67 Lower A-Arm Connection

[Steve M.]

Hi guys, Starting the process of putting components back on the frame - exciting time! As I was laying out the lower A-Arms and bolts, I reviewed the Assembly Manual and I don't see a washer on the two bolts in front that go into the threaded metal plate. I was sure these called for a LW but don't see it. Just seems odd to me. Am I reading the manual incorrectly? Thanks

[Gene M.]

Re: 67 Lower A-Arm Connection

my 67 had lock washers on those 7/16 bolts.

[Chris E.]

Re: 67 Lower A-Arm Connection

Ask and yea shall receive.

Bob and I just installed these last weekend.

[Steve M.]

Re: 67 Lower A-Arm Connection

Hi Chris, Thanks for the pics. I'm not surprised you used washers and I'm fairly sure mine had them there when I took the arms apart. It's just not often when the assembly manual is wrong and my copy shows no washers on the front two lower arm bolts. I was hopeful someone could confirm the manual is wrong.

[Chris E.]

Re: 67 Lower A-Arm Connection

Steve, well you bring up a good point. This is what Bob and I did. Not sure if this is 100% correct or not. Not feelin' real good about it if the AIM says this is wrong.....(just reviewed the AIM, it does NOT show washers on the upside down bolts for the nut plate, nor on the bottom side of the rearward bolts)

Man, if I take this car to Nationals, there are a ZILLION little details that I'm going to get dinged for......

[Joe L.]

Re: 67 Lower A-Arm Connection

Steve, well you bring up a good point. This is what Bob and I did. Not sure if this is 100% correct or not. Not feelin' real good about it if the AIM says this is wrong.....(just reviewed the AIM, it does NOT show washers on the upside down bolts for the nut plate, nor on the bottom side of the rearward bolts)

Man, if I take this car to Nationals, there are a ZILLION little details that I'm going to get dinged for......

Chris and Steve----

Regarding the forward, inner lower control arm shaft bolts (i.e. the bolts fastening to the 2 hole nut), 1966-1967 model year Corvettes were not supposed to use a split lockwasher under the bolt heads. Beginning in the early part of the 1968 model year, a lockwasher was added at this location. Curiously, a lockwasher was also used under these bolt heads for 1963-65.

So, how can you tell? Well, for 1963-65 and 68-82, the bolts used were 1/8" longer than those used for the 66-67 period when the lockwasher was supposed to have been deleted. My guess is that the bolts shown in Chis' photo, if original, are the short bolts used without the lockwasher. Note how they do not engage all of the threads in the 2 hole nuts. I doubt very much that GM would have done something like this.

As far as the rear, inner lower control arm shaft bolt, there was a special washer used under the head of this bolt. This washer has a "serrated" configuration on the shaft contact surface. There is NO lockwasher under the nut because the nut was a stover-type LOCK NUT. Lock washers are not used in conjunction with lock nuts. For 1963-65, a standard hex nut was used at this location and it was used in conjunction with a split lockwasher. However, for 1966 and later, the lock nut was used.

[Steve M.]

Re: 67 Lower A-Arm Connection

Thanks for the confirmation Joe, What you say makes sense. I have the bolts in snug and they barely make it to the top of the threaded nut. I also trusted the manual on the upper arm bolts through the shaft as it shows no washer with the locking nuts. I will continue to trust the assembly manual it's just sometimes things look odd at first or what I took off may have been wrong. Many thanks!