Front End Rebuild

Chrysler did a wonderful thing when they started to put computers into their cars back in 1984, they enabled a feature where a technician could call up a stored computer fault code easily and display it's number on the odometer of the vehicle. This eliminated the need to drag out an (at the time) big and bulky machines to read the codes. This only displayed the code, however, it did not allow the tech to actually repair it from here. DIY Mechanics quickly learned of this and have used it to avoid going to the dealer every time the check engine light came on.

Moderator: MYREDPT

Front End Rebuild

Postby MYREDPT » Mon Jul 03, 2017 11:59 am

I think it is time for me to rebuild the front end on my wife's 2008 PT Limited. With 113,000 miles on her, it seems to have developed a clunk in the right front. I replaced the stabilizer bar links but it is still there. Not all the time, mostly when pulling into a driveway. I remember MYREDPT developed a similar noise and it was the bushings on the lower control arms. At that time it was common to change all the bushings over to Poly and replace the ball joints. I think this time I will just replace the whole arms with the MOOG replacements. That will save a ton of time and work. I'll post some pics and a progress report in a few days, it is 96 degrees outside and I am not going to bake myself out there :P
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2001 Inferno Red Limited
2003 Inferno Red GT
2008 Limited Turbo Lite Cool Vanilla
2005 Topless Edition Turbo Electric Blue
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MYREDPT
 
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Re: Front End Rebuild

Postby MYREDPT » Thu Jul 06, 2017 6:42 pm

The job went rather uneventful. I started on the passenger side and discovered a broken lower mount when I took it out to get to front mounting bolt for the Lower Control Arm (LCA). The order of removal is very straight forward, remove the sway bar links, remove the ball joint bolt, remove the ball joint stud front the steering knuckle, remove the LCA mounting bolts and pull it out. Reverse the steps to re-install.

The rear bushing on the passenger side was shot! The center bushing had slipped up allowing the metal on the LCA to hit the cross member. That is where my clunk was coming from. The drivers side was better but it does not pay to do half a job. Not only is the noise gone but the ride is very smooth again.
2001 Inferno Red Limited
2003 Inferno Red GT
2008 Limited Turbo Lite Cool Vanilla
2005 Topless Edition Turbo Electric Blue
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MYREDPT
 
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed May 27, 2015 4:58 pm


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