Tomorrow I replace lower ball joints and centerlink, any advice?

Im also curious why the nut on the centerlink to idler arm is copper colored and not as tall as the other 3/4 nuts ?
Any ideas?

 

I had to rent a kit from Advanced Auto to get the right pullers. 100 buicks deposit but actually its free as long as you bring it back. Pickle fork wouldnt work for me, I was too close to the floor and couldnt get a good swing on it. Tapping with a BFH while backing up with another BFH didnt work either. Well it did work on one but only because I had the puller putting tension on it as tight as I dared to go.

So finally I got both inner tie rod to center link tapers out. Got the tie rods cleaned up. Now I go back out and try to get the idler to center and pitman to center tapers out. Then on the lower ball joints. I hope it goes together easier and faster than it is coming apart. Alignment appointment is tomorrow afternoon.

 

Ok update I got the idler and pitman tapers free. One hit with the small pickle fork for the idler taper and less than ten hits for the pitman taper. Old centerlink is free now and it is much more apparent how worn it was. Quite a bit of play on the pitman taper. So now I have a piece of iron maybe Ill make a pullup bar out of it IDK yet. Ha.

So I did damage the threads on the RH inner tie rod NUT. So I cannot reuse that. The threads on the tie rods look good and there is no play although one is a bit stiff. I think Ill keep those unless they have some moog at the parts store in stock for not too much.

I checked the lower ball joints according to the official Buick shop manual and it says that the grease nipple mount sticks out 1/16 inch when new and as the ball joint wears the mount goes lower and lower into the ball joint. When the mount is flush or lower then the ball joint should be replaced. So on mine the mount is not flush yet. Its getting close but probably a 1/32 or a little more is still above flush. So I will wait on those until I rebuild the whole front end this spring including control arm bushings, detailing, and all that.

I still have to put it all back together so Im not out of the woods yet. I need a castle nut of the appropriate grade, some cotter pins which I think I have a bunch of those in a tray somewhere and some EP grease to grease the inner tie rod tapers.

Can someone tell me what is the best grease for wheel bearings and front end?

 

I ONLY USE Kendall Super Blue.

 

So many ways we could have fun with that "if there is, the BJ is NG"
But alas this a family show ha

 

The installation of my centerlink was a success. Its amazing how much difference it makes. I did not do the ball joints at this time. Took it in for alignment he said he cant get it perfect because of the ball joints and because there is something off in the rear. He said its slightly out of square and maybe I need to replace bushings back there since its non adjustabale. Then he said he needs to do a 4 wheel alignment which I dont understand. He said it costs 200 dollars to do a full alignment. Caster and camber were within 1 degreee. Now my steering wheel is off by a few degrees. I dont know if I should trust him or not. Time will tell.

 

I'm not an alignment guy, but I would not have confidence he knows what he's doing. You shouldn't need a 4 wheel alignment. If something is wrong back there, he should know what it is. Your wheel should be straight if the cars aligned. I think you got a rookie.

 

$200 alignment?!! And a 4wheel alignment is possible on our stuff not unless he's gonna adjust it with a Frame machine ha, find another place cause they are lost

 

because I had worn out tires and needed new ones and I wanted a basic alignment just so my tires dont wear out on the edges like the old ones did. I replaced the center link it it feels nice and tight now. The lower ball joints are not perfect but they are within spec per the manual. I dont expect a laser perfect alignment to .00001 degree, I just want it to be reasonably straight until I have time to make everyhthing perfect.

So do you agree with everyone that the guy is a rookie and I should find someone else? He said hitting a pothole can throw off the back. He also proposed a bent wheel but he mounted and balanced the new tires at that shop. Wouldnt a bent rim show up when balancing? Im thinking ya.

The wheel may have been removed at one point and now the car is straight and the wheel will have to be removed and repositioned on the steering shaft. He also said my steering box was stiff and asked me if I did anything to it. I think it feels fine. IDK>

 

Word for word what Jason says. You align the front to the imaginary line of the rears. Reason the wheel is not straight!!!!
$200.00 is a little much for a 4 wheel thrust alignment. On an older car I would usually charge around $125.00-$175.00 depending on how much trouble, read rust, & difficulty it is to adjust. Adjustment bolts are frozen/rusted, A/C is in the way making it even more difficult. If it's to be done correctly it takes time to perform properly & get the readings where they are supposed to be or setting them to the specs the tech, with experience, feels it should be based on many facts. You DON'T go to an express shop as they will do only what is easiest. They are a PRODUCTION shop & get paid via volume. One degree out side-side is a lot.

Tom T.

 

Most of these "free alignments" included with tires...they just get the car within spec. They are not concerned with a Really good alignment, just an acceptable one. The bent wheel is easy to spot on a machine. Even if the steering wheel is off by one spline, they could line it up so it's straight. As Jason would say...you got a BJ (bad job) that was NG.

 

I dont know where to go anymore. This was not a Tire Kingdom place it was Johns or Phils or Bob's Automotive Service. The owner is a mechanic that works on site actually working on cars. Hes got two other mechanics working there and is a full service repair shop. Hey its florida, not the midwest. In the midwest we have whats called a work ethic and honesty at these owner operated shops. There is no A/C and no rusted/frozen adjusters on the tie rods or control arms. He said tires, mount and balance, and alignment and of course now I see it was just a gimmick and not a real alignment. So I cannot trust him any further. He knows how to do it he just doesnt want to make good on his agreement because to him it was just a gimmick.

 

I ordered three tubes thanks for the tip.

 

He could have but just didnt feel like doing it I guess.

 

the world is full of gimmicks to get you in the door. you should be able to turn each tie rod adjuster to get the steering wheel inline with the wheels but... I'll let someone smarter then me confirm that. I would agree on the rear bushings if the rear is really out but some rears can be shimmed. yours IDK. sorry you got burned on the alignment friend. if he couldn't do the alignment correct...did he credit the cost ? I would want to hear "I can't do it, here's a refund" good luck.