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Driver's Side Fulcrum Pins Out!!!

To: spridgets@Autox.Team.Net
Subject: Driver's Side Fulcrum Pins Out!!!
From: Philip Hubbard <phubbard@carroll.com>
Date: Sat, 06 Jun 1998 20:31:32 -0400
Great news all!  I got both fulcrum pins out of the driver's side A-arms.
Yippee.
Here's what I did based on list advice.  I soaked, really soaked the whole
bolt area with liquid wrench and left it for about half a day.  Then I
decided to just pound the hell out of the recalcitrant pin and buy a new
one if I screwed it up.  Just in case I might be able to save it, I put a
chunk of wood about 1/2" thick against the nut before I began the pounding.
 Pounded it flush with the a-arm.  Then I took a screwdriver, put it
against the washer welded to the nut and pounded more.  Pop!  Out it came.
As Haynes puts it I "tapped" it out.  :)  Alright, so now the threads were
a bit loused up and the nut wouldn't go on.  While waiting for the liquid
wrench I had gone out to get some tools.  Bought a cheap (relatively) tap
and die set and a vice.  Guess what?  I actually used the die to save the
bolt.  Ok, it's only a $7 item, but now I don't have to order it and most
importantly - I did it!
I feel inordinately pleased by this.  hehehe

Ok, what next? I've quit for the night and am ready for some advice.  It
looks like there is a metal sleeve still in the a-arm assembly as Mike S.
pointed out.  My poly bushings are pretty thick.  Even I can see that I
can't squish them in from the outside of the a-arms.  Am I supposed to
swing the wishbone down, then pop the bushings on, then reassemble?  Or do
I have to pound the sleeves out somehow?  I'm in a bit of a quandry here
because this side had =no= bushings to begin with so I have nothing to
compare with.  Absent any other advice I think (weather permitting) I will
take the fulcrum pins out of the other side which will tell me how the
whole thing looks when it is right.  The passenger's side has bushings.  :)

It's funny though.  In Moss and VB catalogs (and the Haynes manual) I don't
see any metal sleeves.  

If I ever finish this job, dare I tackle the trunion bushings or wheel
bearings?  I'm seriously thinking of finishing these bushings and making a
stab at the trunion bushings and going for a spin.  Oh, first channging the
rotors.  If I have lost my clunk and funny feel to the front end, I may
hold off on bearings or have a pro do it.  Or maybe I'll just do it.  hehe

Thanks for all the help and moral support so far.  It has made =all= the
difference in the world.

Philip
Burgundy 1974 Midget

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