messed up front end

[pwgus]

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.

[Mike McKown]

Half shaft axle nuts loose at the hub?

[LittleHoe]

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...

[pwgus]

... so now I have spare lower control arms...

I follow you until the spare lower control arms...why do u have spares?

[pwgus]

ok ok it was 230 in the morning, perhaps i forgot to tighten the axle nuts

[bhazard]

You *DO* have the swaybar hooked up nice and tight...right?

[LittleHoe]

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....

[pwgus]

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.

[mattswabb]

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.

[pwgus]

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?

[mattswabb]

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

[LittleHoe]

I use a hammer and a punch to put the dent in the pinch nut thinger...

[Mike McKown]

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

[pwgus]

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

[FestYboy]

get yourself a 29mm socket, that's the correct size for the axle nut.