C1 spindle direction

[Richard M.]

Re: C1 spindle direction

Can't get a good measurement of the inside faces all assembled. .....

I measured apx 3.150" using a caliper on the outside faces of the arms.

[David H.]

Re: C1 spindle direction

Richard, I will PM you with these measurements. This thread is getting too long. Thanks for your interest and help.
Well, I cant send you the attachement of the measurements so here it is instead.
Sorry to be such a pain! But this one just isn't going together well.

[Richard M.]

Re: C1 spindle direction

David, Don't worry about long threads. This information will be available for all of us in the future via the archives. Good information for the unwary.......

Ok, Good photo of the issue......It appears that your arm end on this one seems too narrow. Both on this '59 I have here are about 3.150" as I said. I also see in your picture what appears to be a bend in the right side of the flange. That said, maybe a prior hit or improper installation years ago. Maybe they squeezed the arm too much when installing them????

So one more measurement.......Measure the outside flange as you did before to get the 2.942" value, but now in two places, the inner & outer areas(edit: I guess normal position... it'd be the top and bottom). See if they're equal. If not, there's the problem....the nuts aren't parallel. You'll have to bend the bad side to get parallel again.

If you need to spread the end apart more, I would remove the assembly and on a bench use your old bushing as a tool. You will also need a short length of pipe same id as the od of the bushing so it slips over it, say 1" or so long. Thread the bushing in one side, then the lock nut, then the pipe. Continue to thread the bushing to the other side(but not through it), keeping the lock nut free as you turn the bushing. Once the bushing is threaded in and secure, turn the locknut against the pipe onto the inside of the flange to spread it open. I'd go 3" to start. Release the locknut and measure. Keep doing this until it is 3" or more when released.

One caveat.....you said the threads on the captive bushing nuts are questionable. If this doesn't seem like a feasible plan, it may be time to consider replacement control arm(s).Also, the torque spec for the locknut is as I recall(not at my ST-12), "100-150 lbs/ft". You may have a issue where when you torqued the nut it may have damaged the captive nut threads. Or maybe it was like that before.(edit: I reread your post and misunderstood the "1 thread" part. As long as the captive nut threads are ok ignore this part)

Hang in there.....

Rich

[Joe M.]

Re: C1 spindle direction

convention

if the part # ends in an odd number it goes on the left side,
even# right side

[David H.]

Re: C1 spindle direction

OK, here are the measurements I took today on this. I measured both the drivers side, which is together and seems ok, and the passengers side, which seems too tight.
Although the measurements differ somewhat from side to side, they dont seem to be too out of whack within the side. The drivers side does, however, look to be just enough different than the passengers side to make the difference in working or not working properly.
It looks to me as if the passengers side has been compressed somehow.
Don't look closely at the picture because I used the same picture (the passengers side) to illustrate the measurements. Look at the measurements.
The difference between the bushings and the nuts on the drivers side is .192 whereas the difference on the passengers side is only .070.

[Richard M.]

Re: C1 spindle direction

David, Ok....I see it's is not parallel, and much too narrow. I think you'll need to open up ends using the method I suggested in the earlier post. Once you open it up it should install easier and work correctly. Just don't go too far as to damage the welds where the ends meet the arms.

Rich

[Rod K.]

Re: C1 spindle direction

Is there a gap between the weld nut on the right side in your pics and the mating A-arm surface? It looks like the nut is pulled away from the A-arm and measurements seem to support that.

[David H.]

Re: C1 spindle direction

Rod,
You nailed it! I just took a lupe and examined that nut and three of the four welds holding it on are broken loose! With the naked eye you can just see it if you are looking for it. See the picture. When I assemble it, it pulls away from the frame when I torque it down. Damn! Good eyes Rod!
Now what?!

[Rod K.]

Re: C1 spindle direction

I'd try clamping the weld nut to the side of the A-arm, then check your dimensions against the known good arm to see if it's good. If so, weld it, but be sure to insert the pivot bolt to be sure the threads are properly aligned and the gap from side to side is correct when you do. I measured both of my lower control arms and get 2.403 & 2.408 inside to inside of the weld nut (completely disassembled). Good luck, should be an easy fix.

[Richard M.]

Re: C1 spindle direction

Good catch Rod!

Glad David can fix it and move on.

Rich

[David H.]

Re: C1 spindle direction

Amen to that Richard!
Thanks to both of you for the help. I'd still be cussin' at it for weeks otherwise.