1966 L72 F 41 front suspension, steering questions.

[Mark F.]

Redoing front suspension/steering on my 1966 L72. First time doing this project so have a couple questions. (Also found out car was originally a power steering car so will be asking questions about that in a separate thread.)

Suspension question.
Front F41, 7 coils spring is 12 3/8 inches uncompressed. (Both left and right about same.) Ride height on car is good. I am not looking for trouble just don't want to go through this pain again. Should I send them out to be checked?

Coil spring orientation. Does it matter how they go into the car, which end of the spring goes up as they look symmetrical? (picture below.) I put a wire on the installed upside just in case.

Steering question.
Does anyone rebuild original idler arms?

Thanks guys. Mark

[Gary B.]

…Does anyone rebuild original idler arms?…

Mark,

Not that I’ve ever heard of.

NOS examples, if you can find one, typically have a zerk fitting, which is not correct for judging. If your original idler arm isn’t obviously sloppy, siezed, grinding, etc., I’d consider cleaning it up and reusing it.

Gary

[David H.]

... Coil spring orientation. Does it matter how they go into the car, which end of the spring goes up as they look symmetrical? (picture below.) I put a wire on the installed upside just in case. ... Mark

Mark

Orientation of spring does matter.

Page UPC 3, A4 of your 1966 Assembly Manual (AIM) has a note with instructions. "End of coil 0.38" plus or minus 0.12" from stop"

That is upper stop. (hole in lower A-Arm is a drain)

Your spring does not appear to be "a progressive wind". If it was a progressive spring (coils compressed at one end and more open at other end), then the "tight" coil end would be up into shock tower.

Dave

[Mark F.]

Mark,

Not that I’ve ever heard of.

NOS examples, if you can find one, typically have a zerk fitting, which is not correct for judging. If your original idler arm isn’t obviously sloppy, siezed, grinding, etc., I’d consider cleaning it up and reusing it.

Gary

Thanks Gary. My idler arm may OK. I used a clamp that pushes the stud out of the drag/relay link, and I have to check the idler arm stud threads I may have buggered them up but I think its salvageable. Other than that, it still looks and rotates good. Just thought I would have someone go through it as I wait for gear box and control arms to get back. Thanks for help. Mark

[Mark F.]

Mark

Orientation of spring does matter.

Page UPC 3, A4 of your 1966 Assembly Manual (AIM) has a note with instructions. "End of coil 0.38" plus or minus 0.12" from stop"

That is upper stop. (hole in lower A-Arm is a drain)

Your spring does not appear to be "a progressive wind". If it was a progressive spring (coils compressed at one end and more open at other end), then the "tight" coil end would be up into shock tower.

Dave

Thanks Dave. I have not looked for stop in the shock tower but will do so when I get the A-arms out today or tomorrow. I think I have read there is an inspection/viewing hole at the top of the shock tower that coincides with the stop. How you are supposed to see the end of the spring 3/8 inch away from that hole will be interesting. It might become self evident when I get around to reinstalling the spring.

OK, no top or bottom of the spring, thanks. Mark

[Gary B.]

Mark,

The AIM has a poor illustration, but if you insert a (3/16”?) drill bit into the 3/16” ((?) hole in the upper shock tower, it will serve as a stop against the end of the coil spring and it will position the end of the coil in the right place relative to the “stop” referred to in the AIM, which is the end of the channel in the tower.

image.jpg

Gary

[David H.]

Mark

Photo below is looking down on spring inserted in shock tower. You can see spring through alignment hole.

End of spring is visible in hole.

Dave


Front Spring in Tower.jpg spring visible.jpg

[Mark F.]

Thanks Dave. I appreciate the pictures. After looking at your photos went out and looked at the car. (Have just got the upper A arms off last night.) Looks like one side of the circumference of the hole is about the .38" from the coil spring stop. So, if your spring covers most of the hole with just a little bit of space left you should be within the .38+/-.12 from the stop.

Would I be accurate to say that in your zoomed out picture is a spring compressor with a bolt on the end to hold the spring in place to get the exact alignment before you bring up the lower control arm and fasten the ball joint bolts?

Those are great photos and I appreciate you taking the time to send them.

Cheers. Mark

[David H.]

... Would I be accurate to say that in your zoomed out picture is a spring compressor with a bolt on the end to hold the spring in place to get the exact alignment before you bring up the lower control arm and fasten the ball joint bolts? ...

Mark

These images were part of a photo from a post on CF - I added verbiage and arrow. On my Small Block I used a compressor - I had too, given spring's length. On your Big Block, again given spring length, you might not need a compressor.

I'd use a compressor just to hold spring in place and make assembly easier.

Dave

p.s. as you marked upper on your springs, just curious as if you can see a divot or some other stamping mark.

[Mark F.]

Dave: just went out and looked at my springs that are very crusty. I will attach a few pictures that if you use your imagination, you may see a small divot. This was on the bottom of my right spring. The ball joints on the car were replaced so the spring has been out of the car before. The left spring had nothing. After I get them blasted something may become more apparent and if so I will post.