Working on the front end

[Green-80]

I have occasionally been driving my Scout in 2 wheel drive since I swapped the rear axle and now I have started on the front. Like most of my jobs it is taking way longer than most people said, but I don't want to miss anything in the suspension or steering.
So far everything is going fairly well, but as usual there are some issues. I had to cut one of the u-bolts because it was bent and I found that the holes for the shackle bolts are keyhole shaped. Also my shocks are worn out. My next job is changing the spring bushings. I hope it's not too hard.
Out with the old

[ihscoutmatt]

Originally Posted by Green-80

I have occasionally been driving my Scout in 2 wheel drive since I swapped the rear axle and now I have started on the front. Like most of my jobs it is taking way longer than most people said, but I don't want to miss anything in the suspension or steering.
So far everything is going fairly well, but as usual there are some issues. I had to cut one of the u-bolts because it was bent and I found that the holes for the shackle bolts are keyhole shaped. Also my shocks are worn out. My next job is changing the spring bushings. I hope it's not too hard.
Out with the old

if you haven't already read about it or haven't done it before, a ball joint press works really well for pressing out the spring bushings

[Green-80]

I saw the posts about the ball joint press and plan to stop by our Orielly store and borrow the tool. The bushings I bought appear to be different than the ones in there now. I hope they still work. This is all new to me.

[ihscoutmatt]

Originally Posted by Green-80

I saw the posts about the ball joint press and plan to stop by our Orielly store and borrow the tool. The bushings I bought appear to be different than the ones in there now. I hope they still work. This is all new to me.

did you get the ones made by energy suspension, I used the energy suspension red ones and they squeak the black ones have graphite in them so they dont squeak and if I remember right you have to trim the shoulder off the ones that go in the frame the ones that actually go in the springs work great

[Green-80]

My bushings are black and the flange is thin. I don't remember who I ordered from. I don't care for the colored bushings and sleeves on my rides.
I stacked two bushings together with a sleeve yesterday and they slid right in the frame mount. I expect no unusual problems getting them to slide in with the spring. I've still got cleaning and painting before reasssembly. I want it to look decent and not have to be done again for a while.

[ihscoutmatt]

Originally Posted by Green-80

My bushings are black and the flange is thin. I don't remember who I ordered from. I don't care for the colored bushings and sleeves on my rides.
I stacked two bushings together with a sleeve yesterday and they slid right in the frame mount. I expect no unusual problems getting them to slide in with the spring. I've still got cleaning and painting before reasssembly. I want it to look decent and not have to be done again for a while.

I honestly don't remember how I ended up getting the red ones, luckily they stop squeaking after a while

when I did mine I thought the ones in the frame looked good so I didnt change them, now the one on the passenger side is needing replaced so added to my list of things to do is rebuild my front suspension again

[Green-80]

I thought I would throw out a little update. I used a ball joint press to remove the bushings from the frame..almost. One shell is still stuck. The press was a loaner from O'Reilly and had been used and abused. It was hard to hold it in place and get it lined up, but I managed. It only took about three days to get over some strained muscles from pulling on the wrench. An impact would be much better.
My boss let me use the press at work to push out the spring bushings. After I found a thick washer/spacer that was the right diameter to press on the whole bushing they came right out. Whole thing took about an hour even with me having to hunt up the right bits and pieces. I hope to get the springs cleaned and painted and ready to go back on in a day or two...weather permitting.

[Green-80]

The shell that was stuck came right out using the thick washer and the ball joint press. I got the springs, front axle, and a few other bits painted last night. Getting closer little by little.

[ihscoutmatt]

Originally Posted by Green-80

The shell that was stuck came right out using the thick wasker and the ball joint press. I got the springs, front axle, and a few other bits painted last night. Getting closer little by little.

looks good, glad to hear its coming together

[Green-80]

Things look a bit different than they did under my 1980 Scout. The spring bushings are in, new brake hoses, new shocks, new pinion seal and everything painted except the rotors. That's the good part.
I had decided to try the hubs and rotors that were on the replacement front axle since everything seemed smooth and Matt said he had driven the parts Scout. I did discover that the hubs don't match from side to side, but they both seem to work fine. My mistake. I was going to trial fit a wheel to see where to paint and detail the rotors, but I found that the hub on the passenger side is too large to fit my wheels. The driver's side is fine.


I guess I will have to change to the auto hubs that were on the 1980 to begin with. Oh well, I guess the test drive will be a bit later.