Workshop: Install an Aftermarket Front End!

Cassandra

• July 24 2009
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We called on our boys at Hydrodynamics USA, the innovators of the iShock “complete front end in a box,” to show us how easy it is for the average home mechanic to install an aftermarket front end. They helped us break it down into 8 relatively easy steps for you to follow!

Step One

Remove the front bumper and tie-rods (pay special attention to the left- and right-handed threads that mark each side) and set them aside. Next, remove the lower shock bolt—make sure not to strip it out. Remove the brake line from the caliper and move it away from the A-arm, and then allow the brake fluid to drain completely (brake fluid will strip paint if not wiped off, so make sure any spills or drips are cleaned up immediately). Unbolt the upper shock bolt and remove the shock from the chassis. Remove the cotter pins that keep the castle nuts from coming loose on the spindle and remove the castle nuts (place a rag on the front side of the lower A-arm and turn the spindle away from you to prevent the caliper from marring the A-arm during removal). And maybe use some gloves that don’t have a hole in the palm.

Step Two

Now remove the spindle from the stock front end, using a ball joint removal tool (provided with the iShock kit). Start with the tool threaded on the lower ball joint and unthread the expander bolt to pop the upper ball joint out of the A-arm (repeat for the lower A-arm). Some ball joints are under extreme pressure and may be difficult to pop off; if this happens, crank up the pressure on the removal tool and walk away to let the pressure build. There is a good chance that given a couple of minutes the pressure will pop the tight ball joint out of the A-arm (note: in this case, the removal tool can go flying into no-man’s land, so be careful). Remove the four main A-arm bolts, set them aside, and remove the A-arms from the chassis. Repeat the previous steps for the opposite side.

Step Three

Make sure the A-arm bolts are cleaned and coated with a light bit of grease (but make sure the threads are coated with a bit of red Loctite). Now install the new A-arms, starting with the lower A-arm (note: lightly tighten the bolts—torque will come later). Now zip-tie the upper A-arm out of the way to make it easier to work on the lower A-arm, install the lower ball joint, seating plate, lock washer, and bolt (tighten and torque the A-arm bolts at this time, as well). Install the camber adjuster nut on the upper ball joint and run it all the way down to the ball joint end, then install the ball joint on the A-arm but only finger tighten the nylock nut. Bring the A-arm main bolts up to torque.

Step Four

Place the spindle on the lower A-arm, cut the zip-tie that is holding the upper A-arm, and locate it on the spindle. Put a spacer washer (some models require multiple spacers) on the ball joint, install the castle nuts on the upper and lower ball joints and tighten to manufacturer torque, then put cotter pins in the castle nuts (use the rag-on-the-A-arm technique to tighten the ball joints without scratching the A-arms). Lightly grease the shock bolts and install the shock, starting with the upper bolt. After both bolts are installed, torque the bolts (use red Loctite on the nuts). Now install the tie-rod by turning the steering stem end a 1/4 turn and then thread the wheel end on (the toe will be adjusted later, so eyeball them straight for now). Repeat the installation steps for the opposite side.