66 Control Arms

[Michael H.]

Re: 66 Control Arms

Michael,

The pictures I posted are of the bolt and nut and Lock washer that I took off the car, They are Just replated or re anodized.

Here are pictures before I touched anything. Notice the lock washers on both the front and rear locatoins on both sides.

Jim

Thanks Jim. The nut in your picture definitely appears to be the typical hi-nut, a non locking nut that is slightly taller than most conventional nuts.
This would be exactly the same tall nut and lock washer combination that was used in 63-65. (also requires a different torque value which can be found in any 63-65 AIM)
I know that at some point during the 66 model year, the change to prevailing torque style nuts without lock washers occured but I don't know when.
The new self locking nut without lock washer is called out in the 66 AIM but it didn't occur on the assy line at SOP.

Also, the self locking nut used on later cars would have originally been plated zincad (silver) but I'm not sure if that same plating was used on the non locking hi-nut. I thought the hi-nut would have been grey but I'm not sure.

[Rich P.]

Re: 66 Control Arms

Jim and Mike,

Back in the early 90's I restored a very late 66 L-79 coupe. It ws a very original car It had all black fiberglass, Round upper control arm shafts and the rear control arm bolt had the lockwasher. I don't remember the excact serial # but I kno it was in the 20,000 range.

This is probaly one of those cases where they were just using up the last of the stock of long bolts.

Rich

[Jim S.]

Re: 66 Control Arms

Jim-----


Where did the self-locking nut that you pictured above come from? From the photos that you just posted, it looks like your car came with the standard nut and lockwasher set-up for the rear lower shaft retaining bolts. So, how does the self-locking nut you have pictured figure into all of this?

Joe ,
The nuts pictured in the before and after pics are one and the same , just cleaner !

Jim

[Joe L.]

Re: 66 Control Arms

Joe ,
The nuts pictured in the before and after pics are one and the same , just cleaner !

Jim

Jim-----


I'm referring to the nuts you pictured in post #7 of this thread. Those nuts do not appear to me to be the same unless there's something I'm missing here. The nut in the photo on the left appears to be a conventional hex nut; the nut in the photo on the right appears to be a distorted thread-type, self-locking nut. Are you saying that the nuts in both of these photos are the same nut except one is cleaned up and the other not? All of the parts in each photo look to be pretty clean to me.

[Jim S.]

Re: 66 Control Arms

Thanks Jim. The nut in your picture definitely appears to be the typical hi-nut, a non locking nut that is slightly taller than most conventional nuts.
This would be exactly the same tall nut and lock washer combination that was used in 63-65. (also requires a different torque value which can be found in any 63-65 AIM)
I know that at some point during the 66 model year, the change to prevailing torque style nuts without lock washers occured but I don't know when.
The new self locking nut without lock washer is called out in the 66 AIM but it didn't occur on the assy line at SOP.

Also, the self locking nut used on later cars would have originally been plated zincad (silver) but I'm not sure if that same plating was used on the non locking hi-nut. I thought the hi-nut would have been grey but I'm not sure.

Mike and Rich,

Thanks for the confirmation, It looks like I will put it back the way it came out.

Mike, As to the plating on the "High nut".... you are probably right. I had all my bolts and any unique nuts replated. So if it wasn't Anodized it got Zinked !
I can and will dull it down some ,now that I know it should be .

One more question put to rest ! Tons more to come , I'm sure !

I LOVE THIS SITE !!!!!! Thank God it's free ! As even at a dime a question I would run out of money before I was done !!!


Jim

[Jim S.]

Re: 66 Control Arms

Jim-----


I'm referring to the nuts you pictured in post #7 of this thread. Those nuts do not appear to me to be the same unless there's something I'm missing here. The nut in the photo on the left appears to be a conventional hex nut; the nut in the photo on the right appears to be a distorted thread-type, self-locking nut. Are you saying that the nuts in both of these photos are the same nut except one is cleaned up and the other not? All of the parts in each photo look to be pretty clean to me.

Joe,

Sorry about that ! I was saying that the nut pictured in my first set of pictures was the same as my later (before removal) set of pictures further down . I got it now.

Yes ,the nut pictured in the two photos in post #7 is the same nut in both photos , just at different positions.
All I did was lay it down after I took the first picture of it's side.

Maybe .....I have the Rarest of all nuts , a conventional /self locking hybrid , shown in it's early evolutionary stage !

Jim

[Alan D.]

Re: 66 Control Arms

A few more pictures (from Mar64) May be of interest.

[John H.]

