I bought the front disc conversion kit for my 54from Jamco along with new master cylinder with built in portioning valve, front springs (lowered 3") with Bilstein shocks. I am also ordering a complete front end suspension kit from Concours auto parts. So I have a question for all of you that have done the front end rebuild / brake conversion. I have replaced front rotors but nothing this extensive. What tools would you recommend before I get started any other parts that I should get while I have the front suspension dis***embled. Should I run new brake hoses while I am at this? If so are the stock rubber sufficient or should I go with stainless. If so who do you guys recommend to go through? Anything that I am missing that I should be asking? Sorry for all the questions, again all of your help is appreciated.
New brake hoses (rubber) should come with your Jamco disc brake conversion kit. If not, contact them. Rubber hoses are just fine for street, in my opinion. The only thing I'd caution you about is the removal of the front springs. Even partly extended there's still plenty of energy stored in them to do great damage to your hands, body or face. Use extreme caution! If you've not removed coil springs before, get help from somebody familiar with the process! Oh...and stock up on Fast Orange. You'll be needing it! Good luck!
Thanks, that is good to know. I will look around here for someone that has experience in removing the front springs.
I agree, take caution on the springs! I changed mine last winter, they came out very easy, but thats not always the case. You can rent/buy coil spring compressors. What I did personally is use a jack under the A frame, jacked it up nice a tight, then bolted some chain to it so it couldnt expand when I lowered the jack. If your uncomfortable doing this, get some help, but I will say it was my first time, and it wasnt a bad job. Jack it up, chain it, unbolt everything, seperate the ball joint, ease the jack down, done. While I was at it I replaced the ball joints and tie rod ends too, might as well, its all apart and will be much harder to do later if its needed... For a newb like myself it took me a while and was frustrating, but you can do it. Get a ball joint seperator too, cheap to buy or rent one from local auto store.
I've always used a spring compressor and never had any problems. Springs store a lot of energy when compressed (like the whole weight of 1 corner of the car,) so again, be careful.
Agreed. There are multiple ways to take the springs out. If you are not comfortable with it then get someone to help you or rent a spring compressor. Personally I get too impatient and just jack the car up really high on jack stands and use the jack to keep it in place till everything is unbolted then lower the jack. Not the safest way to do it but has worked for me so far on all the cars I have done. lol. Oh and def. look at replacing the ball joints, tie rods, bushings while you have it torn apart.
Yea I picked up a spring compressor at Freight Harbor for 10 bucks. Probably not the best but I will only need it this one time. I also picked up a pickle fork for the ball joints. I am waiting for the springs from Jamco still I start this.
1hot, that pickle fork you got from HF will bend really easy. I bent the **** out of the ones I got from them. I managed to get it free but man did I kill it.
Here you go lots of pics and info on front end rebuild,click on : www.webrodder.com/article.php?AID=310&SID=8&CID=11 you might want to save this in Favorites.
1hot, when I did my front end it was the first time for me too, it wasn,t bad at all. When you compress the spring, don't take the spindle nuts all the way off, leave them on a turn or 2, because you will have to hit the spindle or control arm with a hammer to loosen it from the ball joint and when you do, the spring will uncoil somewhat and keeping the nuts on will contain that energy. Keep a floor jack under it, by the way. When you re- ***semble it, you will have to support the opposite rear corner of the car when you jack up the lower control arm. One other thing I did it to mark the coil pocket in the lower arm with a paint pen where the coil started. Good luck. Joe
1hot, one other thing, when you torque the control arm bushings, make sure you do it at road height, with the car on the ground or on ramps. Also, read as many posts on different websites pertaining to front ends as you can. Joe
i dont use pickle forks . they tear up the rubber seals . just take the nuts loose leave them on by a couple of threads and wack the side of the spindle a couple of times and they come loose . some times its takes several hits . but once you get the hang of it the come apart easier. springs are dangerous . you will probably have to run new metal lines on the front at least . i replaced all of mine . pick up the tubing bender at h.f. also . realy cheap there .
Today 08:50 AM old lady's mad: i dont use pickle forks . they tear up the rubber seals . just take the nuts loose leave them on by a couple of threads and wack the side of the spindle a couple of times and they come loose . some times its takes several hits . but once you get the hang of it the come apart easier. springs are dangerous . The above method is the way it's done when you want to preserve the ball joint rubbers. I'd recommend that you leave at least three or four threads engaged, however, not just one or two, especially if you are using the spring to pre-load the ***embly. If you are using the spring as a pre-load, when the joint comes loose and fetches up on the nut it puts a lot of strain on the remaining threads. AND, THE FURTHER THE JOINT TRAVELS THE MORE INERTIA IT BUILDS UP AND CAN EASILY TEAR ONE OR TWO THREADS LOOSE, THUS RELEASING THE SPRING IN AN UNCONTROLLED FASHION. The bad news is that your hands, arms and face are very close to the spring as you beat on the spindle boss... And, as old lady's mad pointed out, springs ARE DANGEROUS and can take your face off in an unguarded heartbeat! You still get the full effect of the pre-load when the nut is only slightly backed off, say two turns only. No need to increase the risk by backing it off more than necessary. A 3-pound hammer on the opposet side of the spindle boss will often speed the process as it keeps the spindle from moving when hit and forces the boss to accept all the energy of the hit. The two-hammer method also works well on tie rod ends, especially if you pre-load it slightly with a bearing puller. But if it doesn't give up this way you'll need a pickle fork. I grease up the pickle fork end and position it with the straight side towards the steering arm. Use a heavy hammer and drive the fork straight, not at an angle. This seems to minimize damage to the tie rod end boot. But if the boot is rotten there's no saving it. Fortunately, replacement tie rod end boots are widely available in both rubber and urethane. Or, just bite the bullet and replace the tie rod ends and ball joints while you've got it all apart. This might not work for everyone, but it has worked well for me. Good luck!
Before doing anything, get a strong chain and put it through a couple of coils of the spring and to the frame. This will prevent the spring from flying if it lets go. The ball joints in 54's are almost indestructable and probably don't need to be replaced. In My 54 everything in the front end was shot except for the ball joints, same with my 56 TBird. I had a front end expert check it out before I did anything. These same ball joints were used in Checker cabs for years. Rubber seals and the metal seals can be purchased separatly. So you can use a pickle fork. I did the front end of both of the above cars myself and it wasn't too bad to do. The worst part of the job on both of them was getting out the long bolts that hold the front part of the lower a arms to the crossmember.
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