Small Steering and Suspension Install Questions

[RemCharger]

Ahh I see. Sounds like the nut is too short.
And yes the centerlink is correct.
Pic of the nuts that are past the cotterpin holes?

 

[Black_Sheep]

Maybe the best way to identify the tie rod ends is to ask which direction the adjustor sleeve should be turned to increase/decrease the length of the link? Of course this will depend on whether one is facing the front or back of the car. It looks like it would typically be done from the rear facing forward, so should turning the tie rod up lengthen or shorten the link?

The inner tie rod ends have left hand threads.

 

[hunt2elk]

Went to torque down all the nuts along the center link, and couldn't get to 40 ft/lbs before the castle nut was past the point where the prongs would catch the cotter pin. I suppose lining the nuts up with the cotter pin holes is fine?

I have run into that as well. Our Ace Hardware has some nice grade 8 smaller diameter thick washers that work perfect as a spacer.

 

[JR_Charger]

Ahh I see. Sounds like the nut is too short.
And yes the centerlink is correct.
Pic of the nuts that are past the cotterpin holes?

 

[dadsbee]

Aircraft AN310 nut, OE 3 post castle nut and aftermarket crap..

 

[JR_Charger]

I've got the OE 3 prong nuts laying around. Of course the finish is now "professionally installed rust."

Moog didn't even provide a castle nut for the idler arm. It came with a regular nut.

I like the finish on the aircraft nut. It matches the QA1 strut rods.

 

[RemCharger]

View attachment 1422758

Ok so what's the problem here?
Cotter pin too big for hole
Cotter pin to big for slot
Nut not lined up

 

[JR_Charger]

The cotter pin that isn't in is the same size as the one in the tie rod end. The hole in the idler arm ball joint is 70-80% below the short aftermarket nut. The problem can be fixed by either using a washer under the aftermarket nut or using one of the taller factory nuts.

 

[JR_Charger]

Just for your amusement, someone who previously owned the car thought it was a good idea to put these cool finned drums on the front -

I suppose this is a Buick drum with a slightly different bolt pattern. I don't know how previous owner got them on the wheel hubs because they sure don't want to come off the wheel hubs. I put some oak scrap wood over the end of the hub and whacked it a few times with a sledgehammer. Didn't budge.

 

[RemCharger]

The cotter pin that isn't in is the same size as the one in the tie rod end. The hole in the idler arm ball joint is 70-80% below the short aftermarket nut. The problem can be fixed by either using a washer under the aftermarket nut or using one of the taller factory nuts.

If it looks like this you're fine, slightly pound in the round part of the pin and bend the other side upwards.
All it has to do is prevent the nut from turning.

 

[dadsbee]

And make it neat... nothing worse than ripping your hand apart on a cotter...

 

[JR_Charger]

That's a nice looking job but I have no idea how to do it. I had a feeling someone had come up with a trick way of bending cotter pins though.

 

[dadsbee]

 

[JR_Charger]

Have we got any superstar techniques for lubing poly sway bar bushings? I found this comment on LS1tech.com -

"The only reason for needing lubrication where a poly bushing is...

to greatly reduce static friction between two surface areas of great friction. When the proper grease is used...it does NOT affect the durometer, creep ("cold-flow") and/or the lifespan of the polybushing.

This is why poly swaybar "D" bushings, poly control arm bushings, and poly torque-arm mounts DO require lubrication, and why poly endlink bushings, poly motor mounts, poly transmission mounts, spring spacers, and some other types of "isolators/indexers" DO NOT.

The sway bar endlink bushings for this cars swaybar design ARE supposed to bind. Only minimal movement is required, hence why instruction for most kits suggest not to overtighten the endlinks. That's what they were essentially designed for."

I've got QA1's bar and poly bushings. I was planning to wrap the bar with teflon tape where the bushing goes, and grease over the bushing. I found this 7 year old Energy Suspension video touting one of their products -



If O'Reilly's has a product that will work as well as the Energy Suspension grease, I could pick it up tomorrow and get the sway bar installed. If not, I'll order the Energy Suspension stuff.

I'm concerned about the poly in the QA1 LCAs. I haven't seen any complaints about it banging, and plenty of people here use them. I don't recall seeing a zerk for lubing them. What's going on with that?

 

[JR_Charger]

I noticed that the center section of the QA1 bar is bent either "up" or "down." In which direction is it supposed to be installed? I assume it should be installed "up" so it's less likely to get hit, but since I put it in that way, that probably means it's supposed to be installed "down" for some bending physics reason.

 

[JR_Charger]

Do sway bar brackets and end links get tightened up while the car is in the air or after it's set down?

 

[JR_Charger]

Does this raised area on the leaf spring hanger go to the outside or inside of the car?

The FSM says the "front hanger nut" get tightened to 30 ft/lbs. I assume these are "front hanger nuts" but that doesn't seem tight enough. Thought I'd better check before I have a leaf spring pop loose.

 

[ckessel]

Those are 3/8" bolts. 30ftlbs would be max, especially on old fasteners.

 

[JR_Charger]

Should the nuts be replaced? Do you feel like they're unsafe to use?

 

[dadsbee]

It's the studs you have to watch. If they came apart okay you're probably good. If you had to heat them to get it apart I'd be pressing in all new studs, readily available from most any resto parts supplier.