Re: 66 Control Arms

A little research shows the following:

1965 - Front bolts are 454976, with 103328 lock washer.
Rear bolt is 3779097, with 3779096 spl. washer,
3742251 nut, and 103330 lock washer.

1966 - Was originally released the same as '65, but a
change occurred prior to 8/30/65 A.I.M. date to:
Front bolts are 474975, no lock washer.
Rear bolt 3795792, same spl. washer, 9422304
lock nut.

1967 - Same as 1966 running change.

Note: The '66 A.I.M. sheet (3, A2) doesn't show changes 1 thru 8, and the running change is in that window; the first change on the revised sheet is change 9, 8/30/65.

[Michael H.]

Re: 66 Control Arms

A little research shows the following:

1965 - Front bolts are 454976, with 103328 lock washer.
Rear bolt is 3779097, with 3779096 spl. washer,
3742251 nut, and 103330 lock washer.


Note: The '66 A.I.M. sheet (3, A2) doesn't show changes 1 thru 8, and the running change is in that window; the first change on the revised sheet is change 9, 8/30/65.

The part numbers that you posted for 65 are almost exactly the same for 63. (front bolt lock washer was different) So, basically, the same setup was used from 63 through at least a good part of the 66 model year.

I have the original 1st page with revisions 1 through 8 in an original GM AIM (still in Illinois) and that's where I got the info on the number changes. I don't think any current reprints of the 66 AIM have the original page. The one I have here from Mid America doesn't.

[Jim S.]

Re: 66 Control Arms

Alan, John and Michael,

Allan ,
thanks for the pics, They pretty much show what setup I had !

John,
Thats why I started this thread , I have the Mid America AM and my page 3 A2 states the "No Lock Washers either front or back. Yet mine had them at both.

Micheal,
I agree that the Mid America AM does not show any running changes, as That is what I have also .Apparently even though It changed in 8/30/65 it took one hell of a long time to implement that change!

Joe,
Doesn't the top of the nut shown in Alan's picture look just like mine ?

Thanks to all again ,

Jim

[Jim S.]

Re: 66 Control Arms

Michael,

By the way since I only have the Mid America 66 Am , could you give me the Torque values for the lock washer /65 bolts and nuts on both the upper and lower control Arms?

Thanks Again ,

Jim

[Michael H.]

Re: 66 Control Arms

Michael,

By the way since I only have the Mid America 66 Am , could you give me the Torque values for the lock washer /65 bolts and nuts on both the upper and lower control Arms?

Thanks Again ,

Jim

Jim, I have the 63 and 66 AIM's handy but I'm reasonably sure the 63 AIM would have the same torque specs as 65. (and 66 with 65 hardware)
Hope I made it large enough to read.

[Joe L.]

Re: 66 Control Arms

Alan, John and Michael,

Allan ,
thanks for the pics, They pretty much show what setup I had !

John,
Thats why I started this thread , I have the Mid America AM and my page 3 A2 states the "No Lock Washers either front or back. Yet mine had them at both.

Micheal,
I agree that the Mid America AM does not show any running changes, as That is what I have also .Apparently even though It changed in 8/30/65 it took one hell of a long time to implement that change!

Joe,
Doesn't the top of the nut shown in Alan's picture look just like mine ?

Thanks to all again ,

Jim

Jim-----


Yes, it does. Perhaps due to an "optical illusion" the nut in the right side photo of your #7 post looked like a lock nut to me. However, as I study it more, I see that it is not. It's just a conventional hex nut.

[Jim S.]

Re: 66 Control Arms

Jim-----


Yes, it does. Perhaps due to an "optical illusion" the nut in the right side photo of your #7 post looked like a lock nut to me. However, as I study it more, I see that it is not. It's just a conventional hex nut.

Mike and Joe,

Thanks for the Torque specs and all the effort ! It is Very Much Appreciated !!

Jim

[Tim E.]

Re: 66 Control Arms

Hey Jim! I have been researching the attachment method used to secure the crossover brake line to the front crossmember for '66. A change occured around May 1, 1966 from a single clip located in the center of the crossmember to 2 flat clamps located outboard a ways.

I see in your pictures that your car uses the 2 outboard flat clamps and the center hole exists but is empty.

S/N 20541 (an April 29 car) and every car prior to that has the single clip. S/N 20838 (a May 3 car) and every car thereafter has the 2 flat clamps.

Would you mind sending me your VIN # please? Your earlier post says 20xxx and April build. I'm interested if you don't mind. Your car may be one of the 297 that would help me narrow down even further!

tehlers@hess.com

Thanks, Tim