! Already fighting them for quite a while now so I thought to ask you what to remove first and how/what/where... (steering linkage, discs, engine etc. are already removed from the car) Thanks so far!

by **Hans (72challenger)** » 18 Oct 2002 16:48

Just found everything out, problems are solved. Maybe not in the way it normally should go, but everything is out of the car ready to be blasted and painted.

by **Hans (72challenger)** » 11 Jan 2003 9:55

Now I'm in process of installing the suspension again I have a little problem with the ball joints. In the polygraphite PST kit I have, there are 4 ball joint seals (two different ones) but how can I see which two are for the upper ones and which for the lower ones?? The PST kit does not have any instructions of what so ever... Any help would be appriciated.

by **Hans (72challenger)** » 11 Jan 2003 14:56

Just found another thing; the ends of the front sway bar are not straight, they're bended a little bit. When you look from the side of the car to the sway bar; should the ends of the sway bar look like this mouth

or like this one

. Don't laugh, I didn't knew how else to ask it... I thought it should be like the uhoh smiley but then the end link doesn't look good. Anybody can check his/hers out??

by **Luke (Luke)** » 11 Jan 2003 15:46

Sorry but I couldent help myself.

by **Dave-R (Roppa440)** » 11 Jan 2003 16:01

The seals can go on any ball joint you like. As long as they fit it does not matter.

Make sure that you put the left hand threaded track rod ball joints to the inside of the car on both sides.

Not sure about the sway bar. I suppose they have to sit with the ends at 90 degrees to the attaching points at each end when the car is sitting on the ground.

by **Christer (Christer)** » 11 Jan 2003 16:14

I would choose the laughing smiley....
I guess the bend is there because some types of front end installations require added clearence in this area. Bend=Added clearence.

by **Hans (72challenger)** » 11 Jan 2003 21:14

I went for the laughing smiley, the end link looked way better this way. In the uhoh-way it even look worse cause the middle piece (the 'spacer') was 1" longer then the old one. So now it's like the laughing smiley with the spacer cut off 1" and it looks perfect now. So another problem solved.

Dave what do you mean with the track rod ball joints?? Inner tie rods?

by **Dave-R (Roppa440)** » 12 Jan 2003 0:02

Yep. Inner tie rod ball joints.

by **Hans (72challenger)** » 21 Jan 2003 18:49

Can anybody try to explain me how to install the torsion bars? I cleaned the hex ends of it greased these a bit, then I should be able to pull the bars to the front so the rear end goes straight in the rear anchor and after that insert the clip. But when pulling the bars to the front they offcourse have to go into the lower arm also. But in what way should the lower arm (adjusting bolt & that piece which holds the bar) be positioned when installing the bars. Should they be as loose as possible or what?

BTW, the suspension is under no load. Even not all bolts are torqued to specs yet. Thanks all!

by **Dave-R (Roppa440)** » 21 Jan 2003 19:48

Push the bar through the trans crossmember and then forward until it goes into the LCA. You should have the suspension height adjuster completely removed.

by **Hans (72challenger)** » 23 Jan 2003 17:17

I know what you mean Dave, but about that part which put the torsion bars under load by turning the adjusting bolt. Should that be as clockwise as possible or about horizontal (inline with the lower arm) so when the car is under load (that automatically puts load on the bars) you could turn the adjusting bolt both directions. (what if you have to loosen it a bit to change rideheight?) Offcourse I can't turn the bars 'a little' bit because of the hexed ends of the bar. Basicly you have 6 positions for the lower arm when installing the bar. Hope my question makes any sense...

by **Dave-R (Roppa440)** » 23 Jan 2003 17:28

With the adjuster bolt and the bit it screws into removed completely, let the lower control arm drop down as far as it will go. Install the bar so that the LCA is as close to this position as possible. Then put the height adjuster back in and screw it in half to three quarters of the way up before setting the car back on its wheels to check the ride height.

At least I think that is how I did mine. Did you get my e-mails about the threaded steel bar you needed Hans?

by **Dave-R (Roppa440)** » 23 Jan 2003 17:33

Ah wait a moment. I think I see what you meant. It is the bit the adjuster screw pushes against you are worried about. Just try to guess it Hans. I would place it so that you will only just be able to get the adjuster back in.