Front end rebuild...am I crazy?

[sc-surfer]

Parts are on the way to do a complete front end rebuild. Will include pulling upper and lower control arms for new bushings and ball joints, wheel bearing/hubs, and steering components.

How brutal will the bushing swaps be? I've got a 20 ton press so hoping not too bad??

Also, having never removed torsion bars before, any hurdles I should expect? Will fabricate an unloading tool this week.

Any other little surprises I'm going to run into?

Thanks!

[Captn. Crunch]

You would be “ hard pressed” to find a piece or part that has not been addressed here on this site. Most folks that have done control arm bushings have resorted to the smoke wrench ( torch ) to facilitate removal. A 20 ton press will indeed be helpful. Torsion bars are simple with the van in the air and an unloader tool in hand. Just remember to count the number of turns as you take them apart. Good luck with your project. Take lots of pictures-we love pictures!

[MountainManJoe]

Be careful with the torsion bars. There's a lot of tension in those and I imagine it could hurl a tool at you pretty fast. They can be rusted in there pretty good too.

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I'm not sure about these vans, but for other cars I've purchased complete control arms with preinstalled bushings at a very reasonable cost.

Don't forget to check stabilizer bar bushings.

[sc-surfer]

I did consider the pre-assembled control arms...but I really hate to waste functional parts by just tossing them. Also just buying bushings saves a almost $300 so I'm gonna go for it. Having a hydraulic press will 'hopefully' make it possible.

[MountainManJoe]

I'm looking at entire control arms (new forged and painted metal with two bushings + ball-joint.) for your 2003 AWD on Rockauto and they cost from $32 and up. It's a no brainer.

[sc-surfer]

Update...

Yep, just placed the RockAuto order. :-)

I built a tool for the torsion keys. Was super easy to unload them and get them out. NOTHING on this van is corroded or seized up. Sooo fortunate for that.

It was pretty easy to get the upper control arm bushings jigged up in the press and pop them out and pop new ones in. The lowers are another story completely. By the time a fabricated up some sort of jig for the bushings in them I'd be a couple or three hours in to them. ](*,) So ordered a pair from Rock Auto. $133 for the pair. No brainer. I really prefer to re-use parts when I can, but on the loweres it was just not cost/time effective. All the local FLAPS wanted about $250 each. I suggested they could price match, they laughed. So I wait for DHL on Tuesday.

Given what I know now, I'd likely just order new upper arms too, but they're done so no biggie.

Other than having to wait until Tuesday, not a bad job overall. First side took awhile to figure out. 2nd side will be a breeze. Gonna save me about $1000 in labor costs.

[Captn. Crunch]

Congrats on the progress- did I mention we love pics?

[sc-surfer]

Nothing too exciting photo wise, but I will post up a pic of my very simple but functional torsion key tool. While i did weld a little on it, the design is simple enough that anyone could make it with basic hand tools.

Will definitely post up photos of the final product.

[sc-surfer]

Well THAT was a royal biotch of a job. Yesterday I pulled both upper and lower control arms. Installed new Moog bushings and ball joints in the uppers. Flipped the BJs on the uppers. Gave up on bushings for the lower control arms and just bought new ones. At about $65 each it was a no-brainer. After spending $20 on bushings it would only save $45 an I can assure you....the saving were NOT worth the effort to jig up and punch those bushings out and new ones back in. I did swap new Moog ball joints into them as the supplied ones were pretty cheap china garbage. Then installed the control arms, new bearing units and re-clocked torsion keys. Also installed Rancho adjustable shocks on all 4 corners. It was a long hard 7 hours. I ran out of time so the alignment shop is installing the easy stuff. All new Moog steering stuff. I just didn't have the time or energy to finish that stuff up.
All this on a creeper. No lift! It's at the shop now getting aligned. Can't wait to get it back. Should drive real nice and tight now!!