Trailing arm shims.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 7,339
Likes: 137
From: WilkesBarre PA
Trailing arm shims.
Is there anything that holds the shims for the controll arms in for a 67 except the main bolt? My friends had his fall out, the car was aligned again. Now I checket them and they are loose again (only drove it 400 miles). I was able to turn them back into the pocket by had without touching the bolt. Is there a certain torque for the bolt to keep them in there? Thanks 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 8,918
Likes: 27
From: New Hill NC
Re: Trailing arm shims. (RichS)
Original 67 shims would have been the type with holes. They cant fall out, but they are a pain to align. Someone has obviously changed them to the slotted style. They were used on the later models and after 69 there was a long cotter pin that went though the hole to keep them in there. Actually if the shims are placed down into the opening and the bolt is tightned sufficiently they should stay put. You have to have the correct amount of shims to fill the gaps and tighten the bolt down good. That will squeeze the sides of the frame down on the shims. I dont know if there is a spec., but 40-50 ft. lb. should do.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 38,897
Likes: 1,926
From: Washington Michigan
Re: Trailing arm shims. (wombvette)
The trick is to drive the last shim in with a hammer (slotted shims), so the shim pack is TIGHT in the pocket, then tighten the pivot bolt (50 ft-lbs) and insert the cotter pin. The reinforced walls of the pocket won't crush much with 50 ft-lbs. on the bolt - the shims have to be tight to begin with. Drilling the frame and using the ultra-long cotter pin used on most C3's through the holes at the rear of the shims isn't a bad idea; even if the shim pack loosens, you won't lose the shims. The pivot bolt should be tightened with the car at normal ride height, and I put anti-seize on it so it won't corrode to the sleeve inside the bushing - especially important if you use "hole" shims instead of "slot" shims, as the bolt has to be removed in order to change the shim pack. 
