I'm not sure how to link my previous thread on this......

Anyway, with the help of fellow TC'er, jmhardin, I've FINALLY gotten the passenger side done. It's down on the ground and the only thing I really need to do is a final torque of some of the bolts, now that it's at ride height under it's own weight. Also, there is a grease seal that goes between the drum hub and the spindle (?). It had disintegrated, but otherwise my drum brake on that side looks excellent.

Which bolts need to be torqued, btw? Upper and lower control arms and the lower ball joint-to-spindle nut....also spindle-to-upper ball joint nut? Any others?

I still need to do all of the driver's side and replace the steering components as well. All of that steering stuff is painted, prepped and ready to go.

On a somewhat crappy note, I was able to use the sandblaster at work to clean the lower A-arm and coil spring. I sprayed them with some Hi-temp ceramic paint and they looked fantastic. Of course bad luck struck after that. The sandblaster broke and none of the machinists/electricians seem very interested in fixing it. I did the best I could with the upper A-arm, but it looks like @%$^#. I finally fogged it with paint and said screw it. Some elbow grease actually got the spindle to look pretty decent.

All in all, it's still the most labor intensive thing I've done so far (damn that coil spring, even WITH a compressor graemlins/angry.gif ), but I think the rewards will make it all worthwhile. The driver's side should go MUCH quicker (knock on wood), as I now know what I can and can't shortcut. I spent more time tryin to NOT have to do things.....when if I had just done it, I could have cut my time in almost half. But so it goes. Experience.

BTW, jmhardin noticed that I had a trashed motor mount which might explain sounds and vibrations. Hmmmm....I just replaced both of them 10K miles ago when I put my 355 roller in. Looks like that small block torque does some damage. ;)

Justin,
Glad to hear your project is coming along quite well despite the sandblaster breakdown. What did you use to paint the steering components as that's something I need to do as well?

I'm waiting for my Arms to come back from the powder coating shop so I can get the bushings pressed in. Also want to clean up the exposed frame on both sides while it's easy to get at and hit it with some POR-15 before putting it all back together.

Sonds like that jmhardin fellow has a pretty sharp eye! I'd keep him around awhile yet! :D

Post some pictures when your done if you can.

Good Luck.

Sounds like the project is coming along well. I am finally finished with my steering and suspension overhaul. All I need now is to get the #%*& transmission in, get the SSM's set up, bleed the brakes and take her to the alignment shop. I am on the downslide I hope. You will be there soon. Keep the chin up! Skip

Congrats! graemlins/beers.gif

I'm assuming that all the fasteners you've mentioned are snug/tight but not final torqued?

Go ahead and final tighten and cotter pin the ball joint and steering linkage nuts. Their connection to the spindle and themselves is a taper/swedge fit, and they don't pivot on the bolt, the nut merely holds it in place.

I'd wait on the control arm to frame bolts until the other side is complete. When done with both sides, loosen the sway bar links until they are sloppy and bounce the front end up and down several times (like you'd do to check for bad shocks). Once it settles in the same place (approx.) a few times go ahead and final tighten everything.

This "bouncing" will relieve any inadvertant pre-load or twist that was induced when you were installing the new parts.

My .02

Thanks for all the replies guys! Sorry I haven't gotten back on this sooner.

Wolfehunter (name?), this project has me tapped out and I haven't been able to do things like I wanted. I would have loved to have sandblasted and powdercoated everything, but I don't have the cash. SO, I just used a can of Hi-Temp ceramic engine paint. It was kind of a flat black and went on very well and very smooth. Not really the ideal stuff, but it's what I already had layin around. The parts that got blasted, or at least a good cleaning, looked pretty darn good as they went on. A few things got scratched up on installation, but so it goes. I guess one could go back and fog the scuffs over for a final touchup.

Sorry, but I don't have a camera, so I won't have any pics.

Skip, thanks for the words of encouragement and I'm glad to hear that your stuff is coming along.

John D., yes, all of those bolts that I mentioned are snugged tight, but not torqued. Thanks for the tip on getting both sides completely done. So, a final actual torque by-the-book....is only necessary for the control arm bolts? All the linkage stuff is just a snug/tighten thing?

BTW, I'm not running a front sway bar, as the car is about 80% strip/20% street usage nowadays. As per mc71454's advice, I removed it and it picked up the E.T.'s at the track and for what little street driving I do anymore....I don't really notice it being gone. That was with the old worn out rubber bushing setup, so it should feel better still with the new polygraphite stuff I'm installing.

Today was my 30th birthday, so in celebration, I removed the entire linkage setup, from one outer tie rod to the other. :D I have the new linkage parts mocked up and they should go on quickly.

Question:, is there a specific way that the tie rods are oriented? I have it set up that if you turn the sleeve one way, both arms move out and if I turn it the other....they both move in. Now that I think of it....I guess it wouldn't work any other way. Or am I overlooking anything there? :confused:

Hopefully that new linkage will go on quickly and then I'll start the teardown of the driver's side. Man....this is taking forever. redface.gif

I should clarify my previous advise graemlins/clonk.gif

Lower Arms: Leave the bolts that go through the frame "pockets" snug.

Upper Arms: Tighten/torque the cross-shaft to frame bolts (the ones with the shims - I hope you "tagged & bagged" which ones go where!), but leave the cross-shaft end bolts (the ones with the large washers) snug + a bit more.

Then do the bounce routine. After the car settles go back and final tighten/torque the above. After this you can do a "tape measure" toe-in adjustment and get to an alignment shop.

John D., I gotcha on the followup. And, yes, I did get the shims back where they came from. graemlins/beers.gif

Can you give me the procedure for setting the toe? Thanks so much!

The best procedure is to have the Chevy dealer align your front end.


Rocky

I mean....to get it close enuff for a drive to the alignment shop. tongue.gif

Originally posted by 70_FathomBlueMalibu:
I mean....to get it close enuff for a drive to the alignment shop. tongue.gif Just pick one of the treads and measure from side to side in front of the tire and behind. Subtract the two numbers and that will be "total toe" You want maybe 1/8" or so "toe in" meaning the measurement in front of the tire will be 1/8" smaller than the rear.
When I did mine, I drove a nail through a 2x4 at an angle and scribed a line in the middle of each tire and measured off of that but if you've got decent tires, they way I described above will work.

Jeff

I aligned mine with an angle-finder, a tape measure, and a couple of boards.

The angle finder for checking camber and caster, and the tape measure for checking toe in.

When I brought it to the alignment shop I was within specs on their laser alignment set up. He tweaked it just a smidge and got it "Dead On Balls Accurate" (as Marisa Tomei would say).

My point is that it's possible to get it perfect with "primitive" tools if you have your car on a level surface.

And don't forget Marisa always goes for maximum allowable "torque-age" ;) Love that movie!