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Help! New Wheels + Tires = Bad Front end clunk/noise

I had the car looked at again and had more knowledgeable acquaintance take it for a ride. His assessment is that it is indeed the LCA bushings causing the noise. So at this point, I'm basically thinking a full suspension rebuild / refresh is in order - might as well if it needs to come apart anyway.

Now I need to figure out what's the best way to do it - buy the parts separately or go with one of the kits (like the one from PST) or the one Budnicks kindly offered to sell me. What would be the advantages of one vs. the other ("completeness", quality, etc). And also, how far do I need to go with the rebuild?

The car is essentially a weekend cruiser that doesn't get driven more than 20-30 miles a week, so I don't need anything super high end or expensive...just something basic that'll work for cruisin around town.

Also, this is a project that I don't really feel comfortable tackling myself...so I may have a pro do it. I know it varies by location and the person doing the job...but what's a ballpark figure for labor on something like this?
 
Imo, with what you're using the car for, I would just get a stock style rubber bushing front end rebuild kit that includes balljoints. So basically whether as a kit or individually you're looking at:

4 upper control arm bushings
2 lower control arm bushings
2 upper balljoints
2 lower balljoints
2 Strut rod bushings

If it were me, I would just get this kit and source urethane lower control arm bushings on their own, just for longer life compared to the rubber. (those ones are fun to change)
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/rsd-rsk6669

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Can't comment on the labor cost as my buddy that does restorations professionally helped me with mine, but it only took us an evening after work to get mine done :shruggy:
 
Ponch IMHFO, for a weekend cruiser, I would just buy the original style rubber Moog or Mopar parts, do your UCA's & I would highly recommend doing the Upper & Lower ball Joints, also the sway bar & strut rod bushings too, while you already have it apart, then have it properly aligned... as much as I'd like to sell the stuff, I have sitting on my parts shelf, you sound like you probably don't really want or need the upgrade... I'm not sure what it would cost to have someone else do the work... shop rates are $50-$100hr could be $400 or up-to $800 just for labor, shouldn't take more than 8hrs... for an example the parts are like $377.95 for a Regular MREKIT-3BR for a regular Moog complete kit, for a 66-69 B-Body, less most steering stuff, Moog Super kit kind of like shown in the photo below, from Mancini Racing, then a complete kit also with w/outer tie rod ends, adjusters etc., will be Super Kit MREKIT-3BS $524.95 for just the parts... that's not being marked up, like a shop will do either... Good luck & have fun

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Imo, with what you're using the car for, I would just get a stock style rubber bushing front end rebuild kit that includes balljoints. So basically whether as a kit or individually you're looking at:

4 upper control arm bushings
2 lower control arm bushings
2 upper balljoints
2 lower balljoints
2 Strut rod bushings

If it were me, I would just get this kit and source urethane lower control arm bushings on their own, just for longer life compared to the rubber. (those ones are fun to change)
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/rsd-rsk6669

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Can't comment on the labor cost as my buddy that does restorations professionally helped me with mine, but it only took us an evening after work to get mine done :shruggy:

Mr.SpeedFreak, I'm not familiar with the Right Stuff brand but, I think with that kit, you "may need to re-use your steel cups" on the CA bushings, that's "kind of" no big deal, could be with the installer thou, it is a much cheaper kit @ $188.10, but has a few less of the necessary parts... Warning an suspension installation/repair shop may not install, owner supplied parts either, check 1st, they need to be pressed out & back in either way....
 

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Thanks guys!

Speedfreak, that summmit kit looks fairly reasonable. Any good leads on where to get the poly LCA bushings? PST doesn't have them...

As far as the labor, I have a friend who has a shop and works on classic cars/mopars. I try not to mix business relationships w/ friend relationships...but this may be worth the exception..
 
Energy Suspension or Prothane, Mancini Racing I buy allot of stuff from, Mopar Parts Experts since 1972 {very Successful Racers even before that}
 
Yep pretty much no one does lol, but if I remember correctly I got mine from Prothane through a local parts store.
http://www.prothanesuspensionparts.com/proddetail.asp?prod=4205

Or they're also available through Hotchkis now apparently but more expensive:
http://www.hotchkis.net/mopar_be_body_lower_control_arm_bushings.html

Yeah as long as you can get a solid quote from your buddy ahead of time so you're both on the same page and there's no surprise costs it should be fine

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I dont think energy sells them if I remember right, but mancini would also be a good way to go
 
I would not use the urethane lower bushings as i recall there were some issues getting fully seated. That is why PST doesn't sell their kit with poly lower bushings. I myself just used the PST standard front end kit and everything went in perfect. You will need to find a shop that has the ball joint socket to replace those...we used a 60" breaker bar to get them in and out. One word of caution, if you buy the standard front end kit, make sure you buy inner tie rod ends and adjuster sleeves as they are not part of the kit. I had to order mine after the fact when I realized it.

