So I finally got all the parts gathered to begin the front end rebuild/disc brake swap on my brother 74 Duster. All new parts from Moog, Mopar front discs. I have all the disc brake stuff loose off the car for easy part replacement and cleaning.

It has been a while since I did either a disc brake swap or a front end rebuild. Anyone have any tips or tricks they are willing to share before I embark on this latest automotive adventure? I have the factory shop manual, the special upper ball joint socket, a good small sledge hammer and a pickle fork, I have the nifty home-made torsion bar removal tool described in Tom Condran's book, and I have lots of wheel bearing grease and brake fluid. Should I take the loose upper control arms to a shop to get the old bushings pressed out and the new ones pressed in, or is there a way I can be a cheapskate and muscle them in myself? I got the "improved" Moog two piece strut rod bushings, any tricks I should be aware of there?

Any suggestions as to how to make this job quicker, easier, and cheaper will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

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Casually looking for a Clifford hyperpak intake for cheap.

Remove the spindle assemblies, then remove the LCA/Torsion bar adjusting bolts, remove the nuts from the strut rods, pull torsion bar clips
and bars, pull LCA's.

Using BF 3/4" cheaterbar, pull your upper ball joints... remove the UCA's...
Have all parts pressure washed, have shop remove your old bushings and press new ones in, unless you have all the stuff to do it yourself (press, custom made press parts for the LCA and UCA inserts)...

Doing a "mongo" job will just mean you'll do it again, and probably be buying another UCA.

-D.Idiot

"Mongo like Sheriff Bart!"

OK. I don't have a press or the custom made press parts, so it sounds like I will take all the hard parts apart and get them pressure washed and painted and have a shop do all the heavy pressing. Yay.

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Casually looking for a Clifford hyperpak intake for cheap.

I pulled/pressed most of my bushings with a vise, some 1/2" all-thread, and various assortments of washers and short lengths of pipe. So is it possible, yes. Enjoyable, no. Did you sell me your only copy of Tom Condran's book? I have a second copy now, so can sell it back to you if you want... Between it and the FSM, my rebuild went quite smoothly.

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The UCA bushings are quite easy to do. You can make a tool from 1/2" all-thread, a couple of nuts, a couple of washers and a short length of pipe to push and pull the bushings. The LCAs are more difficult and I would take them to a shop if I had it to do again.

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David Kight
'62 Valiant Signet, White
'98 Dodge Dakota
'06 Jeep Liberty

Growing older is unavoidable but growing up is strictly optional.

Zorg- thanks for the offer, but I think I am good with my FSM and this website.

I think I will get some rice quotes form a shop about pressing various bushing and ball joints, and then see if I want to try pressing the uppers in myself.

THanks for the tips everyone!

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Casually looking for a Clifford hyperpak intake for cheap.

Reed, the upper ball joints are screw in - not press in and the lowers bolt in with two bolts.

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David Kight
'62 Valiant Signet, White
'98 Dodge Dakota
'06 Jeep Liberty

Growing older is unavoidable but growing up is strictly optional.

Sorry, my slip up. I meant press in the lower ball joints. I know the uppers are screw in, I just had a brain fart while typing my last message.

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Casually looking for a Clifford hyperpak intake for cheap.

The lower ball joints are bolt-in, no pressing needed.

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David Kight
'62 Valiant Signet, White
'98 Dodge Dakota
'06 Jeep Liberty

Growing older is unavoidable but growing up is strictly optional.

OK, OK, so PRESS in the lower BUSHING, THREAD in the UPPER BALL JOINT, PRESS in the UPPER BUSHINGS, BOLT in the LOWER BALL JOINT.

Sound about right?

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Casually looking for a Clifford hyperpak intake for cheap.

By jove, I think he's got it!

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David Kight
'62 Valiant Signet, White
'98 Dodge Dakota
'06 Jeep Liberty

Growing older is unavoidable but growing up is strictly optional.

Reed,

When I did my last disc brake swap I replaced the upper control arm bushings and then bolted the control arms back into the car. Next I removed the old upper ball joints and screwed in the new ones.

I was able to replace the upper control arm bushings with a long bolt, a short piece of exhaust tubing, a small pile of washers and my impact wrench. The one time I tried replacing upper control arm bushings with a press I bent the control arm.

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Joshua

Thanks Josh! I think I can manage a piece of all-thread, some pipe, and some nuts and washers. My air hammer is up to the task, so I might give that a try.

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Casually looking for a Clifford hyperpak intake for cheap.

The all-thread is cheap and easy to find. Your air chisel will chew it up more than you would like

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David Kight
'62 Valiant Signet, White
'98 Dodge Dakota
'06 Jeep Liberty

Growing older is unavoidable but growing up is strictly optional.

Yeah, what David said. I didn't chisel out the bushings, but pulled them out with the bolt, washers and tubing spacer.

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Joshua