Help! I'm going around the world to the left!

Yeah, I probably replaced the wrong ones (although they needed replaced anyway, as the bushings on the far side were real soft). So, it's possible that the bushings on the other side of the strut might be bad? (I assume you are referring to the ones where the strut attaches to the LCA, right?)


For the side that goes through the frame, try that PC Blaster stuff for a couple of days. That and my trusty pipe wrench broke the nuts loose with a minimum of fuss. I'll check the other bushings.
 
Success! I want to thank everbody who helped me through my front suspension woes. I replaced the strut-rod bushings on the LCA side, which lessened, but did not cure my problems. The only thing left to replace was the lower control arms, so I picked up some Moogs and went to work. This fixed all my problems (it had better - it was the only remaining suspension part on the front of the car that had not already been replaced!). For future reference (and I know some of you guys have said this over and over again), don't save the LCA's for last - it's much easier to do everything at the same time (unless your like me, and have only enough money to do one section at a time). And boy, is this thing fun to drive now that all of the front suspension parts are new! Handles better than it did when I bought it (of course, the front end was already starting to come apart at that time, I'm sure). I could not have done it without the advice of the various people who commented on this post - Thanks!

p.s. - if anyone has any questions on replacing control arms, tie rods or bushings, ask me - I have become quite good at taking the suspension apart. Once for the upper control arms, once for the inner & outer tie rods, once for the strut-rod-to-frame bushings, once for the strut-rod-to-lower-control-arm-busings, and once for the lower control arms. Five times I took that thing apart over the last two months - but it was worth it. Drives better than any car I have ever owned! And the satisfaction of a job well done (and the $1200 or so I saved by doing it my self) is nice, too.:D
 
I actually got new LCA's from Supercoupe.com and haven't installed them yet cause I am to cheap to get another alignment from the place that did it before.

I took it in for an alignment and they said they couldn't do it cause the upper was bad. So I thought what the heck I told them to put in a new one. Man did they rape me on the price for that thing :eek:

As soon as this snow that just hit goes away I will put them and my bushing plus my new rear shocks in. Then have my friends body shop do an alignment fore me :D
 
Believe it or not, I didn't need an alignment when I put the lower control arms in. I had the alignment done when I did the strut-rod bushings (that little job really messed up the alignment), which was only about a week earlier (I had high hopes the bushings would correct my problems), but I found it unnecessary to disconnect the tie-rods when changing out the LCA's, and since the bushings were already new, putting in the LCA's did not affect the alignment (the alignment they did right before I put in the LCA's held perfectly!)
 
Well I am going to do the same thing my friend did when he did a T-Bird's LCAs. He marked the snail cam adjusters so he could put them right back to where they were.

If I don't do that I can't see the alignment not being out :confused:
 
Keeping in mind that I never even looked at a front suspension (much less worked on one) before I did all of this work, bear with me for just one question: What the heck is a snail cam?
 
Where the LCA bolts to the crossmember on the Mark there are washers that have a snail shell shape to them. As you spin the washer it moves the LCA in and out.
 
Hmmm. I think I know what which part you are talking about. Is it possible that I just got reeeeaaaaall lucky on this? The alignment is as perfect as I could imagine it - the steering wheel straightens out by itself coming out of a turn and it runs straight as an arrow at 70 mph on the freeway without touching the steering wheel. Or is there another aspect to the alignment I should be worrying about? I really know very little about this (other than what work is involved in putting the parts in, now that I have actually done it). This is the first time I have ever messed with a suspension (first time I have ever had to!). Necessity makes for good incentive - I didn't have the money to pay someone to do the work, and I needed the car fixed (my suburban isn't running at the moment......)
 
You could have just got lucky or you can keep an eye for odd tread wear just in case?
 
you could of gotten lucky, but very doubtful. the cam bold adjusts the camber, this will destroy your tires and usually wont cause a pull or anything your describing (unless excessively off it could pull). i realign everything any time i replace any suspension at work, and i mark everything and its still off, you'd be surprised how slight 0.001% is
 
Ahhh, well. Back to the alignment shop again. At least (theoretically) this should be the last time I need an alignment for a while...........
 
Lol, I know the feeling. I just did my front brakes because I could barely stop my Mark... saw how wore out the suspension was... Pulled off the rest of the strud rod bushing that was hanging out, laughed, shook my head in shame, and then threw the brakes on the car..

One day I'll replace all that stuff...
 
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