That right stuff detailing kit looks pretty good too, had pst not given us 10% discounts I was going to go with the RSD kit from summit.
 
I would not use the urethane lower bushings as i recall there were some issues getting fully seated. That is why PST doesn't sell their kit with poly lower bushings. I myself just used the PST standard front end kit and everything went in perfect. You will need to find a shop that has the ball joint socket to replace those...we used a 60" breaker bar to get them in and out. One word of caution, if you buy the standard front end kit, make sure you buy inner tie rod ends and adjuster sleeves as they are not part of the kit. I had to order mine after the fact when I realized it.

That right stuff detailing kit looks pretty good too, had pst not given us 10% discounts I was going to go with the RSD kit from summit.

That's weird I haven't heard of that problem. The hotchkis ones do look different than the prothane ones so maybe that's where the problem was? When I rebuilt the front end for my Charger I used that RSD kit from summit and the Prothane urethane lowers and had no problems at all, everything fit perfect. :shruggy:
 
I rebuilt a customers car with the urethane lca bushings and noticed they don't hold the pivot pin in place like the stock rubber ones do. When I did my suspension, I used the rubber lca bushing and the rest is urethane. Very happy with it.
 
I rebuilt a customers car with the urethane lca bushings and noticed they don't hold the pivot pin in place like the stock rubber ones do. When I did my suspension, I used the rubber lca bushing and the rest is urethane. Very happy with it.

Which brand were those lca bushings?
 
I rebuilt a customers car with the urethane lca bushings and noticed they don't hold the pivot pin in place like the stock rubber ones do. When I did my suspension, I used the rubber lca bushing and the rest is urethane. Very happy with it.

That's why you need the proper style "pin for the Poly bushings" to be used.. if you read any of my posts, trying to explain to Ponch what I had or what's needed, you will see that's part of the package, especially if you have any variance in fit.... they have a different step & fit the Poly better, than the original pins, or the ones for OEM rubber bushings... I'm not sure where to get them now, maybe they have changed the Poly bushings to fit the stock pin properly now... I got mine from Mancini Racing a few years ago, BUT I didn't see them listed anymore, last time I was @ their site...
 
Firm Feel has he pin and poly bushing.
 
For what it's worth the prothane ones I got looked identical to the oem ones I took out, and fit perfect with the stock pin like I said. :icon_scratch:
 
so, been a while and I should at least provide an update to those who took the time to reply to this thread (because I'm sure you've all been hanging in suspense :p

anyway, so I asked around local car people about good suspension shops and finally found one*. Went over, they looked at the car (very professional, I can tell they know what theyre doing). yep, the LCA bushings are indeed shot and most of the other suspension components could use a replacement. Problem is that high quality work = $$$ (a lot more than I expected)

So I'm in a holding pattern and the car's been sitting - though I do drive it down the street here and there - since I first started having the problem. I may have my acquaintance do the work (a LOT cheaper) but he's been tricky to get a hold of or the timing isn't right (he's around, but I'm not or vice versa).
 
good luck Ponch
 
since I know you guys are dying for another update...:jerk:

It took 2 months to get a hold of my buddy and the car into his shop, but the wait was well worth it (saved a significant amount of $$$ on labor). New LCA's and Strut Rod bushings = car drives sooo much better. It didn't help that the tires I had on it were shot (bought them used).

Only downside, they had to raise the torsion bars during alignment, so now the car sits high in the front, which is exacerbated by the fact that the leaf springs in the back are completely shot as well (I got a peek when it was on the rack...theyre flat!). They were next on my list to do before this issue came up, so now theyre a priority again (as soon as I convince the Mrs. to let me put more $$ into it :eusa_naughty:)

IMG_20131026_072615_766-1.jpg
 
Glad to hear you got it taken care of! That's kinda weird they couldn't align it with the torsion bars lowered though :icon_scratch:
 
Poncho - you can adjust ride height any time - it's a Mopar!

Just got it on the road a year ago after sitting 22 years. Was fine for 900 miles, now making the same noises - sounds like something wants to fall off in protest. :protest:

Has to be the original dry rotted rubber bushings under there yet. New larger .92 diameter Mopar Performance torsion bars coming tomorrow. PST sending new adjuster bolts and rubber dust seals and clips for the bars. Tie-rod ends and sleeves, idler arm and pitman arm, strut rod bushings, lower control arm bushings and pivot shafts, upper and lower control arm bump stops. Already have new lower ball joints on there when I did the brakes. Have waiting on a shelf all new original type upper control arm assemblies, and new cam bolts for them that adjust the alignment.

Yep you saved about $800 doing it with your buddy - hope you took him out to dinner. I will be doing the same - does not look that hard - safer than working with coil springs - that's for sure.....

:glasses2:
 
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