Larry, ex con...
I would say each side on the front takes about 2 hours of mechanics time
(maybe less) but 3 hours for a Saturday mechanic. If it is the
afternoon, add beer breaks.
You have to remove wheel, remove brake caliper, remove upper and lower
bolts of a-arms at axle assembly, remove shock/spring assembly (good
news, you don't need any spring compressor) and top & bottom bolts,
remove inner a-arm bolts top & bottom. Now you have the a-arms out,
getting the bushings out is a bitch. Either burn them out with a
oxy-acetylene torch or bash them out. The bashing out method needs a
socket or short piece of pipe that has an OD of the bushing. Remember
the ends of the bushings usually expand larger than the inside. This
process will chew up a lot of time. Once the old bushings are out, the
re-assembly is pretty straight forward.
I recommend the rear at the same time. If you are experiencing "rear end
steer", you should re-bush the trailing arms. In other words, if you
find that the car wants to continue steering after you have moved the
steering wheel back towards center, youhave rear end steer. Usually this
is caused by the slight movement of the rear axle assembly due to the
worn/loose bushings.
Rear bushings should take about an hour per side.
BTW, if you have a full bushing kit, you should have 12 bushings...4 on
each side at front, 2 on each side at rear. I also recommend the
bushings on the steering rack.
Vic Whitmore
76 Spitfire
Thornhill, Ontario
Larry Hooven wrote:
>
> since i have been paroled by the gracious governor mace, and warden
> curry at least got me the new suit...i'm back to pester the collective
> mind of those who have been there done that.
>
> Ordered and received a poly bushing kit from BPNW, given that all the
> bushing's are shot, figured hey got the money (first money not spent on
> alimony), get the stuff you need now....so here's the scenario..
>
> 1979 spitfire,
> bushing set as well as other assundry parts, (hours work for those if
> that)
> 2 semi sober mechanics with just about every tool one would need
> (including the list of course) to do front end work...done it on other
> cars, but since murphy and james's marmot live at my house...
>
> question(s):
> best guess as to how long (there abouts) it will take to replace all the
> bushing's in the car's front end for now...rear end can wait if there is
> any work to be done there at all...
>
> as the car is not running, would it be possible to do only one side at a
> time...(hope to cure this problem as well see assundry parts)
>
> any tips, tricks techniques for not killing myself with a flying spring,
> have full setup of spring compressors if i need them...or can i remove
> the shock tower as a unit and put it in the air powered spring
> compressor.
>
> last question...non bushing related, but then again...the bonnet on
> penny sags at the windshield. by about 1/8th inch or so, all the way
> across the front under the windshield (screen) which leads me to think
> (there i go again) that there are supposed to be rubber pieces that hold
> up this part of the bonnet flush with the air screen on the front that
> are now missing, if so where approximately are they located so i can
> get/make/steal/pilfer/plunder some new ones...
>
> the reason i ask, is i can't lay up the car in the garage on jack stands
> for any extended period of time (i.e. week) it needs to roll at least,
> even if i have to push it. however you slice it i still have 2 paying
> jobs that need that space..and i need the money....
>
> hopefully this is ubiquitious enough to not garner the wrath of mace
> again..... :))) j/k andy...so when can i apply for a full pardon??????
> :)
>
> larry, I'd Rather Push A Triumph Than Drive an MG
> 1979 spitfire #FM99248U hoping to drive by mid may....
>
> NOW ON THE WEB at http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Speedway/9311 drop
> a line and sign the guest book.
>
> Murphys twentieth Law of Combat...tracers work both ways.
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