help with front end parts

[esty]

i need to replace all the bushings on the front end and don't have a clue where to start looking for parts or know what i need to look for...

is there a kit or do i need to order parts seperately....i'd appreciate any help with a list of parts and a description of what to buy....i'm not into autox'ing, etc, just a tight daily driver

also...several years & very few miles ago i had my front struts rebuilt....i had a slight clunking/rattle from the front driver side but mostly ignored it, til now....i was checking nuts and bolts a few days ago and noticed the nut & shaft of the drivers side strut spins without tightening...or the entire threaded shaft spins when you turn the nut on top with a socket...the passenger side's tight and no spin...any idea's what's going on

[cj]

Rob@2002Haus will put a kit together with all the bushings, ball joints, tie rods and center link link.

Cris

[Guest Anonymous]

The top nut in the center of the strut bearing being loose may indicate a loose strut shock insert. This could cause some clunking and should be tightened up. You can't tighten it with a socket without somehow holding the strut shaft, which is not something you want to grab onto with vice grips, or you could ruin the seals. Impact wrench is the normal way to tighten these up, but there may be other ways to do it.

Compliance Bushing x2

Part # : 31 13 1 108 373

Control Arm Bushing - Outer x2

Part # : 31 12 1 112 902

Control Arm Bushing - Inner x2

Part # : 31 12 2 614 100

Ball Joint with Hardware x2

Part # : 31 13 1 103 834

Lower Control Arm - Left or Right x2

Part # : 31 12 2 614 006

Tie Rod Assembly - Left or Right x2

Part # : 32 21 1 103 076

Center Track Rod ( Drag Link ) x1

Part # : 32 21 1 103 077

Idler Arm Bushing - 2 Per Car x2

Part # : 32 21 1 115 116

Also may want to replace strut bearings, unless

they were done with the struts. I don't ever remember

replacing any idler arm bushings on my '02s. I've got

to do one on a 6er, so they to go bad, but everything else

I'd replace without hestitation as long as you're in there. Check

the lower control arms you've got, these are often bent or rusty,

otherwise reuse what you've got, and just replace the bushings.

www.bavauto.com has all these parts listed if you need prices.

[esty]

The top nut in the center of the strut bearing being loose may indicate a loose strut shock insert. This could cause some clunking and should be tightened up. You can't tighten it with a socket without somehow holding the strut shaft, which is not something you want to grab onto with vice grips, or you could ruin the seals. Impact wrench is the normal way to tighten these up, but there may be other ways to do it.

Compliance Bushing x2

Part # : 31 13 1 108 373

Control Arm Bushing - Outer x2

Part # : 31 12 1 112 902

Control Arm Bushing - Inner x2

Part # : 31 12 2 614 100

Ball Joint with Hardware x2

Part # : 31 13 1 103 834

Lower Control Arm - Left or Right x2

Part # : 31 12 2 614 006

Tie Rod Assembly - Left or Right x2

Part # : 32 21 1 103 076

Center Track Rod ( Drag Link ) x1

Part # : 32 21 1 103 077

Idler Arm Bushing - 2 Per Car x2

Part # : 32 21 1 115 116

Also may want to replace strut bearings, unless

they were done with the struts. I don't ever remember

replacing any idler arm bushings on my '02s. I've got

to do one on a 6er, so they to go bad, but everything else

I'd replace without hestitation as long as you're in there. Check

the lower control arms you've got, these are often bent or rusty,

otherwise reuse what you've got, and just replace the bushings.

www.bavauto.com has all these parts listed if you need prices.

thanks for the list tom, it's exactly what i need

i have an impact wrench, should i try it on that strut nut?

[gregh]

The new lower control arms come with the inner/outer bushings already inserted - ask whoever you're buying the parts from to confirm. If they say that's not the case press them to make sure...they've been included on the 4 sets that I've bought in the past 5 years.

You should probably get 6 of those special bolts (the ones with the hole in them that allows you to wire the bolts together) at the bottom of the strut (where it connects to the ball joints). The heads on those bolts get pretty rounded because they can be a pain to get to - plus they're probably pretty old by now. These bolts are pretty pricey.

If you take apart the struts you could also get new spring pads.

Sway bar bushings - 8 total, SB bushing bolts - 2 total, SB bushing washers 8 total. The bolts get pretty banged up so it's a good idea to order them.

There are also two special plastic washers that go between the tie rods and the centerlink.

The idler arm bushings are a two part bushing (upper and lower). However, I'm not sure if they're sold as a pair or individually. My old rcpt shows them being sold as a pair but the Bav Auto website says "two req'd per car." You may want to check on that. (@$20 each - wow!).

