I was installing a set of old man emu upgraded coil springs on Shrek (1999 Forest green WJ) today. When I got to the front driver's side and pulled out the coil spring isolator, I noticed a fair amount of rust on the mount itself. I am concerned about the integrity of the mount and would like to possibly find one that I can weld on after grinding off the old one.
Does any one here have any experience with this? What is the best way to repair if it can be? Or where can I find one to replace it?
I just had the same experience when i removed the lower spring isolators last week. No rust at all at any spot on the lower surface, but those spring mounts looked like they had spend 80 years besides the Titanic on the sea floor. I removed all the rust with a rotating wire brush, put two coats of rust inhibiter and three coats of paint on them. The metal is quite thick. Do you feel that it is rusted too far away? This seems to be a weak point on the WJ though, the rust formation on these points.
See here my thread about this with some pictures: http://www.jeepgarage.org/f51/front-suspension-work-89479.html
Mine were in considerably worse shape than yours. I am going back in this afternoon and take some pictures. I think that I am going to have to do some fabrication. To re build mounts
I am going to be working with a friend of mine who has loads of experience in metal fabrication and welding. We are going to re-build the lower coil spring mounts.
Any chance anyone has the dimensions for the tower that centers the lower coil spring isolator?
Still have my springs out, so took the dimensions. Some material rusted away, so it probably be a bit smaller then original.
The foot diameter is 82 mm, while at the top they are 79 mm (so they are a bit conical.) The height is 45 mm. You can also use the lower spring isolator inner dimensions as a reference.
I have spent 2 days looking on the net for a site like that. It didn't make sense that there wouldn't be one but I found no reference to it.
If this works out, I owe you a 6-pack.
Hey no problem, that's what we do here help each other out if we can. I replaced mine with a kit from them also. But the kits listed now are much better as they improved the design and you cant beat the price for a pair of mounts. Good luck with the fix. :thumbsup:
I didnt spend alot of time looking, but do they or anyone have the rest of the mount listed? Just in case there isnt enough salvageable steel left?
I am just thinking to make the whole project cleaner looking
So I ordered the perch rebuild parts. They should be here on Tuesday when i will go to my friends to install. I will try and remember to take some photos as i go and post when I am back on the road.
If most of the rust is on the round part you should be able to just remove that and have enough metal left over to grind down and weld to. You could also cut some 1/4" plate to size to cover the whole area and then weld the new mounts to that. I would also treat any of the metal left that was rusted with some rust reformer product to help stop it from coming back. Then put a good coat of paint over the entire repair to help stop future rust. It is hard to stop as it seems the rubber pads trap the moisture.
The damage on mine.. One side the center tower is gone completely, and the actual plate that supports the weight is almost 20% gone.
The second side seems fairly solid with the exception of the fact that the tower is gone.
I have not had chance to look closer at rest of the mount since last week. I will inspect tomorrow evening when i goto fix it. My friend has enough random steel plating around that we should be able to figure something out. With limited time, i am going to have to be satisfied with getting the beast structurally sound and then come back in a couple weeks to do clean up and rust treatment.
So, 4 hours later, Shrek is down off the stands. He is structurally sound but as we were forces to use a stick welder (due to technical difficulties with my friends mig welder). The repair doesn't look real pretty, and we will need to go back and clean up once mig welder is operational. The issue was blowing through the original mount that we were welding to.
Any way, when I go back in 2 weeks to clean up and install new control arms, i will send more pictures.
dropping air pressure to 35 from 42 psi made a huge difference. Control arms are still being replaced after 200k miles. It still is slightly wobbly at certain bumps.
I had just replaced steering damper with stock spec new unit, but will look at a heavier grade one.
Can anyone tell me about process of replacing the upper front front control arm bushing? It is the one that is pressed into the bracket attached to the axle housing.
Thanks
Just changed mine a few weeks ago. I used a large diameter tube (bigger than the bushing) on one side, and a large socket on the bushing itself, and then pressed the bushing out using a long bolt and nut or other threaded piece. The one on the pumpkin is easy, because the ear is strong. The other side is a piece of flimsy hollow metal and you will need to put some piece of metal inside it to not deform it while pressing the bushing out/in. I finally used the head of a big bahco, which was exactly the size. Otherwise you will have to make some U piece of metal which will fit snug inside the ear.
So, quick question.
I am having trouble discerning which bushing to get for the front upper control arm at the front mounts on the axle. It seems like they are the same bushing as the one that is pressed into the rear of the front upper control arm, but I would like to make sure.
I am changing out all 4 front control arms, but looks like i will have to come back for those bushings. As always, time issues.
Think that might have played a part in the wobble??
Lol
Yes, at least i did mount the lower control arms first at the frame side, then at the axle side. Then i used a small jack on the front of the axle spring mounts to line up the bolt holes. Remember to only handtighten all suspension bolts and to only fasten them well when the jeep is on ride height with the weight on the wheels. In this way the bushings are least twisted most of the time and will last longer.
There are my new spring mounts with first coat of epoxy paint.
Have 1 more coat then back together.
I am replacing drivers side brake line while i am waiting for paint to dry.
I was wondering if you had any thoughts about 1 break caliper not releasing pressure. Less than 4 months ago i replaced my front breaks (calipers pads rotors ) with a powerstop product. I am not sure if i had a choice, but i kept to the original style that was on the jeep being ATE. I know that there has been alot of discussion and debate about brake calipers (ate vs akebono) but i figured, "hey, it had them in it for 180000 miles before i had any issues with them"
Anyway, i have repeatedly bled the line. This last time with a simple gravity bleed. And after applying the breaks a couple of times, the caliper does not release.
It is only on the drivers front wheel.
I dont want to warp these brand new rotors