[6pack] Front End Rebuild Questions

[Foster, Stan (HP IT)]

Jeff, I media blasted all my suspension parts then etch primed and painted. I
find POR15 a bit thick for some applications (I did my frame with it) and just
used black paint on the suspension. I think the prep will be more important
than the final finish. I stripped everything down but stopped short of
removing the axle from the vertical link. I just wrapped it in masking tape to
escape the alox.

Ball joints vary depending on where you get them. I started with TRF ball
joints but they locked up solid when the front end was off the ground and I
didn't like that despite assurances from TRF that this was normal so I
switched to some ball joints from Moss which swiveled regardless of whether
the wheels were on the ground or not. I still have the TRF ball joints and I
may revisit that decision this winter.

When operating by hand any new ball joint should be a bit stiff.

Stan

-----Original Message-----
From: 6pack-bounces at autox.team.net [mailto:6pack-bounces at autox.team.net] On
Behalf Of Jeff Scarbrough
Sent: Monday, October 12, 2009 2:12 PM
To: 6pack at autox.team.net
Subject: [6pack] Front End Rebuild Questions

Rebuilding the front end on my 75 TR6...I've got all the pieces
apart, more or less, and in the process of cleaning and finishing, I
wondered if there's any consensus regarding paint, POR-15 or powder
coating on the arms and knuckles that make up the suspension?

Also, I can clean the vertical link more easily if I take it
completely apart, removing the steering arm and pressing out the
spindle.  But I wonder how large a can of worms I open if I do that -
any advice?

And finally, I was playing with the new trunnions I got. They are
much tighter than the old ones (which didn't have much slop), but
they are especially tight in the final position.  Not so tight that I
can't turn it by hand, but pretty stiff.  How stiff should they be?

Thanks!