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Hi,
All the answers gives you a good idea, that this can be a tuff job, if you're not prepared for surprices or stock-rusted bolts for a-arms and so.
I might add a few things:
When lowering complete front-axel/crossmember do following:
You don't tell your "tools-situation" so I assume you don't have access to a lift, but are going to do this job on the floor.
The engine rests on the fron-crossmember, try to restrain the weight as much as possible. This can be done with some good wood sawed into firtting to rest on where the frontfenders are mounted - make 1 for each end of engine and if you can, release engine-bushings on crossmember and lift up engine as much as possible, secure the engine with rope or similar as described.
Jack up your car as high as possible, at least so that the crossmember, when released, can easily be lowered down and rolled out from car.
Support your car with firm solid stands or the like, do this at the very front of the 2 major frames under body.
Two bolts in front, one each side and 4 bolts in back, two each side, holds the crossmember to the chassis. When loosing these bolts, do it by hand - if they are very rusted, it's better to have feeling than using airtool that might loosen the nut welded inside the frame!
Beware that these bolts are locked with a little lock-plate that is bended arround the bolt-head (if these bolts haven't been unscrewed before).
Support the crossmember when loosing it and when all 6 bolts are loose, lower the crossmember. (brake lines for front brakes seperated of course!)
NOW! Pay attention to the shims that have adjusted the crossmember! Note which go where!
Same thing when disassemple the upper-support arms! (where they bolt on to the crossmember)
Now, assuming everything else is done as others have described, and you have the big tuff job behind you, disassempling the front-axel..
When you're ready to buy new bushings note this:
DONT save money by buying aftermarket ones like scan-Tech or the like! DONT!
Rubber quality is simply bad, and you will have to do all this job again within a year, NO DOUBT!
An original A-arm bushing has "teeth" that goes towards the crossmember and they are there for a reason - aftermarkets dont have these and rubberquality is NOT worth mentioning.
Don't save money getting Italien tie-rods or ball-joints. DONT! They will ALSO force you into re-do this job within a year..
Go for original bushings and german tie-rods/ball-joints. -EVEN if it's double up the price!! TRUST ME!
Well, clean everything when doing the job, inspect things, make sure they look good and while doing the job and it gets annoying, remember that all help is right in here, and you will be SO happy when it's all done!
Safety above all!
Happy working!
Ohh! NOTE THIS: When putting the crossmember/front axel back together, DONT tighten bolts for a-arm and upper support-arm. This has to be done when they sit in normal position = when car rest on fron-axel!!
So very final job, is final tightning of these when car is lowered and on it's wheels!
Sorry for the long, non-tech-danish-english!
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/Soren
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