Hi

Have all the parts, and most of the info on doing a pillow ball replacement on my '94 FD. I'll also be doing trailing arms and toe links at the same time.

I'm having a great deal of difficulty removing the I-arm from the brake assembly. In my manual, it's p R-36, and it's no 8. The bolt comes out, but I cannot drop out the I-arm. Am I supposed to press it out?

Thanks

 

I just remember it had a pretty tight fit, and a pry bar worked to get it loose. The bolt / nut was all that I removed.

Dave

 

That did it. How about putting it back in? Am I going to have a fit problem?

Thanks

 

There are sliding steel sleeves where the bolts pass through aluminum suspension pieces. Just tap the sleeve back to give you more room and everything will go together easily. When you install and tighten the bolts the sleeve will be pulled up tight once again.

 

Love this place. Thanks for the assist(s)!

 

I am one dumb SOB. Got the I-arm out. Got the snap-rings out. Then commenced to push out the pillow ball in the wrong direction. The tool was strong enough to push out the retaining wall on the opposite side.

Anyone have a left side I-arm for sale?

 

unlucky dude!!!

 

That's generous of you. I'd call it stupidity! Inattentive, at best.

I was looking at it, thinking from which side I should push. Seems to me if you have a snap ring on one side, that's the direction to go. Didn't even think about it.

 

You should know better than that ......... Rookie

 

Hey Joe,

Sorry to hear about your mishap. Don't you love being a do it yourselfer? We start out thinking that we're going to save all kinds of money on labor and end up breaking things that cost more than what you'd pay a mechanic.

 

Hey Joe -

Check out my writeup here if you haven't already - it may give you some hints:
http://www.clubrx.org/default.asp?id...ntent=32&mnu=5

Also, I have a bunch of rear suspension parts spare. PM me and I'll make you a good deal.

Thanks,
Dale

 

Good Write up Dale! I have to do this job sooner or later.

 

See what happens when you drink and drive - a wrench! Hey **** happens! I did this same job last December - used a impact wrench to put it back together and ended up replacing ALL the bolts you just removed. Impact wrench over-tightened them and stretched them. Only reason I found out is the very last one I was putting on snapped!
But on the other hand, if anyone in NorCal needs help replacing the pillowballs, I think I could do the whole job in less than 2 hours if you were willing to help.

 

Hey Rotoober where's the "Van(down by t he river" parked"? I could use some guidance installing my Pillowballs. I even have a Harbor Freight 12 ton shop press.

 

Thats a nice website, ClubRX.org. I bookmarked that one.

 

I'm up in Corning, 20 minutes from Chico, about 180 miles north of you. Let me know if you are ever in the area (and I'm 20 minutes from Thunderhill!) I've got all the tools necessary and a car lift.
If you've got a shop press, the hard part is getting the shock and lower arm back together. I used a long screwdriver and rubber mallet. BTW, I followed Dale's write-up, and only did one side at a time, so I could always see what it looked like when it was put together right.

 

John

The other side took less than 2 hours to include installing the trailing arm and toe link. Now. just have to wait for the replacement I-arm to come in, and I'll button up the left side.

Lessons learned here, so can help you one of these days.