1961 Upper Control Arm
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Army
1961 Upper Control Arm
I have a slightly wallowed out upper control arm on the passenger side. My alignment guy showed me the slight left-to-right movement at the rear upper inner shaft as he exercised the suspension. I have a new control arm and both inner and outer shafts/bushings.
How hard is this to replace ?
Something I can do in my garage with typical hand tools and jack stands ?? I guess I'll need a spring compressor ? Right ?
I have 1/2" drive sockets, breaker bars, pickle fork but no compressed air or heavy-duty front end tools...
How hard is this to replace ?
Something I can do in my garage with typical hand tools and jack stands ?? I guess I'll need a spring compressor ? Right ?
I have 1/2" drive sockets, breaker bars, pickle fork but no compressed air or heavy-duty front end tools...
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From: minneola fl
Frank,
You can do it with what you have. I'd use a threaded rod for the spring removal, given the space you have. The service manual has pretty good instructions. I've done a million of them (or so).......give me a call if you get stuck.
Mike
You can do it with what you have. I'd use a threaded rod for the spring removal, given the space you have. The service manual has pretty good instructions. I've done a million of them (or so).......give me a call if you get stuck.
Mike
Le Mans Master
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From: Waterford WI
No need for a pickle fork or a spring compressor.
Placing a hydraulic floor jack under the lower a-arm and holding the whole assembly together until you have the lower inner removed allows you to ease the spring down with the jack. If the improper movement is in the a-arm itself, that is easy. If it's in the uper inner control arm or the crossmember, that's a different story. If you need an upper a-arm, I probably have a couple around.
Regards,
Mike Ernst
Placing a hydraulic floor jack under the lower a-arm and holding the whole assembly together until you have the lower inner removed allows you to ease the spring down with the jack. If the improper movement is in the a-arm itself, that is easy. If it's in the uper inner control arm or the crossmember, that's a different story. If you need an upper a-arm, I probably have a couple around.
Regards,
Mike Ernst
Last edited by 62corvette; Feb 3, 2011 at 11:20 AM. Reason: add
Le Mans Master
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From: Puget Sound
Tom (DZAUTO) did a very good write-up on this subject. It's posted somewhere on this forum.
Found it - http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c1-a...uspension.html
I suggest that if you're going to do, do it right and go through the whole front end.
Jim
Found it - http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c1-a...uspension.html
I suggest that if you're going to do, do it right and go through the whole front end.
Jim
Last edited by 1snake; Feb 3, 2011 at 11:36 AM.
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Army
This is the hole where the left-to-right movement is occurring...its not dramatic but certainly noticeable!
Mike - as always thanks....once the parts come in I'll prob be calling you!
Jim - I'll search for the Tom posting....I hate doing front end work ever since I had a '66 Mustang spring become uncompressed all at once 10 years or so ago...it was lucky I didn't get nailed by it.
Mike - as always thanks....once the parts come in I'll prob be calling you!
Jim - I'll search for the Tom posting....I hate doing front end work ever since I had a '66 Mustang spring become uncompressed all at once 10 years or so ago...it was lucky I didn't get nailed by it.
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When you say you have new cross shafts and bushings, I assume you mean new that still needs to go in the car.
You probably don't need to change the control arm at all, just the shafts and bushings, but as longa syou ahve it, go for it.
I also assume you are going to do both sides. This is a very good time to get your components powder coated, if they aren't already. (I am good at spending other peoples money)
I don't recall if the inner upper shaft can be changed with the front cross member in the car.
Doug
You probably don't need to change the control arm at all, just the shafts and bushings, but as longa syou ahve it, go for it.
I also assume you are going to do both sides. This is a very good time to get your components powder coated, if they aren't already. (I am good at spending other peoples money)
I don't recall if the inner upper shaft can be changed with the front cross member in the car.
Doug
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BTW, a piece of 1/2" allthread put through the spring where the shock would go, with washers and nuts on both ends, it a good safe way to untension a spring.
Doug
Doug
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Army
If the crossmember has to come out the car will be driven like it is - I'm not up for that.
One old mechanic told me I could weld a spot on the arm to limit the play and that happened quite often "back in the day"....not the way I prefer to deal with things tho...
There are also these things I have considered but haven't heard any experiences with them:
http://www.parts123.com/parts123/yb....Z5Z5Z50000050x
One old mechanic told me I could weld a spot on the arm to limit the play and that happened quite often "back in the day"....not the way I prefer to deal with things tho...
There are also these things I have considered but haven't heard any experiences with them:
http://www.parts123.com/parts123/yb....Z5Z5Z50000050x
Le Mans Master
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From: The problem is all inside your head she said to me.
Not so sure about no spring load. Look at the pictures. The upper is still connected to the kig pin and that's attached to the lower with the spring pushing on it. That is a beautiful write up Tom did . I have done the front end 15 years ago and those pictures bring it all back. It's amazing how crude the front end is.
Melting Slicks
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From: Lakeland FL
This may cost a little more, but you'll like it better....
http://www.jimmeyerracing.com/cv2.html
As soon as I get my obamacash, this is one of the first things on the list.
http://www.jimmeyerracing.com/cv2.html
As soon as I get my obamacash, this is one of the first things on the list.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2007
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Army
This may cost a little more, but you'll like it better....
http://www.jimmeyerracing.com/cv2.html
As soon as I get my obamacash, this is one of the first things on the list.
http://www.jimmeyerracing.com/cv2.html
As soon as I get my obamacash, this is one of the first things on the list.
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 4,462
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From: minneola fl
One old mechanic told me I could weld a spot on the arm to limit the play and that happened quite often "back in the day"....not the way I prefer to deal with things tho...
I know that this sounds bad coming from me.....but, I've actually done that on a couple of cars, and it works pretty well. The wear (movement) usually comes from the outside of the bushing to the control arm, as there is a very fine "thread" in those things. I've also welded a "sized" washer to the outside of the control arm (basically the same thing as the repair kit that CC sells, to re-establish the thread. The tack welds are almost invisible, and really don't have any stress on them, and will eliminate ALL of the play. I'm just sayin'.
Mike
Melting Slicks
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From: Lakeland FL
http://corvettecorrection.com/html/photo_gallery.html
Mike can help you with that as well............
Melting Slicks
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From: Maryland
I had that dilemma 15 years ago. The old Bubba fix was to tack weld the shaft to the crossmember. That fix was good for 10 feet or 10 seconds which ever came first. In my case I found an old 53 Chevy crossmember that had very little wear that I substituted for the original. Most venders sell the threaded bushings for the inner shaft but the crossmember will have to come out in order to fit the bushings properly so that the shaft aligns.
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Army
Frank,
I know that this sounds bad coming from me.....but, I've actually done that on a couple of cars, and it works pretty well. The wear (movement) usually comes from the outside of the bushing to the control arm, as there is a very fine "thread" in those things.....
Mike
I know that this sounds bad coming from me.....but, I've actually done that on a couple of cars, and it works pretty well. The wear (movement) usually comes from the outside of the bushing to the control arm, as there is a very fine "thread" in those things.....
Mike
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