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  • messed up front end

    ok, so I finished the motor swap in the little red devil. the motor and tranny work really nice. but in replacing everything, I seem to have mucked up the front end somehow. this is going to be a little vague, but its the best I can do. The front end is really loose. If you push the car left to right it gives way to much to feel safe. I checked, and I reconnected everything, tie rod, springs, half shaft (of course), and the little thingy at the bottom of the of the wheel hub. Everything looks hooked up properly, I can't understand why it sways back and forth so much (its almost scary.) Also, sometimes when I drive, I hear funny noises from the hubs. I think the caliper mud guard thing is scraping a little, thats no biggy, but also sometimes when I turn it just sounds really bad, like something is loose down there or something. I just don't know what to do. I want to have my zippy little car back, but I don't trust that front end to zip in any way, hell, I'm half afraid when I'm driving to work tommorow (only a mile each way but still) that my front end is gonna just fall off and I'm gonna hit pavement. Actually that probably won't happen, but if anyone knows what this could be or have any advice, please let me know.
    1997 Ford Aspire, MTX, Teal, B3E - "Trusty"
    1997 Ford Aspire, MTX, Red, B3E - "Eggy" (RIP)
    1989 Ford Festiva LX, ATX, Maroon, B3E - "TBK" (RIP)
    1991 Ford Festiva GL, ATX, Red, B3E - "Festiva GT" (RIP)

  • #2
    Half shaft axle nuts loose at the hub?

    Comment


    • #3
      When you reinstalled the lower ball joints did you make sure to tighten that bolt on the ball joint/hub connection tight so the ears on the hub pinched the ball joint?

      Reason I ask is I just had my car checked out for a real loose front end feeling and a clunking and they said the ball joints were bad, ya so I went to put the new ones in and the bolt that connects the hub to ball joint was just tight enought to stop the ball joint from falling out completely. I impacted the new ones on good and tight and there is no movement at all... so now I have spare lower control arms...
      90 festiva BP/G25MR swap, spec v seats, aspire brakes, FMS springs, round headlight conversion with HID's, custom exhaust, fiberglass hood, and a whole lotta bodywork
      BEFORE AFTER

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by LittleHoe View Post
        ... so now I have spare lower control arms...
        I follow you until the spare lower control arms...why do u have spares?
        1997 Ford Aspire, MTX, Teal, B3E - "Trusty"
        1997 Ford Aspire, MTX, Red, B3E - "Eggy" (RIP)
        1989 Ford Festiva LX, ATX, Maroon, B3E - "TBK" (RIP)
        1991 Ford Festiva GL, ATX, Red, B3E - "Festiva GT" (RIP)

        Comment


        • #5
          ok ok it was 230 in the morning, perhaps i forgot to tighten the axle nuts
          Last edited by pwgus; 06-14-2010, 10:28 AM.
          1997 Ford Aspire, MTX, Teal, B3E - "Trusty"
          1997 Ford Aspire, MTX, Red, B3E - "Eggy" (RIP)
          1989 Ford Festiva LX, ATX, Maroon, B3E - "TBK" (RIP)
          1991 Ford Festiva GL, ATX, Red, B3E - "Festiva GT" (RIP)

          Comment


          • #6
            You *DO* have the swaybar hooked up nice and tight...right?
            91GL BP/F3A with boost
            13.79 @ 100, 2.2 60' on 8 psi and 155R12's

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            • #7
              Originally posted by pwgus View Post
              I follow you until the spare lower control arms...why do u have spares?
              because there was nothing wrong with the old ones and I had already purchased the new ones....
              90 festiva BP/G25MR swap, spec v seats, aspire brakes, FMS springs, round headlight conversion with HID's, custom exhaust, fiberglass hood, and a whole lotta bodywork
              BEFORE AFTER

              Comment


              • #8
                Ahh I see. And yes I'm now 99 percent sure it was the bloody half shaft nuts. Finally got to northern tool this morning to get the 30mm socket, but I lost a nut on the way. So now my car is stuck till I can run home to get another nut for it, and a jack and some other tools. If I had a limited slip dif I'd be ok but as it is od course the disconnected side wants to take all the spin so I'm stuck.
                1997 Ford Aspire, MTX, Teal, B3E - "Trusty"
                1997 Ford Aspire, MTX, Red, B3E - "Eggy" (RIP)
                1989 Ford Festiva LX, ATX, Maroon, B3E - "TBK" (RIP)
                1991 Ford Festiva GL, ATX, Red, B3E - "Festiva GT" (RIP)

                Comment


                • #9
                  Without the nuts or with them loose you in danger of the hub falling off. The nut and the press fit is all that hold them on.

                  BP Festiva http://www.cardomain.com/ride/723319 - SOLD
                  BPT Festiva www.cardomain.com/ride/2260009 - SOLD
                  BPT GTX www.cardomain.com/ride/2436495 - SOLD
                  New GTX - http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3294846/ - SOLD

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Well its still bolted to the tie rod ends, the springs, and the sway bar but yes your right. As soon as I'm off work I'm gonna get a ride home and back to grab another nut and the tools I need to put it on. Also, how do u guys punch the crush part of the crush nut on?
                    1997 Ford Aspire, MTX, Teal, B3E - "Trusty"
                    1997 Ford Aspire, MTX, Red, B3E - "Eggy" (RIP)
                    1989 Ford Festiva LX, ATX, Maroon, B3E - "TBK" (RIP)
                    1991 Ford Festiva GL, ATX, Red, B3E - "Festiva GT" (RIP)

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      But the outer part of the hub is ONLY held on by that big nut.

                      BP Festiva http://www.cardomain.com/ride/723319 - SOLD
                      BPT Festiva www.cardomain.com/ride/2260009 - SOLD
                      BPT GTX www.cardomain.com/ride/2436495 - SOLD
                      New GTX - http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3294846/ - SOLD

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        I use a hammer and a punch to put the dent in the pinch nut thinger...
                        90 festiva BP/G25MR swap, spec v seats, aspire brakes, FMS springs, round headlight conversion with HID's, custom exhaust, fiberglass hood, and a whole lotta bodywork
                        BEFORE AFTER

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Try laying the tapered end of a thin chisel on it's side and smack it with a hammer.

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                          • #14
                            yep that was all it needed. I poped the axle nut on and away we go. now I just got to bleed the bloody brakes. Using just the ebrake is dangerous
                            1997 Ford Aspire, MTX, Teal, B3E - "Trusty"
                            1997 Ford Aspire, MTX, Red, B3E - "Eggy" (RIP)
                            1989 Ford Festiva LX, ATX, Maroon, B3E - "TBK" (RIP)
                            1991 Ford Festiva GL, ATX, Red, B3E - "Festiva GT" (RIP)

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              get yourself a 29mm socket, that's the correct size for the axle nut.
                              Trees aren't kind to me...

                              currently: 2 88Ls (Scrappy and Jersey), 88LX, 90L(Pepe), 91L, 91GL (Skippy) 93 GL Sport (the Mighty Favakk), 94 (Bruce) & 95 Aspire SEs, 97 Aspire (The Joker),
                              94 Justy 4WD, 87 Fiero GT, plus 2 parts cars. That's my fleet.

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