Thrust arm replacement

[Incantation]

Hey guys,

I got lemforder thrust-arms with 750 bushing on ebay.. 100 bucks US for both, new.. quite happy with that.

My mechanic didn't seem too happy about that and quoted me 130 bucks Canadian to install them (about 2 hours labour).

is he over-charging me? is this something easily done myself? (i'm mechanically inclined)

[632 Regal]

you can do it yourself, I wouldnt say it's super easy but it isnt the worst job.

Make sure you have all the tools or access to a store before you start and plan on it being a 1 case beer job the first time. Each time you do it you learn tricks that make the job real easy. I think back to my first time and my lack of the stupid impact socket I needed to correctly loosen the strut housing bolts, and the angle required as to not round the bolts (against the rotor). Loctite when done and good to go.

although 130 bucks isnt a bad price for someone else to do them either, you just wont know if it was done proper OR torqued with weight on it...loctited? Torqued properly? Never can tell.

[Incantation]

thanks!

[Kalevera]

Jeff, as always, is right. Easy to do with a pickle fork and a few tools in a few hours. The hardest part of it for me was getting the old bushing side out. Required an M24 or M22 wrench (I forget) and the appropriate socket...and muscle.

Just be sure to torque them under load...that'll set the bushing correctly.

I, personally, would rather do it myself. Or, you could pay the mechanic $130 and never know how easy the job is

best, whit

[John B.]

I did the job on a lift using the factory thrust arm press to remove the ball joints so it was quick & easy. If you've got the leverage getting the bushing end bolt out is simple. If you are going to be laying on the ground trying to pop out the ball joint with a pickle fork & break the nuts loose the $130 might not sound so bad by the time you are done.

[Incantation]

hey whit i don't suppose you're living anywhere close to vancouver canada (west coast) now are you?

[632 Regal]

Ohhh....ya, the picklefork deal... I ended up having to swing a #10 sledge until I about had a heart attack to pop my ball joint out! Same thing on the other side, must have been over torqued at last install.

Anyways I hope your not too far into the case of beer when you get to this part. Theres nothing like the exhilarating you get from swinging a big ass sledge into the center of a mint fender...one slip and well...it could get ugly.

I ended heating the area around the stud with an aceteline torch and it came right out with a tap of the hammer.