[Forssling]

Hi all,
I'm at the end of my front end rebuild of my 66 fastback. I've replaced most of the things except upper arm and springs.

Now I had quite some problems fitting the shocks and it seems like everything is pretty stiff especially upper arm, spring seat, strut rods and sway bar.

Everything was mounted and torqued with the car on jack stands.

Should I loose the strut rods and sway bar having the car seated on the wheels for a while? Or will everything get into normal position once driven?

Thanks for any input

Jörgen Forssling
Göteborg, Sweden

 

[whisperer]

Hi Jörgen!,

If everything is lubed you should be fine, it should all settle and find it's place in no time while driving. The only place you run into trouble here is with the upper arm pivots. They should be tourqued with the weight of the car on it to center the bushings. Since you haven't removed these that should not be a concern.

Hal
Love hard, drive fast, wear your seat belt.

PS, thats's my 'bird...... My Mustang is too ugly to take pictures of yet........*G*.

http://www.teleport.com/~cosa/bird2.jpg

 

[Forssling]

Hi Hal,
I don't quite follow you. What is the "upper arm pivots"? I have had the upper arm rebuilt with new shaft etc.



Jörgen Forssling
Göteborg, Sweden

 

[johnpro]

Hmmm, I'm not following that one either. Could you explain that some more, please?

If you always do what you've always done,
You'll always get what you've always got

 

[Torquewrench]

I would think you'd be ok with the sway bar, it's designed to pivot. I remember hearing on this forum that it's best to wait to tighten the lower arms once the cars lowered. I guess the reasoning is that it binds the rubber bushing somehow. I'd probably loosen the struts also. But it shouldn't be a big deal, just loosen drop and tighten back. Enjoy the new feel. I totally rebuilt a cars suspension once and then sold the car a few months later for nothing. I'm an idiot.

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1575122&a=11977248&p=43129084.jpg
66 C-code convertible
66 C-code coupe
65 GTO hardtop
76 Nova hatchback

 

[Guest]

i just replaced my whole suspension. the only items i torqued down while the car was jacked were the strut to lower arm , spring perch, and shocks (had to jack up the lower arm).

Rubelle
65 2+2, 289 (early A code), c/r toploader, magna suspension, centerline convo pros