Installing front suspension lower A-arm

[DanEC]

Anyone who has assembled their car have any tips for getting the lower A-arm, bushed joint crammed into the rear bracket? I played with it about 2 minutes before deciding it was a good time to quit for the evening before I banged something up. It's a very tight fit.

Maybe compress the sides of the bushing with a C-clamp and offset washers until I can get it part way in?

Dan

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by DanEC

Maybe compress the sides of the bushing with a C-clamp and offset washers until I can get it part way in?

Dan

That and try a load of dielectric grease on it Dan.

[DanEC]

More lubricant - I'll try it.

Thanks

[DanEC]

I think I have one of them almost in place. Held in by drifts right now as I ran out of time. Should be able to get the bolts in without too much drama. Lots of lubricant and a little assist with a rubber mallet. The C-clamp didn't work as it and the washers would slide off to the side from the grease.

[Dangerous Doug]

I used a lot of lubricant, of course, but I also used some Irwin clamps. These clamps can be found at your local hardware store. They are blue with yellow clamp surfaces--which are soft, so they won't scrath up the powder-coating. They have a pistol grip, so you can release them easily, and tighten them by pulling the "trigger".

I was able to use these without the requisite swearing and banging usually associated with installing A-arms.

My first attempts, though, were spent "just about getting the arm on..." and then the other side would slip. The clamps allowed me to approach the problem methodically, and without teaching my son any new words (he learned them anyway...).

DD

[RICK LAKE]

Dangerous Doug You want these mounts tight, some times they are a little too tight. Your problem is no weight in the body. I had a motor and trans in mine. Try placing a floor jack under the arm with a small block of wood and try and press it in. It this doesn't work large hammer, block of wood, tape up the location and smack the crap out of it. She better find out now who the "BOSS" is. 4 pound plastic pallet and tape the area. Alot of grease too. Make sure the bushing in the mount is greased before putting the bolt in. GET TOUGH. good luck Rick L.

[DanEC]

Both are now on and bolts in. What a PIA. But they are done. The second one was worse. It wouldn't start and after about an hour of trying it suddenly slipped in a little and worked like a mad man to wiggle it the rest of the way in before it had a chance to slip out. I did realize that I didn't install a big heavy washer on the front lower mount on the first side and will need to go back over and pull that bolt out again. A sprained wrist, tools scattered all over my work bench and a lot of cleanup of dielectric grease and anti-sieze all over everything - but I can manage now.

[kevins2]

Originally Posted by DanEC

Both are now on and bolts in. What a PIA. But they are done. The second one was worse. It wouldn't start and after about an hour of trying it suddenly slipped in a little and worked like a mad man to wiggle it the rest of the way in before it had a chance to slip out. I did realize that I didn't install a big heavy washer on the front lower mount on the first side and will need to go back over and pull that bolt out again. A sprained wrist, tools scattered all over my work bench and a lot of cleanup of dielectric grease and anti-sieze all over everything - but I can manage now.

Something to look forward to as I wait for my kit...

Regards,

Kevin

[DanEC]

Originally Posted by kevins2

Something to look forward to as I wait for my kit...

Regards,

Kevin

Those clamps Dangerous Doug mentioned might be worth looking into, although I'm not exactly clear how he applied them. I had a small 1 ton press I bought years ago at Harbor Freight that was handy for pressing the sleeve into the lower arm bushings. Pressing them in was about the only way they would go. Pounding on them with a rubber mallet didn't do anything. A good size bench vise will probably work too. After that I couldn't figure out much of anything else except to lube everything up real well and carefully try to get the rear bushing started into the mount. Once it gets started then the instructions in the manual to gently rock the arm up and down while keeping pressure on it finally got it in enough to where I could use punches and drifts through the bolt holes to work it the rest of the way in and line up so the bolt would go in. The front bushing rest on the front of the frame cross member and kind of go along for the ride after the rear one gets started.

I'll add one thing - I'm impressed with the beef of the front suspension in the ERA. I think it would hold up 5000 lb Caddilac without trouble. There's nothing dainty about it. It appears clearly more robust to me than the front end of my 66 Corvette.

[kevins2]

Thanks Dan,

I actually have 6 of those clamps (they are a different brand than Irwin, but same type of clamp). I've used them for woodworking projects. Anyway, glad you finally got them together and appreciate the comments about ERA since I've taken the plunge. All the reading I've done on this site and others and still haven't found a negative word about ERA...

Regards,

Kevin

[Dangerous Doug]

Originally Posted by DanEC

Those clamps Dangerous Doug mentioned might be worth looking into, although I'm not exactly clear how he applied them.

Frankly, I can't remember how I applied them either...

I DO recall being very relieved once I got the bolts in!

I like the idea of having the engine in as a counterweight to the floor jack & board pressing it in. Clever.

DD