Front and Rear End rebuild - Help, Tom Parsons! You're my only hope!

[Eric E.]

Re: Front and Rear End rebuild - Help, Tom Parsons! You're my only hope!

I ended up ruining the one upper inner stud and had a shop do it for me after I bougt a new one. They called me and told me they couldn't get it in either, but I sweet talked them and they eventually got it. It's moving along now. I have the upper and lower A-arms in now. Tom, how many lbs should I torque down the bolts for the lower inner shafts? Your walkthrough doesn't seem to mention and neither does the ST-12 that I can tell. The 49-54 passenger guide seems to match the ST-12 more or less and I can't find it there either I guessed at about 20 lbs, but since I'll be driving this thing I'd rather not guess

Hi Ian, do you think the first shaft was just out of spec?

20 seems a bit light. I am not at the house right now but I believe I found something with a spec for chassis fasteners at 50 - 80 ft lbs and control arm bushings at 85 ft lbs. The knuckle bolt on the spindle support is at 125 -135 ft lbs. I think I found this in the 62 passenger car service manual.

Glad to see you have all that worked out. When I installed the spindle supports I pre-fitted all the bolts and shafts just to make sure all lined up before compressing the springs.

[Ian G.]

Re: Front and Rear End rebuild - Help, Tom Parsons! You're my only hope!

hey Tom, I've got the front A-Arms on, and the spindle support in at the eccentric stud on top and about to put in the springs. I notice one top A-arm is harder to push up and down than the other. Should I worry about that, or is it normal for one to be a bit looser than the other? I even tightened the torque on the lower end of the range, but it's still harder to push. Maybe I indexed the threads slightly out of wack? I centered them with a caliper so they are near perfect. It doesn't grind or anything as I push it, just harder. I have not shot grease into the zerks yet, though I did grease the studs and caps up for installation.

FYI the AIM claims the zerks should be torqued to 30 lbs which is way too tight. I ruined a zerk trying to do that. Must be a typo I guess. Also, I compared zerk part numbers in my parts manual to the AIM and they seem to check out to 1/8-27 straight long, 90 degree and 67 degree just as you've found in the past.

[Tom P.]

Re: Front and Rear End rebuild - Help, Tom Parsons! You're my only hope!

Ian,
It is very common for both upper and lower A-frames to be stiff after new bushings and shafts are installed. STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING RIGHT NOW AND GO GREASE THE JOINTS!!!! On these old frontends, that is the key to long life.

[Ian G.]

Re: Front and Rear End rebuild - Help, Tom Parsons! You're my only hope!

Ok cool, thats what I figured but wanted to check in before going further in case I was on the wrong track.