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Upper Control Arm question-repaired it

Started by oldcarnut, November 15, 2009, 12:17:05 AM

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oldcarnut

Today I pulled the front clip of my 70 RR to start a little work towards the SB clone.  I then began tear down of the suspension to rebuild it,  I know the bushings were worn but it drove pretty good while I worked on other things.  I pulled the UCA's off and got a little surprise.  The bushings had most of the rubber gone and the drivers side bolt was actually making metal to metal contact on the arm.  I posted a pic for show and my questions are:
Can I weld up and rework the worn area and just reuse it?
I'm going to try and find another good used arm first if there is one available somewhere but needed to know what years are the same for the 70 RR?
Maybe tommorrow I'll get to the rest of it and order the parts from Rock Auto unless someone knows any site doing a promotion sale.

resq302

If you are concerned, I think Frank Badalson and Roger Gibson are now reproing the upper control arms for 68-70 B bodys.  Don't know what the pricing is or not but thats what I seem to remember.
Brian
1969 Dodge Charger (factory 4 speed, H code 383 engine,  AACA Senior winner, 2008 Concours d'Elegance participant, 2009 Concours d'Elegance award winner)
1970 Challenger Convert. factory #'s matching red inter. w/ white body.  318 car built 9/28/69 (AACA Senior winner)
1969 Plymough GTX convertible - original sheet metal, #'s matching drivetrain, T3 Honey Bronze, 1 of 701 produced, 1 of 362 with 440 4 bbl - auto

oldcarnut

Here's the info from Frank. Thanks for the feed back.  I'll search for a good used one after trying the weld repair.
UCAM Authentic, stamped steel right and left upper control arms, 1858856 and 1858857.
Arms only..................................................$ 325.00
With 2 ball joints, seals, and 4 bushings..............$ 350.0

HPP

A member on here was selling a pair of good used arms for $40 each. Shop around before dumping coin on new ones. If you are cash strapped, yes, you could weld up and rework the hole.

oldcarnut

I saw those in another thread but they were for a 72 Charger and I don't think they're the same.  I'll  have to find out if the 70 is the same as 68-69 like most things.  The welding wasn't so much a concern of cash as it was about any stressing of a suspension because of welding but I don't think what little bit I would have to do would be a big factor with it.

John_Kunkel


If the new bushings press in tight I wouldn't worry about the "divot" unless cosmetics are a concern.
Pardon me but my karma just ran over your dogma.

HPP

Quote from: oldcarnut on November 15, 2009, 03:18:31 PM
I saw those in another thread but they were for a 72 Charger and I don't think they're the same.  I'll  have to find out if the 70 is the same as 68-69 like most things.  

No, they won't work, but the point was that there are for sale ads out there with members trying to make some cash for their projects that can help you with your project. I'm often surprised by how many members of the many web sites I visit that don't check the forum ads before making purchases. BTW, your looking for 66-71 B body or 70-74 E body upper arms. That should expand your search considerably.

oldcarnut

I took it to work and weld repaired the UCA and it came out pretty decent.  Posted a few pics.  Just waiting on a few more parts to put all of it back.  Bought all moog except for the poly sway bar bushings and links.  

HPP


resq302

Very nice job!  Can hardly to tell that it was done upon a quick glance. :2thumbs:
Brian
1969 Dodge Charger (factory 4 speed, H code 383 engine,  AACA Senior winner, 2008 Concours d'Elegance participant, 2009 Concours d'Elegance award winner)
1970 Challenger Convert. factory #'s matching red inter. w/ white body.  318 car built 9/28/69 (AACA Senior winner)
1969 Plymough GTX convertible - original sheet metal, #'s matching drivetrain, T3 Honey Bronze, 1 of 701 produced, 1 of 362 with 440 4 bbl - auto

oldcarnut

Thanks guys  :cheers:.  Check out these sway bar mounts I took off today.  Both of them looked to be pushed forward .  I hope the new ones I ordered have the frame mounts as well as the bushing replacements.  Originally I was planning on doing the LCA's, Front Strutrods, and Torsion bar bushings later so I could move on to the body modifications but now I'm having second thoughts.  Any ideas what would cause these to bend that much as it seems like it would be more than just the worn UCA's  to do it :shruggy:.  This car only had 103K miles on it.

HPP

They probably hit a curb. Where they hang, it would be possible to bash them without damaging anything else.