VB and P upper control arm mounts don't fit around the shock re-enforcement tower?
12-05-2010, 11:24 AM
#1
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
VB and P upper control arm mounts don't fit around the shock re-enforcement tower?
Getting ready to put the upper control arms back in the C5Z.
It appears that the new upper control arm aluminum bolt mounts are slightly wider than the stock mounts. I can't seem to get them worked around the shock tower. I have to go all away up to the top of the re-enforcement tower where there is a gap in the ribbing.
I have the VB and P bushings installed correctly (wide head bushings are facing out on the control arms). But it appears the aluminum bolt mounts are slightly longer giving less inside clear width to accommodate the width of the shock tower.
Is this typical?
PS: I installed the Pfadt stud kit as well. I installed the shorter length of the stud into the car frame thinking I probably need the longer part of the stud to accommodate the extra camber washers since the lower control arms are now out as far you can go (using Pfadt camber plates with initial 6 slots per recommendation before going to alignment shop).
Hopefully I chose wisely with which end of the stud mounts into the car frame itself. Comments?
It appears that the new upper control arm aluminum bolt mounts are slightly wider than the stock mounts. I can't seem to get them worked around the shock tower. I have to go all away up to the top of the re-enforcement tower where there is a gap in the ribbing.
I have the VB and P bushings installed correctly (wide head bushings are facing out on the control arms). But it appears the aluminum bolt mounts are slightly longer giving less inside clear width to accommodate the width of the shock tower.
Is this typical?
PS: I installed the Pfadt stud kit as well. I installed the shorter length of the stud into the car frame thinking I probably need the longer part of the stud to accommodate the extra camber washers since the lower control arms are now out as far you can go (using Pfadt camber plates with initial 6 slots per recommendation before going to alignment shop).
Hopefully I chose wisely with which end of the stud mounts into the car frame itself. Comments?
12-05-2010, 12:10 PM
#2
Race Director
I don't remember ever having a problem, but it sounds like your solution is fine. As long as the fit correctly once in place, it doesn't really matter.
I don't think it really matters on the studs, BUT make sure you use the shims even if you don't need them. I took them all out once to gain a ton of camber, then the nuts bottomed out on the un-threaded part of the shank, and I stripped out the nutsert in the frame....not a pleasant fix. So if you take shims out, move them to the front of the stud to make sure you still have only threads showing.
I don't think it really matters on the studs, BUT make sure you use the shims even if you don't need them. I took them all out once to gain a ton of camber, then the nuts bottomed out on the un-threaded part of the shank, and I stripped out the nutsert in the frame....not a pleasant fix. So if you take shims out, move them to the front of the stud to make sure you still have only threads showing.
12-05-2010, 12:55 PM
#3
Safety Car
Yes, short end of studs in to frame. I've always found getting the dog bones around the shock tower reinforcement was a bit finicky. I usually put one side around (easy) and then just mess with the other side... sometimes turning the dog bone itself helps.
Last edited by gkmccready; 12-05-2010 at 01:05 PM.
12-05-2010, 01:15 PM
#4
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
I don't remember ever having a problem, but it sounds like your solution is fine. As long as the fit correctly once in place, it doesn't really matter.
I don't think it really matters on the studs, BUT make sure you use the shims even if you don't need them. I took them all out once to gain a ton of camber, then the nuts bottomed out on the un-threaded part of the shank, and I stripped out the nutsert in the frame....not a pleasant fix. So if you take shims out, move them to the front of the stud to make sure you still have only threads showing.
I don't think it really matters on the studs, BUT make sure you use the shims even if you don't need them. I took them all out once to gain a ton of camber, then the nuts bottomed out on the un-threaded part of the shank, and I stripped out the nutsert in the frame....not a pleasant fix. So if you take shims out, move them to the front of the stud to make sure you still have only threads showing.
12-05-2010, 01:20 PM
#5
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
I'll try rotating the dog bones and see if that makes a difference around the shock tower.