You'll need new cotter pins for the lower control arm bushing nuts and the idler arm bushing nut. The rest of the stuff should come with new lock nuts or nuts/cotter pins (e.g., ball joints, tie rods, center link etc). You may want to take a quick look at the rest of the fasteners to see if anything looks rounded or suspect.

While you're doing all of this you could also do new front wheel bearings, brakes, brake lines....

This is one of those projects that can make a heck of a difference in your enjoyment of the car. It's not too hard but it will take some time, tools, &muscles and you're going to get pissed off a couple of times (esp with the compliance bearings) but it's well worth it!

Good Luck!

[esty]

i doubt i'll be able to do this work myself but i'm hopefull i can get together enough friends to assist in the heavy work....

what and where is a compliance bearing

[winstontj]

Compliance bushing is the one up front next to the tow strap??? I believe...

You shouldn't need an impact wrench on anything up front. Only reason to use an impact wrench around the wheels would be the rear castle nuts. Fronts should be torqued to 18 or 24 foot-pounds and then cotter pin insereted. Now would be an excellent time to look into urethane bushings but if you stay stock remember that the suspension needs to be put back together PRELOADED!! Meaning put everything together but not tight, and then with the weight of the car (and probably some weight in the driver's & pass. seats) torque down the control arm bushings, compliance arm bushings, etc. There are three major ones that need to be pre-loaded. Inner & outer control arm as well as the one next to the tow strap.

Hope that helps! Urethane is amazing but it's noisy... squeaks & creaks...

[Guest Anonymous]

Speaking of impact wrenches, I would give that a try on the top of the strut because it would tell you pretty quick if there were anything wrong.

Also, on the new ball joints that are being sold, I would also use an impact wrench on those, because they have no provision for a cotter pin, and you can mistakenly think that they are tight, but will re-seat with the additional weight/force of the vehicle being driven and will require additional tightening, or the ball joint will let loose of the nut causing the wheel to lodge against the rear of the front fender while going down the road.

[Guest Anonymous]

I've got urethane bushings in the rear of my red '02 and so far, I haven't heard any noises out of them. I used the special sticky urethane grease on them and don't drive in wet weather much at all. Up front may be a different story, due to greater movement and more bushings to keep things quiet up there.

[esty]

does anyone have any of these parts leftover from work you did, that you'd like to recoup some $'s on...i'd prefer to buy from you

[winstontj]

esty I'd disagree with the impact wrench anywhere on the suspension - especially with balljoints. The new ones I got had provisions for a cotter pin on them and I'm a firm believer in torque wrenches. If you over torque a ball joint, wheel bearing castle nut, control arm bushing, etc. you're only going to bind up your suspension and risk a failure of the fastener. Just be careful because sometimes loctite can act as a lubricant allowing you to over-tighten. Proper torque specs are there for a reason and I'll bet that anyone who's assembled correctly can't give an example of when the factory numbers were wrong.

Jus my .02 cents

[esty]

esty I'd disagree with the impact wrench anywhere on the suspension - especially with balljoints. The new ones I got had provisions for a cotter pin on them and I'm a firm believer in torque wrenches. If you over torque a ball joint, wheel bearing castle nut, control arm bushing, etc. you're only going to bind up your suspension and risk a failure of the fastener. Just be careful because sometimes loctite can act as a lubricant allowing you to over-tighten. Proper torque specs are there for a reason and I'll bet that anyone who's assembled correctly can't give an example of when the factory numbers were wrong.

i was asking about using the impact on the nut on top of the strut...nothing else...i'm with you on the torque wrench....thanks

[winstontj]

Top of the strut? Yeah I read that and thought you were referring to the shock nut? The one that goes through the shock tower mount?

Or are you talking about the one that litterally threads onto the top of the strut housing? that keeps the shock in place? Don't think you could even get an impact wrench on that - pipe wrench with a little heat got mine off easily.

Shock nut has a small 8mm set on the top so you can take a small 1/4" ratchet with an extension on it and slide it through a 1/2" socket on the strut nut. Then use a pipe wrench on the outside of the socket turning against the ratchet. That's what I did. It's easier if you do it while the strut assy. is still in the car because the load of the springs on the shock will make it very hard and it will just keep turning. If you are replacing the shock inserts just use a pipe wrench on the shaft of the shock and have at it but you still shouldn't need an impact wrench. Those are nylock and only torqued to about 20ft/lbs I believe

Am I totally missing the mark here?

[esty]

The one that goes through the shock tower mount?

yep that one....it's under the dust cap that covers the top of the strut mount...it's a 17mm nut...

...

only it's just the drivers side that's turning