Front suspension being replaced

[steveplym]

I started last night replacing the front suspension parts on my P-15. Everything was pretty much worn out. I've got the right side done and just about ready to put the left side back together. Left side parts are assembled I just have to get them back on the car.

Everything went pretty good. Had a lot of trouble with the pin that holds the king pin in place. Had to drill it out. I'm figuring that the right side had never been touched, probably original stuff. Everything fits much tighter now and hopefully won't be wandering from side to side any more. Should finish it up later this week and get an alignment done next week. Then I'm planning some road trips. Nothing too far yet.

Planning on going to the Lebanon, IL cruise on April 24th and Goodguys Bowling Green, KY this coming fall. Since the Hot Rod Power tour is coming thru my town this year I'm thinking of catching it up in Springfield and driving back south to home. It would be neat to take the old Plymouth, but we'll see.

Pictures to come soon. I've taken several and plan on taking a few more before I finish up.

[Andydodge]

Steve, you mention that you had to drill out the kingpin cotter pin, these normally have a slight machined angle on one side so that when they are installed the machined "flat" is against the similar piece on the kingpin.......if you wire brush both sides of the area where the cotter pin is on the upright you can usually see on one side an area showing the faint machined edge, ie its not fully "round".....that is the side you hit to remove the cotter pin, a few REALLY GOOD WACKS with a large hammer against a 5/16 or 3/8 brass or steel drift should move it, then just tap out.......andyd

[Don Coatney]

Steve, you mention that you had to drill out the kingpin cotter pin,

Not a cotter pin. Below is a cotter pin picture.

It is a tapered pin with one side flat. Below is a picture of a tapered pin.

I also had to drill one of my pins out.

[55 Fargo]

Hey Steve, glad to hear it's all coming together.

Did you just replace the tie-rod ends, and king pin sets?

How were the upper and lower control arm shafts and bushing stes/

Let us know how it rides, once your done..........Fred

[steveplym]

Fred I replaced the all the control arm sets. I didn't replace the tie rods as they seemed to be okay at this point. May do that down the road, but all is tight in that area.

Andy I wacked that pin with the biggest hammer I could find, hit both sides too as I noticed what you were talking about. It would not budge. I have to believe that it was the original pin. Never been removed. The left side came right out as you had said.

Should be a bit easier to change in the future. Hopefully not real soon.

[Andydodge]

Steve, best thing about doing this is the wonderful way in which you find your body can be bent and twisted that you would have sworn was impossible........and if you are real lucky, you can also massage your fingers with that big hammer as you miss the drift you are holding........ah....ain't old cars grand......lol.....andyd

[steveplym]

Yep nothing like really greasy fingers and busted knuckles. I could have taken up stamp collecting.

[steveplym]

Got my suspension back together this week and took it to the alignment shop yesterday. Car drives great. It doesn't drive like a 2010 car, but it probably drives just as good as when it was new, and that is a whole lot better than it was before.

Took a few photos of the project. I went to a couple of local shows with a friend of mine. Helped out with a show at a church in Benton, IL. Then headed down to a cruise at the Home Depot in Marion, IL. Really enjoyed driving the car today.

I did have one mishap today. Got about 20 miles from home and the car started missing terribly, then quit all together. I found a side road off of the highway and pulled over. I was between towns off on a country road, so not much light and it was at dusk. My flashlight battery turned out to be dead and all I had was my cell phone light. Spent a few minutes under the hood with it and noticed that one of the igniton wires on the coil had slipped off. Put it on and car fired right up and I got it home. Worried me for a bit, glad it was an easy fix. Always some drama with these old cars.

I have a few pics to share. Check out the link to my photobucket album for more.

http://s167.photobucket.com/albums/u122/siufan6/Front%20Suspension%20repair%20and%20April%20Shows%202010/

[LuckyDevil]

If you call that thing a project, I would love to see one you have finished. That blue is awesome. Might have to steal that color for my Coupe.

[Andydodge]

Steve, looks great, thats a real nice blue, it feels good to have a win doesn't it.......lol......regards,andyd

[boxer_inv]

Love that color too!

Steve, did you get a complete overhaul kit for the suspension? If so, where did you get it and was everything up to scratch?

Rob.

[55 Fargo]

Here are 2 lower control arms complete withsgafts/bushings, they are Mopar NOS, if anyone nneds them, or a fluid drive Carter Carb, it is NOS also.

[steveplym]

I bought the entire kit from Roberts. That includes both uppers and both lowers. Enough to do each control arm. It is all up to snuff so far. We'll see how well it holds up.