Ok Michael, here it is :
Mark :
I'll be happy to lend you moral support ! I just redid the front end on
my 59 TR3A "daily driver wanna be" last spring, so I'm still reasonably
familiar with the process (although my memory isn't what it used to
be).
It is unfortunately true that you have to strip at least 90% or so to
replace those derned inner lower bushings. You can imagine how the
people doing 'show' rebuilds felt when they found that some of the
rubber rings (sold by Moss, TRF and VB apparently) split after less than
a year !
However, the work is straightforward, with only a few special tools
required. You'll need a spring compressor (peculiar to TRs), which you
can either make yourself, or buy from Moss et al. If you replace the
outer bushings, you'll need a 5/8" reamer (or take them to a shop to be
reamed). I bought a reamer from Enco for around $15, but they may have
gone up. I also suggest a heavy hammer, like the 3 lb "mini-sledge"
sold by Harbor Freight for about $10. It has a short handle (10-12")
which makes it easy to swing in confined areas, but the heavy head gives
the shock necessary to loosen things. You'll probably need a tie rod
separator, but a pair of heavy hammers will do in a pinch.
I used Nylatron bushings, which had to be reamed after installation
(11/16" I think) but I don't believe the poly bushings sold by Moss have
to be reamed. The stock nylon ones definitely don't.
My experience has been that it comes apart fairly easy, even on cars
driven in salt. The areas most likely to give you fits are :
1) Removing the two bolts that fasten the lower bump stop assembly to
the frame on each side. These bolts run through a tube welded into the
frame, and can sometimes rust into the tube. Use lots of penetrating
oil, patience, a propane torch and a BIG hammer <g>
2) Removing the silentblocs from the idler arm and pitman arm. If they
don't just pop out, my suggestion is to pry them apart and then remove
the idler arm/steering box from the car before trying to get the pin out
of the arm.
My suggestion would be to pull the steering box and replace the bushing
and lower seal. This turned out to be where the majority of the lost
motion was in my front end, although it wasn't obvious before I took it
apart. I found my dial indicator and stand ($25 at Enco) to be useful
when setting the bearing clearance, but you can probably do an adequate
job without it. On the later cars with the split column, it is possible
to get the steering box out without pulling the front apron (and
probably easier unless you already need to pull the apron for some other
reason). I took the LH motor mount loose and jacked the engine up to
get room to remove the box. If you do this, watch that the front air
cleaner doesn't hit the inner fender. The stock air cleaners would
probably be OK, but my 4A paper filter got mashed.
Here's a blow-by-blow I wrote earlier this year for the suspension :
Plan on replacing all Nyloc nuts, lockwashers and cotter pins. Note
that new trunnions are not drilled for cotter pins, so you will either
need to get Nyloc nuts, or drill them yourself. This is also a great
time to repack/replace the wheel bearings, and replace the wheel grease
seals (mine came out in pieces).
Unless you are redoing the hydraulics, it's best to not open the brake
lines. Attach a piece of coat hanger to a convenient point so you can
hang the calipers on it and so not strain the flex line.
One surprise to me was that the inner bolts for the upper suspension
pivot have nuts hidden inside the spring tower. The spring and spacer
have to come out to get to them.
So, it goes something like :
1) Put car on jack stands, remove road wheels.
2) Remove brake caliper, tying up with wire to avoid straining the
hoses. Look for shims in the caliper mount, and remove the dust plate.
3) Remove dust cap, bearing retainer and hub assembly.
4) Remove tie rod end tapered pin from vertical link.
5) Remove the upper shock mount.
6) Using a floor jack and a block of wood (I used a piece of 2x4 scrap,
about 6" long), lift the suspension off the stop. (Don't lift too far,
or the car will come off the jack stands). Remove the stop bracket,
lower shock mount and shock.
7) Thread the spring compressor through the shock holes, tighten to
remove load from floor jack, remove floor jack.
8) Remove nuts from lower spring pan.
9) Release spring compressor (slowly). You may need to lift up on the
vertical link and/or pull out on the spring pan, to get the pan to
move outside the frame. Use the pry bars, don't put your fingers in
harm's way if something should pop loose.
10) If it doesn't fall out, remove the spring, spacer (if fitted) and
rubber gaskets.
11) Remove 4 nuts and bolts holding each lower A-arm, remove the A-arms.
12) Remove 4 bolts (2 nuts) holding upper pivot bracket to spring tower.
13) Try not to worry too much about how to put it all back together.
14) Ask the list (or me directly) for help if you get stuck.
Installation, as they say, is the reverse of removal <g>
Hope this helps
Randall
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