steering and suspension Suspension Rebuild Question

[Mark92131]

Ladies & Gentlemen:

 

I am in the middle of upgrading the suspension on my newly acquired 1975 BMW 2002 and I am quickly sliding down that slippery slope to a full rebuild.  As you may remember, I spun a bearing on the 71 Cab and was looking for a replacement motor.  Fate presented me with 1969 BMW 1602 with a recently rebuilt motor and all kinds of go fast options and that drive train is being transplanted by Bill Holmes into the Cab.  The 1969 BMW 1602 had new Eibach springs, new Koni shocks and inserts, and 19mm sway bars so I opted to transfer these parts to the 1975 BMW to improve stance and handling.  The rear was pretty straight forward and I replaced the sway bar hardware with poly from IE and the new springs and shocks improved the stance (picture).

 

The fronts were not as easy...  The driver's side strut was rusted in the tube and the passenger side slid right out because a rust hole was leaking shock oil and filled the strut tube with nasty rusty oil.  After hours of struggling and cleaning, the new springs, struts, strut bearings are installed (pictures) and back on the car.  During the installation, I noticed the passenger side tie rod end was torn/tire rub on the strut (picture) and the drivers side ball joint had excessive play.  I ordered new tie rod assemblies, center link and ball joints and now have the following questions before I start down this project path.

 

1.  Is it possible to cut the safety wire on the bolts that hold the pittman arms to the strut tube, pop off the tie rod connection to the pittman arm and drop that ball joint assembly (the sway bar linkage is off the car) without removing the rest of the front strut?  I don't want to mess with pulling the entire strut, removing the caliper, brake lines, because it was a pain getting the strut/spring/strut bearing assembled correctly and installed the first time.  Dropping the subframe isn't in the cards, because I am going solo on this.

 

2.  Once the pittman arm was off the the strut, I would hopefully remove the nut, use a puller to remove the pittman arm from the ball joint, then jack up the control arm to drill out the rivets from the bottom.  Does that sound like a reasonable plan?

 

3.  My Lemforder ball joints didn't come with any hardware.  What is the size of the Castle nut/Cotter Pin I need for the pittman arm connection, or would you use a nylock nut?  Can I re-use the special safety bolts and new nylock nuts to connect the pittman arm to the strut?  What grade of hardware and size for the 3 bolts that connect the ball joint to the control arm?  What are the torque values for these bolts?

 

4.  Any tips for R&R of the tie rod assemblies and center link?  I am assuming that these pieces are torqued when the can is on the ground?

 

I have read some valuable pieces on this procedure on the FAQ, but was looking for some feedback on my strategy for attempting this messy job.

 

Thanks in advance for your comments,

 

 

Mark92131

 

 

[AceAndrew]

1.  Is it possible to cut the safety wire on the bolts that hold the pittman arms to the strut tube, pop off the tie rod connection to the pittman arm and drop that ball joint assembly (the sway bar linkage is off the car) without removing the rest of the front strut?  I don't want to mess with pulling the entire strut, removing the caliper, brake lines, because it was a pain getting the strut/spring/strut bearing assembled correctly and installed the first time.  Dropping the subframe isn't in the cards, because I am going solo on this.

 

 -If I'm understanding this correctly, yes you should be able to do it if you can get in there, it'll be really tight.

 

2.  Once the pittman arm was off the the strut, I would hopefully remove the nut, use a puller to remove the pittman arm from the ball joint, then jack up the control arm to drill out the rivets from the bottom.  Does that sound like a reasonable plan?

 

 -Sounds reasonable, just be sure to grease up the pitman arm cup.

 

3.  My Lemforder ball joints didn't come with any hardware.  What is the size of the Castle nut/Cotter Pin I need for the pittman
arm connection, or would you use a nylock nut?

 

-Use either/or, it won't matter.  M10 nut w/ 2x20pin

 

Can I re-use the special safety bolts and new nylock nuts to connect the pittman arm to the strut?  What grade of hardware and size for the 3 bolts that connect the ball joint to the control arm?  What are the torque values for these bolts?

 

 -Debatable,  I tend to say if in doubt, replace.  But they are $7-ish each now days.  For the 3 balljoint/control arm bolts   8.8 is what is normally supplied, but you can go 10.9 if you feel more comfortable.  Torque is tight, don't remember specifics.

 

4.  Any tips for R&R of the tie rod assemblies and center link?  I am assuming that these pieces are torqued when the can is on the ground?

 

 -Separating them can be a pain, there was a recent thread that went into this decently.  The factory manual calls that you lube the little rubber bushings on the track rod, not %100 why as they seem to always crack and fall off if torqued to factory spec.