The 68's ta's will be headed to Gary (GTR1999) for a rebuild. The alignment shims that came out are not slotted. I'm assuming I want to go back with the ss slotted ones to make it easier to install/remove as needed. Am I correct with this line of thinking?

After reading the horror stories about removing the bushing bolts I got lucky. Took a few raps with a BFH and a punch to get the drivers side to move and the passenger side almost shot out completely with 3 good raps. It's too bad the mounting location wasn't back 4" further so the wheel opening wasn't in the way. However the curved punch worked it's magic!

 

I purchased a set of stainless shims from Ecklers, which included two new T/A bolts (You were indeed lucky; I had to cut my passenger side bolt--a real pain) as well as two long cotter pins. My '68 didn't have holes for the cotter pins, so I fit the new bolts without the T/As, placed some of the shims in the frame pockets to act as a guides, and drilled holes for the cotter pins.

I'm not ready to re-install and align the T/As yet...I'm hoping the holes in the rear of the shims will line up with those holes I drilled. Should make setting the toe fairly easy.

Good luck,

Chris

 

Tom, you were very lucky on the bolts. I had to Sawsall mine out. Yes you are correct the SS slotted ones should go in with no problem. Did you mark the shims to make sure you had the right thickness going back? Marking them Inside Right Rear (IS-RR) and Inside Left Rear (IS-LR)? Same for the Out side RR and Outside LR? This gives you a good starting point how it was set at factory. Another tip is to place the tail arm bolt through the hole from inside about a inch. Lift your T/A up to the slot and push the bolt through the T/A bushing the through the outside hole. What I mean is no shims were installed until T/A was in position. With T/A now bolted in you slip the slottedend of the shim (inside frist same thickness as original) over the bolt and drop the shim down in front. I found that if I stacked the shims in the back and push the T/A bushing against the shims set at original thickness. Then load the outside shims up until there is no slack left on the bolt you should have it then. Also remember the new bushing in the T/A maybe slitely wider than original. You have to ajust for that. This went a little too long but just trying to help out. Good luck

sgm2004

 

Thanks for the replies, I did indeed mark the shim stacks the way they came out so when the arms go back in they'll be as close as possible to the original setting.

How in the heck do you feed the new bolt back through, there isn't enough room to get your hand up in there. I was thinking perhaps some monofilament fishing line through the cotter pin hole and pull the bolts into place?

Yes I did indeed get lucky. I thought here we go on the drivers side then it started to move and when the passenger side almost fell out with 3 good raps I knew the Jack Daniels was not going to be needed!

 

What methods have worked for feeding the bolt back through the mounting holes and ta bushing? There is not enough room in there to get your hand in to push the bolt through with the body on. Would feeding monofilament fishing line through and using the cotter pin hole in the bolt work to pull it through?

I thought I read a thread awhile back that described this method but wanted to be sure I was on the right track.

 

Yeah, using a piece of string or fishing line should make life a lot easier. I think I used a pair of needle nose to help thread the string through too.

 

My game plan was to get the arm in position without the shims, feed the line through the mounting holes and bushing, pull the bolt into place then install the shims as someone else so wisely told me. I will use the slotted shims so they can be put in, no way are the 68 shims without the slot going back in!

 

I wish I had a picture to illustrate better, but you take some rubber fuel line (or somewhat stiff small 3/8 or so hose) and string a couple of zip ties together and through the inside of the hose. So basically you'll make a big loop of zip ties (use 2 large ones) then fold it in half and stick through the hose. You'll end up with a little loop of zip tie at each end of the hose. Then you can put the bolt in through one end of the "tool" and cinch down on the zip tie. Then you can use this to feed the bolt through the hole, through the shims, and out the other side where you then snip the zip tie and pull the hose and ties back out.

Make sense?

 

I used a LOOONG needle nose to position the bolt in the inner hole so just the threads were poking through the internal frame pocket.

I then used a 12 inch flat bar nail removal tool positioned with right-angled end behind the bolt head, ready to push it fwd.

I then fitted the arm up into position with the rotor end resting on a floor jack with towel for padding.

I then pushed the bolt out with the nail removal tool and it slide right through the arm bushing and close to the outer hole. A little moving around of the arm, and it came right on through the outer hole. Success, but still a biatch. I did this on my own.

I like the fishing line idea, better get braided nylon stuff if your trying that route.

 

Just saw Gary (GTR1999) last night. I dropped of a set of TA's for him to do for me. He's done work for me before. You will be very happy with his work.

 

I used the highest test (I believe that's how they rate strength in the fishing world-sorry not a fisherman) fishing line I could find and then ended up doubling it up. It was a two person job although I'm sure some have managed it alone. I read some posts where people used dental floss. I tried that first and it snapped after about the second tug.
Gary rebuilt my T/A, differential, and steering box. You will definitely have the piece of mind knowing that they were done right
Good luck

 

I used fine wire to thread through first. Attached to this was the fishing nylon. All went very smoothly.

 

Thanks guys for all of the great ideas, it's good to have options!

I hope the going back together is as easy as getting the old bolts out was. The drivers side took a little effort but the passenger side bolt was a no brainer.

 

That's why they're heading to the master!

 

I drilled a small hole thru the tip and used nylon string to pull the bolt thru. One thing that helps is make sure the back end (rotor) is at normal position as if the car was setting on the ground- this helps align the TA bushing squarely in position-

Attach the string to the bolt- thread thru the inner hole on frame- thread thru the TA- thread thru the outer hole on the frame.
Line up the TA while tacking up slack in the string-
I used a long needle nose pliers to get the bolt line up in the hole- added tension on the string to hold the bolt- and then wiggled the TA slightly as I began to pull on the string and it slipped right thru- did this by myself.

Hope this helps

Darrel1

 

I drilled a small hole thru the tip and used nylon string to pull the bolt thru. One thing that helps is make sure the back end (rotor) is at normal position as if the car was setting on the ground- this helps align the TA bushing squarely in position-

Attach the string to the bolt- thread thru the inner hole on frame- thread thru the TA- thread thru the outer hole on the frame.
Line up the TA while tacking up slack in the string-
I used a long needle nose pliers to get the bolt line up in the hole- added tension on the string to hold the bolt- and then wiggled the TA slightly as I began to pull on the string and it slipped right thru- did this by myself.

I then put in the shims -

Hope this helps

Darrel1

 

Good stuff here but the holes were already in my bolts. They are there for the cotter pins and castle nuts. I never knew they came without the hole?

sgm2004

 

My bolts had a hole also but it is in the thread portion. My bolts have a small lead in point that is a smaller diameter than the main threads- I drilled a hole in the tip so the nylon thread would not get caught between the bolt, bushings and holes in the frame when pulling the bolt thru.

Darrel1