I just purchased a steering kit for my TA which includes almost everything:
Balljoints, Tierods, Centerlink, Idler arm, Bushings, Bearings, Sway Bar bushings...etc.

Everywhere i read it says a profressional with special tools should do this job but i want to do this myself as ive done every thing else myself.

Are the said special tools just a ball joint press and seperator or is there something else. Also does anyone ever done this themselves. If so do you know the torque specs for these parts since it did not come with them.

Please help shed some light on why this is forbidden. Or are they covering there *** in case my wheels will fall off. HA

Only 2 months to get ready till its back on the road. At least for us in the Northeast.

 

i do all my own work. you just need the right tool for the job and a basic understanding of what you are doing. don't do anything stupid, torque everything properly and you should be ok

 

I am actually rebuilding my front end right now. The only special tools you need are pickle forks and a ball joint press. You will need a big pickle fork for the ball joints and a little one for the tie rods and center link. Sears has a pickle fork set for $40 that I bought and has come in handy. I think you can even get it through their catalog for $30. You can also rent these parts from some auto parts stores for free. Call around. I know Autozone does it, I think a couple others as well. To remove/install the ball joints I took off the A-arms and brought them to a machine shop. If you do this you will have to deal with the springs, which is a whole different ordeal. If you dont want to deal with the springs (trust me you dont want to unless you are replacing them) you will need a ball joint press. Stores rent these out also.

To properly do the ball joints without removing the A-arm you will have to put jackstands under the front subframe rails and let the front suspension hang. Then you will have to CAREFULLY support the A-arm with a jack while you remove the ball joint nut. Be very carefull as this is dangerous. If you do not support the A-arm when you unbolt the ball joint the spring will push the A-arm down with GREAT force and the spring could go flying out, which could easily kill you. (not to scare you or anything ) Just look at what you are doing and it will make sense. Whenever I work with the A-arms like this I put a tight chain through one of the spring coils and chain it to the K-member for safety. Hopefully somebody can chip in who has done ball joints like this, because I just removed the A-arm at this point instead of using a manual ball joint press.

About the tie rods and center link, make sure the total length from one outer tie rod all the way to the other is as close as you can get it to the old linkage so the alignment will be close enough to drive it to an alignment shop. You will have to get it aligned FIRST THING after doing this job. Like, finish and drive it right to the shop.

The idler arm support that bolts to the body is adjustable. See this post for doing that right.

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/susp...on-idler.html?

I have all the torque specs in my 1991 shop manual. I'll post them up in a little bit.

Sway bar bushings are self explanatory, no need to really talk about those. Endlinks are easy too.

What "bearings" did it come with? Strut mounts?

 

Thanks for the advice and i will use a chain thats a good idea. The kit came with the following:
2 lower ball joints
2 outer tie rod ends
2 inner tie rod ends
2 tie rod end adjusting sleeves
4 lower control arm bushings
2 sway bar bushings
2 front sway bar linkage kits
1 center link
1 idler arm

Sounds like a half day project but ill plan a day. I have the Haynes manual but it doesnt tell torque spec for this. It says this should be doneby a professional. It looks easy enough but it seems that getting the old parts off are the problem.

 

Here is a Yahoo picture gallery that belongs to another member of this site. It is pretty helpful.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/tarami...r=5792&.src=ph

Here are two pictures from my GM shop manual. They are high-res so make sure your browser doesnt "shrink" them, messing up the font. I have the whole "Steering Linkage" section photographed and on my computer. Let me know if you want to see it.

http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/7171/1fj3.jpg

http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/3288/2na2.jpg

Oh yeah, about the 4 "lower control arm bushings". You will have to take off the A-arm to do these which means you have to deal with the springs. If you really want to do these, then I would just take the A-arms to a shop and have them do the bushings and ball joints because frankly, those bushings are a royal pain in the ***. Then you wont have to worry about screwing around with a ball joint press with the jack supporting the spring right in front of your face. I know you dont want to hear this, but if you ever wanted to get new springs, this is the time. Spohn sells a kit of all 4 stock height springs for $125, and I hear the rears are super easy.

 

Wow those pics are great and thanks for the torque specs. Ive changed my struts and springs before so im not afraid of the spring coil. Ill try it but i hear those can be a bitch to get out. Since im changing all of these parts is there a way to take the whole setup off as one peice so i can reaasemble the new one so it matches. This would make lining it up so i can get to an alignment shop easier.

If possible please post that other picture you have. I could use all the help i can get. Thanks

 

The steering linkage is attached at 4 points. The two outer tie rods, pitman arm, and idler arm. Remove the two outer tie rods from the steering knuckles using a pickle fork (take the cotter pin and nut off first of course). Then remove the center link from the pitman arm with a pickle fork. Then unbolt the idler arm from the body and the steering linkage will fall out. You will be able to keep the linkage as one piece.

First attach the new idler arm (but dont torque it, because you will have to adjust it later).

Now, heres how I am doing it, if anybody has a different method please post up as its my first time as well:

Assemble the new tie rods and center link before you attach them to the car. Hold the whole assembly next to the old and make sure the outer tie rod ends are as close as possible. When everything is as good as its going to get, remove the tie rods from the center link, leaving the tie rods assembled. Mount the center link to the pitman and idler arm using the technique I posted earlier. Then get the idler arm support torqued down and check to make sure the center link is level again. If it is, then attach the tie rods and your done. Make sure you install all your zirc fittings (which should have come with all the new parts you got) and grease everything up.

Let me eat dinner and I'll post up the rest of those images.

 

Awesome, thats exactly what I wanted to hear. That makes the most sense to me too. I can't wait to do this. My car has feels loose. Too much play in the wheel before response. Not to mention the shaking from the extra play over rough roads.
Still just a little confused about the long level thing lining up but im sure it will make sense when im under the car.

Youve been very helpful. I hope your project goes as smooth as it sounds.

 

Here is the whole section. They discuss some different techniques I think, but at least you can see the "GM way" of doing it.

http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/3803/p1280001lw3.jpg

http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/2751/p1280006qx5.jpg

http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/1362/p1280007nt2.jpg

http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/1258/p1280008gz5.jpg

http://img49.imageshack.us/img49/7071/p1280009fq5.jpg

http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/8836/p1280010qp2.jpg

http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/7029/p1280011gh9.jpg