The first step on the agenda for my new 73 bus is removing and welding the brackets on the front torsion tubes. Getting the front end out was been a little more complex than I anticipated. As someone else mentioned, taking these things apart is a little like peeling an onion. Fortunately - and suprisingly for a 20 year old vehicle - nothing was impossibly rusted. To get the torsion tube assembly out I had to disconnect the drag link to the steering arm, the shift rod linkages, the clutch cable, the master cylinder and the wheel calipers. I also removed the rotors before dropping what remained of the front end. In any case, a lot of this stuff needed overhauling anyway. For example, the shift rod busings are completely worn - the bus has that 'omnishift' feeling. So now the front axle is sitting on my workmate. I have removed the tie rod arms and 3 out of 4 ball joints. The bolt on ball joint number 4 is very stubborn - I have to find a longer pipe! My bentley manual has not yet arrived from JCW so I have a couple of questions for the experts: 1. How do I remove the sway bar? The nuts came off OK, but the bolts are intractable. 2. How do I remove the torsion arms, bars, and bearings. Muir indicates that the torsion arms should just slide out after loosening the set screws in the center of the torsion tubes and on the torsion arms. I did this and (suprise!) - no sliding. Is it time for Mr. Sledge Hammer? How about the needle bearings - do I need a special extractor to get these out? Thanks for any and all replies. --------------------------------------------------------------- Peter Williams CANMET work (613) 996-9760 home (613) 237-0717 fax (613) 996-9416 ---------------------------------------------------------------
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