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upper control arm
Posted: Thu Jul 02, 09 5:54 pm
by Bryan S
Looking for your opinions.Barracuda failed MOT today on UCA bushes and one top ball joint,

First thing that comes to mind is, Bananarama! job.
looks about on the net and sees tube UCA's with ball joints and bushes fitted.
It works out double the price but less work also im going to the states in September so no shipping. What do you think.Bryan.
Posted: Thu Jul 02, 09 6:10 pm
by Pete
You have still got to get the old ones out!!
Gives you much more adjustment for setting up the front end the way you want.
If the car's a keeper then go for it!
Posted: Thu Jul 02, 09 6:15 pm
by Anonymous
Bryan.
It is not a bannana job, there are only the two adjustable A frame bolts and the nut under the top ball joint.
Wd 40 it the day before and it will fall off.

Posted: Thu Jul 02, 09 6:30 pm
by Stu
I Bananarama! was that easy....
Absolute Bananarama! of a job to get them out. Getting the new kit in is easy, so wouldn't worry what you are putting back in.

Posted: Thu Jul 02, 09 7:32 pm
by Dave-R
They came out of my Challenger OK. Not hard at all.
Posted: Thu Jul 02, 09 8:30 pm
by Stu
Do you do home visit's, Dave?
I guess a lot of it will be dependent on things like wet miles, length of time since last change and a bit of blind luck too.
Hope your inner sleeves aren't rusted to the bolts like ours were.

Posted: Thu Jul 02, 09 9:45 pm
by Bryan S
Thanks lads,i just think of the old days of mk3 cortina's when my bolts always seemed to weld themselves to the inner bush.

Everybodyelse changed the bushes,i went and got a secondhand xmember.
Yes Pete it's a keeper.B.
Posted: Fri Jul 03, 09 12:26 pm
by MrNorm
Start using WD40 now, every day, (or your penetrant of choice!). Bushes should not be difficult (long bolt and some sockets/pipe), ball joint might be easy or an utter pain!
Heat and penetrant are your best insurance.
Posted: Fri Jul 03, 09 1:17 pm
by JohnR
Todays Tip change upper ball joint before removing UCA from car !!!!
ask me ( and Stu ) how we know !!!
Posted: Fri Jul 03, 09 7:38 pm
by Bryan S
Go on then John tell!
Posted: Sat Jul 04, 09 7:20 pm
by Stu
Rumour has it that the UCA is relatively easy to put out of shape if you clamp it in a vice, Bryan. The theory behind splitting and replacing the ball joint on the car is that it holds everything in place and keeps it where it's meant to be whilst you put the pressure on and do the job.
In all honesty, I'm not sure you'd get enough pressure in a vice to bend the arm, but I suppose better safe than sorry.
It'd be a PITA to hold it well enough to split the bugger if you dropped everything off to do it off the car anyway, IMO. Plus, if you split it and get the ball joint off first, you'll have much better access to the UCA bolts anyway, so I'd do it in that order if I were you.
Sure there'll be differing opinions, but that's mine.

Posted: Sun Jul 05, 09 10:14 am
by Bryan S
Looking forward to getting started
This is why i thought of buying new UCA's with ball joints fitted.
Cheers lads B.

Posted: Tue Jul 21, 09 2:58 pm
by Gareth
Fixed it yet Bryan ? Which way did you decide to go ?
Posted: Tue Jul 21, 09 3:04 pm
by Bryan S
No Gareth,not looked at it,maybe this weekend see what will and wont move.
Going to the states in September so will buy everything when i'm out there,in the mean time theres always the bodywork to do.
Cheers B.
Posted: Sun Oct 04, 09 9:12 pm
by Bryan S
Hey Gareth
Started today,went the recip saw way

,have cut away one bolt, does'nt sound much,it's just finding the best blade to do the job as you said.
Just back from the states, unfortunately my box of parts isn't, the bananarama usps sent that to kin Japan
