[C1] Front End Bushing Play
02-21-2018, 08:03 AM
#1
Racer
Thread Starter
Front End Bushing Play
I’ve got the front end apart on my 61 and everything actually looks pretty good. Not much sign wear on the bushings with just the slightest amount of play. At this point I’m thinking clean all of it with new seals and grease. But I am wondering how much play is too much for the bushings?
02-21-2018, 10:39 AM
#2
Race Director
Any amount is too much, .005" play at a lower inner bushing is 1/16" at the spindle support. .005" at both lower inners is 1/8" total at the spindle support.
The bushing should thread on with no observable play. Obviously there needs to be some clearance for them to thread on, but they shouldn't thread on "loose" or with any wobble.
Doug
The bushing should thread on with no observable play. Obviously there needs to be some clearance for them to thread on, but they shouldn't thread on "loose" or with any wobble.
Doug
02-21-2018, 11:01 PM
#3
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Any amount is too much, .005" play at a lower inner bushing is 1/16" at the spindle support. .005" at both lower inners is 1/8" total at the spindle support.
The bushing should thread on with no observable play. Obviously there needs to be some clearance for them to thread on, but they shouldn't thread on "loose" or with any wobble.
Doug
The bushing should thread on with no observable play. Obviously there needs to be some clearance for them to thread on, but they shouldn't thread on "loose" or with any wobble.
Doug
02-22-2018, 06:23 AM
#4
Racer
Thread Starter
I’ll get everything clean and check them again. As I was disassembling, everything was well greased and there wasn’t any detectable play in the upper or lower A arms.
I do plan on rebuilding the kingpins. But if one A arm bushing needs replacing, they all do.
I do plan on rebuilding the kingpins. But if one A arm bushing needs replacing, they all do.
02-22-2018, 08:37 AM
#5
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Front Suspension Steering Linkage and Universal Joint - The application of chassis lubricant is recommended every 1000 miles at the fittings in the lubrication diagram on page 31...
Plasticman
Last edited by Plasticman; 02-22-2018 at 08:38 AM.
02-22-2018, 08:50 AM
#6
Drifting
That fact always worries me when we are on long trips. We drove 25K miles last summer and I would have needed to find a lube shop every day or two. I carry a small grease gun and tried to pull up on a curb and shoot the zerts that I could reach, in between oil changes. That's a messy job and I stretched the recommendations quit a bit. Today's grease may stay put better than it did 50+ years ago.
02-22-2018, 12:02 PM
#7
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That fact always worries me when we are on long trips. We drove 25K miles last summer and I would have needed to find a lube shop every day or two. I carry a small grease gun and tried to pull up on a curb and shoot the zerts that I could reach, in between oil changes. That's a messy job and I stretched the recommendations quit a bit. Today's grease may stay put better than it did 50+ years ago.
Still, I would of been prone to go into the local Jiffy Lubes (or similar) quite often. Since most of the pivot points are difficult to change, it would be worth erring on the side of caution...
And I always use a synthetic EP grease with moly......The moly will give an additional barrier to metal to metal contact.
Am sure you had a great trip!
Plasticman
02-22-2018, 01:41 PM
#8
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Obviously you were doing many "highway" miles, which is not as taxing as "city" miles on the front suspension (although the U-joints probably would be taxed more, but are relatively easier to change), so I can understand stretching the interval.
Still, I would of been prone to go into the local Jiffy Lubes (or similar) quite often. Since most of the pivot points are difficult to change, it would be worth erring on the side of caution...
And I always use a synthetic EP grease with moly......The moly will give an additional barrier to metal to metal contact.
Am sure you had a great trip!
Plasticman
Still, I would of been prone to go into the local Jiffy Lubes (or similar) quite often. Since most of the pivot points are difficult to change, it would be worth erring on the side of caution...
And I always use a synthetic EP grease with moly......The moly will give an additional barrier to metal to metal contact.
Am sure you had a great trip!
Plasticman
02-22-2018, 03:01 PM
#10
Race Director
I am sure that moly, synthetic EP grease lasts a lot longer than the clay thickened oil (grease) they used in the old days.
Doug
Doug
02-22-2018, 03:50 PM
#11
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This, and as stated, with highway use on the newer, smoother roads, I wouldn't worry about it on a long trip. I'd grease it before the trip, and when I got back, even if it were 5,000 miles, provided I was on smooth blacktop all of the time.
02-22-2018, 04:37 PM
#12
Drifting
I went to one Jiffy Lube and went under the car with the guy and pointed out the lube point, as you know there are a couple you almost have to feel for. When he shot the tie rod ends, all the grease squirted out around the gun fitting and none went in. He insisted that the grease was going into the fitting. I checked, and found that the gun fitting would just fall off the zert. They had 4 guns and this was the only one that even functioned so I checked all of them and found one with a good fitting and changed it out for him. Everything then worked fine but I finished the job myself. He told me that he never knew how a grease gun was really supposed to work. God knows how many lube jobs the did without getting a single squirt of grease into a joint.
02-22-2018, 04:41 PM
#13
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Make sure to go to a shop that lets you go under the car to point out all the zerts. None of these young guys have a clue where many lube points are.
I went to one Jiffy Lube and went under the car with the guy and pointed out the lube point, as you know there are a couple you almost have to feel for. When he shot the tie rod ends, all the grease squirted out around the gun fitting and none went in. He insisted that the grease was going into the fitting. I checked, and found that the gun fitting would just fall off the zert. They had 4 guns and this was the only one that even functioned so I checked all of them and found one with a good fitting and changed it out for him. Everything then worked fine but I finished the job myself. He told me that he never knew how a grease gun was really supposed to work. God knows how many lube jobs the did without getting a single squirt of grease into a joint.
I went to one Jiffy Lube and went under the car with the guy and pointed out the lube point, as you know there are a couple you almost have to feel for. When he shot the tie rod ends, all the grease squirted out around the gun fitting and none went in. He insisted that the grease was going into the fitting. I checked, and found that the gun fitting would just fall off the zert. They had 4 guns and this was the only one that even functioned so I checked all of them and found one with a good fitting and changed it out for him. Everything then worked fine but I finished the job myself. He told me that he never knew how a grease gun was really supposed to work. God knows how many lube jobs the did without getting a single squirt of grease into a joint.
02-22-2018, 06:32 PM
#15
Drifting
I always like to go under the car when the grease it, it's a good time to do a quick inspection of everything. I have only encountered one shop that wouldn't let me go under.