Chevelle Restoration and Authenticity Guide 1970-1972. Dale McIntosh
steering wheel back and forth about an inch while you hold your hand around the joint, testing one joint at a time. If you feel any clunking or obvious looseness, make note of that so it can be replaced during your restoration. Ball joints can also be tested at this time, but it is recommended that you automatically replace all bushings and joints if you are doing a full restoration.
Sway Bar Removal
Separate the sway bar from the sway bar end links. Bag and tag those pieces as you have been doing. Now, carefully remove the sway bar brackets from the frame. If you have a friend helping you, have them hold the sway bar as you remove the brackets. If you do not have help, a floor jack placed in the center of the sway bar will hold it in place while you remove the hardware.
Remove all the cotter pins from all the attachment points on the articulating suspension pieces. Then loosen all the castle nuts. Leave them attached with a few threads so that they do not simply fall to the ground when the parts are separated. Removing these joints can be tricky. It is best to use a tool designed specifically for tie rod removal to limit any damage to the tie rod or boot. The pullers are the best tool to use because they will not damage any part of the joint, whereas the pickle fork will most certainly damage the boot. It is also not recommended to use any type of hammer to remove the joints unless you intend to replace them; this will not only damage the outside of the tie rod but in some cases will actually distort the tapered joint that the tie rod knuckle fits into. Heat can also be your friend here, but caution needs to be used with regard to the boot as well as any combustible material nearby. If you are replacing the boots, this is a good option along with one of the tools discussed.
These are just some of the tools that can be used on the front suspension to remove tie rods, pinion arms, and other pieces. The use of these tools will allow you to safely remove the part without damage to it or its associated parts, other than the pickle fork, which should not be used unless you intend to replace everything.
Drag Link and Pitman Arm Removal
Once you remove the tie rods, loosen the drag link (or center link, as many call them) joints at the steering gear pitman arm on the driver’s side and the frame-mounted idle arm on the passenger’s side. Use the same methods and procedures that you previously used on the tie rods.
It can be difficult to remove the drag link with the steering gear attached because the drag link will hit the protruding frame center section. It is best that you now loosen the steering gear so you can move it around and remove the drag link joint. Regardless of which steering you have, be it power assisted or manual, remove the pitman arm nut and lock washer and set them aside.
If you do not intend to rebuild the steering gear, it may not be necessary to remove the arm, and you can ignore this step. It is best and far easier to use an impact wrench and a 1-5/16 socket. If this is not available and you must use a large wrench, it is imperative that you do not turn the arm all the way to the steering gear stop; this will likely damage the internal parts of the steering gear. Using heat here will also sometimes help, but damage to the shaft rubber seal is likely; unless you intend to rebuild the gear, do not use heat in this area.
Using either an electric, rechargeable, or pneumatic impact wrench will greatly simplify the removal of the pitman arm nut. Without it, you may have your work cut out for you and could likely damage the internal gears of the steering gear. These are usually very rusty, so it is best to presoak it in penetrant before attempting to remove the nut.
It is imperative that you use the correct tool for the job, especially on something such as the pitman arm removal. Use of incorrect tools will lead to potential damage and costly repairs if care is not taken. With the pitman arm tool, getting the arm off is a snap.
Steering Gear Removal
Remove the three bolts going through the frame and into the side of the steering gear. This may require a helper to hold the steering gear from falling while the other removes the bolts. These attaching bolts can sometimes be rusty, so both heat and a rust penetrant can help you here. This is a very heavy unit, so be prepared to catch it as the last bolt is removed.
Once the gear has been separated from the frame, remove the drag link to pitman arm joint and place the steering gear out of the way for now. You have already removed the large pitman arm bolt and lock washer, so now you can remove the pitman arm. Removal of this arm will almost always require a removal tool to separate the arm from the shaft so neither part is damaged. Using any other method may cause damage.
Idle Arm Removal
Now you can remove the drag link and place it out of the way. This will leave only the idle arm, which is attached to the frame with two bolts and lock nuts. Insert a long extension and 9/16 socket through the frame while holding a 9/16 wrench on the lock-nut side. It is easier to remove the nut first and then carefully pull the bolt out of the frame using your socket or better yet a magnet. These bolts can sometimes fall down into the frame, and retrieving them can often be difficult. Use caution and patience here.
Drum Brake Removal
The spindle and brake assembly can be removed as a complete assembly or as individual parts. It is actually better to remove the assembly piece by piece so that you are using the frame as a jig to hold the parts rather than wrestle with them on a bench. This will also allow you to take better photos if you find inspection marks, decals, or issues with the individual parts.
Drum brakes are slightly different in the disassembly process than disc brakes. On a front drum-brake assembly, first remove the flexible brake line from the frame-mounting point using the appropriate-sized line wrench. Not using the correct tool here will cause you bigger headaches. Do the same at the other end where it attaches to the wheel cylinder.
Use of a flare nut or line wrench here is imperative because using a conventional wrench will only round the edges of the nut, ruining the fitting and making it much more difficult to remove. This is yet another good area to use a penetrant or heat, but as always be very careful not to burn the hose. The fluid will also be extremely hot, so care must be taken not to burn yourself.
Move on to the brake drum. In some cases, the shoes may have ground a groove into the inside of the drum due to excessive wear, or the shoes may have welded themselves to the drum from sitting for so long. Both will inhibit easy removal of the drum, and both of these situations can be a major headache.
If the drum cannot be turned, it is likely the shoes are stuck to it. You can try and dislodge them using a large rubber or plastic mallet and hitting the drum quite hard to try and loosen the shoes. It is very hard to get it inside the drum, but spraying some penetrant so that it gets onto the shoes may also help loosen them. Sometimes there are adjustment holes that have been opened on the backside of the drum, and it can be sprayed through there as well.
In rare cases, you may have to use a lot of heat and a sledge hammer to jar the drum free. However, using this method will most surely require replacement of the drum, so use it as a last resort.
Spindle Dust Cap Removal
Once you have removed the drum, you will see the spindle, bearing flange, and the brake hardware. Remove the spindle dust cap using a dust cap–removal tool or simply a large flat-bladed screwdriver. Place the blade behind the raised ridge at the rear of the cap, walk the screw-driver around the cap, and gently pry it loose without damaging the cap or flange. You will now see a large nut, washer, and cotter pin.
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