Two more dumb questions

[Joel Talka]

Almost there with the motor install, the plumbing took more than I expected..just finding stuff out there. I have two more questions for you all and certainly appreciate your input.

1 - Front end height adjustment - Should I be loosening the lower control arm bolts when I am trying to adjust front end height? I can turn the adjusting bolts to a certain point and then they become almost impossible to turn.

2 - Antifreeze - I'm running a Champion aluminum radiator and an aluminum heater core. What antifreeze should I use to protect the aluminum? Also, should I use distilled water? The last one I did about 10 years ago, Champion radiator too, I was told to use HOAT antifreeze which was orange as I recall....

I managed to get those "Z" bracket clips on, boy, what a PITA!

Thanks in advance!!

Joel

 

[69L48Z27]

1. Run the T-bolts in/out without loosening anything.
2. Use green concentrate, cut 50%. Use distilled for peace of mind. Cheap and you don’t know what minerals might be in you well or city water.

 

[hunt2elk]

And jack the front of the car up before adjusting the t-bar bolts. I broke one once while turning the bolt with the weight on the front end. Spooky and scared the crap out of me. I was lucky I didn't get hurt. If you have more than a turn or so, I always loosen the lower control arms. Otherwise, the rubber is twisting.

 

[dvw]

The T bar bolt threads can get rusty. They should move easily. If not pull them out, clean and lube.
Doug

 

[toolmanmike]

And jack the front of the car up before adjusting the t-bar bolts. I broke one once while turning the bolt with the weight on the front end. Spooky and scared the crap out of me. I was lucky I didn't get hurt. If you have more than a turn or so, I always loosen the lower control arms. Otherwise, the rubber is twisting.

This.^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Don't adjust the torsion bar bolts with the weight on the car. Jack it up off the crossmember, support the frmaework and let the suspension hang.

 

[radical rob]

Put an sacrificial plug in to help with the corrosion

 

[YY1]

Since 1985 I've never had an LCA to T bar adjuster break or strip while adjusting the height up with the weight of the car on it.

I use a 1/2" drive ratchet and lie next to, not under the car just in case, though.

In general, I like mine pretty low in the front.

I've also never had to realign the car after an adjustment- unless it was already all the way up or down, and I wanted it closer to the other extreme.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Use the HOAT antifreeze it is designed for aluminum and iron, it's not great with brass, but you have removed all of it. It is orange, but if you buy it in concentrated it is usually clear.

 

[Joel Talka]

Everything under there is either new or refinished. The adjusting bolts are new and the lower control arms I refinished installing new bushings and ball joints. When I went to adjust, I jacked both front wheels off the floor, and measured the exposed length of the adjusting bolts before and after tightening, basically to adjust them equally. I'm using a 1/2" drive and my torque wrench just for leverage. The bolts will turn a bit (easy) then I hit a spot where I can't budge them at all (rubber twisting?). This whole front end has zero miles on it, so maybe I should try loosening the control are bolts?

 

[snakeoil24]

Do you have correct bars for left and right sides and indexed?

 

[69a100]

Everything under there is either new or refinished. The adjusting bolts are new and the lower control arms I refinished installing new bushings and ball joints. When I went to adjust, I jacked both front wheels off the floor, and measured the exposed length of the adjusting bolts before and after tightening, basically to adjust them equally. I'm using a 1/2" drive and my torque wrench just for leverage. The bolts will turn a bit (easy) then I hit a spot where I can't budge them at all (rubber twisting?). This whole front end has zero miles on it, so maybe I should try loosening the control are bolts?

You got a lot of things going on with your comments and I'm confused? Get the torsion bars to where it looks to be at normal ride height. You're going to need an alignment shop to get the alignment and ride height right, you do have a FSM, don't you? The shop will need the numbers from it to get everything right. Good Luck

 

[Joel Talka]

Do you have correct bars for left and right sides and indexed?

Yep...

 

[Joel Talka]

You got a lot of things going on with your comments and I'm confused? Get the torsion bars to where it looks to be at normal ride height. You're going to need an alignment shop to get the alignment and ride height right, you do have a FSM, don't you? The shop will need the numbers from it to get everything right. Good Luck

If FSM is a factory shop manual, yes I do. I've pretty much eyeballed everything so I can at least drive it to someone who can align it. I just need to find someone down here is southern Florida who can do it.