What really sucks on this car (I am the 3rd owner - first two owners put 15K on the stock car) is that the original owner had under coating put on the car. Going through all of this works means added removal of under coating to get all of the new parts in correctly.
A perfect example is the the Pfadt shims for the dog bones - directly underneath the dog bones is bare-painted sheet metal, but just outside the projected area of the dog bones is under coating.
The Pfadt shims overlap both surfaces, so now I have to go back and strip off the under coating. Its a bit of a pain, but I fear the alignment will be all over the place if the shims aren't sitting on a consistent flat surface.
12-05-2010, 02:47 PM
#6
Race Director
I don't remember ever having a problem, but it sounds like your solution is fine. As long as the fit correctly once in place, it doesn't really matter.
I don't think it really matters on the studs, BUT make sure you use the shims even if you don't need them. I took them all out once to gain a ton of camber, then the nuts bottomed out on the un-threaded part of the shank, and I stripped out the nutsert in the frame....not a pleasant fix. So if you take shims out, move them to the front of the stud to make sure you still have only threads showing.
I don't think it really matters on the studs, BUT make sure you use the shims even if you don't need them. I took them all out once to gain a ton of camber, then the nuts bottomed out on the un-threaded part of the shank, and I stripped out the nutsert in the frame....not a pleasant fix. So if you take shims out, move them to the front of the stud to make sure you still have only threads showing.
I think that can only happen if you put the long thread part into the car and face the short threaded length out. There should be instructions to put the short thread in but there are none.
12-05-2010, 02:49 PM
#7
Race Director
Getting ready to put the upper control arms back in the C5Z.
It appears that the new upper control arm aluminum bolt mounts are slightly wider than the stock mounts. I can't seem to get them worked around the shock tower. I have to go all away up to the top of the re-enforcement tower where there is a gap in the ribbing.
I have the VB and P bushings installed correctly (wide head bushings are facing out on the control arms). But it appears the aluminum bolt mounts are slightly longer giving less inside clear width to accommodate the width of the shock tower.
Is this typical?
PS: I installed the Pfadt stud kit as well. I installed the shorter length of the stud into the car frame thinking I probably need the longer part of the stud to accommodate the extra camber washers since the lower control arms are now out as far you can go (using Pfadt camber plates with initial 6 slots per recommendation before going to alignment shop).
Hopefully I chose wisely with which end of the stud mounts into the car frame itself. Comments?
It appears that the new upper control arm aluminum bolt mounts are slightly wider than the stock mounts. I can't seem to get them worked around the shock tower. I have to go all away up to the top of the re-enforcement tower where there is a gap in the ribbing.
I have the VB and P bushings installed correctly (wide head bushings are facing out on the control arms). But it appears the aluminum bolt mounts are slightly longer giving less inside clear width to accommodate the width of the shock tower.
Is this typical?
PS: I installed the Pfadt stud kit as well. I installed the shorter length of the stud into the car frame thinking I probably need the longer part of the stud to accommodate the extra camber washers since the lower control arms are now out as far you can go (using Pfadt camber plates with initial 6 slots per recommendation before going to alignment shop).
Hopefully I chose wisely with which end of the stud mounts into the car frame itself. Comments?
12-05-2010, 03:03 PM
#8
I had a similar problem when I isntalled the long hardbar studs. It was a quick fix with the grinder to clearance the shock tower. Only needs minor grinding.
What david says about the nuts bottoming is very true. I had that happen to mine, but luckily the instert didn't strip. I now make sure I have enough washers under the nuts to clear the shank of the stud.
What david says about the nuts bottoming is very true. I had that happen to mine, but luckily the instert didn't strip. I now make sure I have enough washers under the nuts to clear the shank of the stud.
12-05-2010, 03:08 PM
#9
Drifting
I took a large (15" crescent) and gronked the steel on the tower just a bit. Where it was tight, i just bent the steel a bit towards the outside of the car to allow the "dogbone" to clear.
