Question about leaf spring suspension

[MAStuart]

I am building my lower control arms . I have the bushings installed but haven't installed the seals yet. The pin ends lined up real nice. My question is there a spacer or bronze washer of sorts that goes between the upright and the control arm? Or does the upright just get clamped so there is a little space on each side?

[LMH]

I wish I knew what to tell you but I’ve never taken that off an original hub carrier off. I’ve worked on the bearings but the carrier was already off the car.
Larry

[Tom Kirkham]

You need thrust washers.

[MAStuart]

Thank you Tom....This brings up another question or 2. Does the outer ends of the pins get a thrust washer and then a regulat washer before the nut goes on? Also the other end where the shock mounts. What goes on there?

Anyone have a good picture of an original setup?

Thanks Mark

[MAStuart]

The questions I ask in the post before this one is for the reasoning. The pin is clamped into the upright and therefore rotate a small amount. So the part of the pin that goes thru the shock bushing rotates a small amount.

[MAStuart]

Been thinking about it some more. On the ends maybe the washers and nuts on the ends of the pin never touch the control arm on the ends by the seals. As you can see I am confused.

[Dan Case]

The original thrust washers were GARLOCK BEARINGS, INC. G10DU.

There were also four each seals as AC Cars intended that the bushes to last for years without further service.

Original pivot pins have a step down for the shock absorber mount on the forward facing end. The shafts were precision and chromium plated. For repairs I bought hydraulic cylinder shaft material that is very robust and had the parts cut from them. Special washers and thin Aerotight® nuts went on both ends.

[MAStuart]

Thank you Dan! I have the bushings and seal. I need to make the plate with the 3 inch hole in it and the shock mount to finish the rear lower a arms. When I am done with that my next project is to make the pins. By the drawings I got it looks like the part of the pin that is 3/4 is the same overall length as the overall width of the a arm where it connects. I plan on using the same material as you stated.

Could you tell me does the end of the pin that just get the special washer and the nut. Does the washer come into contact with the a arm? Also on the shock end. Does the rubber bushing in the lower end of the shock come in direct contact with the A arm? Or does it get a washer put on first? Also does the rear shocks have steel sleeve inside the rubber bushings.

Thanks Mark

[Dan Case]

Thank you Dan! I have the bushings and seal. I need to make the plate with the 3 inch hole in it and the shock mount to finish the rear lower a arms.

DC: Do you mean stabilizer bar link mount? The lower dampener mount is the forward end of the shaft the lower end of the vertical link pivots on.



When I am done with that my next project is to make the pins. By the drawings I got it looks like the part of the pin that is 3/4 is the same overall length as the overall width of the a arm where it connects. I plan on using the same material as you stated.

Could you tell me does the end of the pin that just get the special washer and the nut. Does the washer come into contact with the a arm? Also on the shock end. Does the rubber bushing in the lower end of the shock come in direct contact with the A arm? Or does it get a washer put on first? Also does the rear shocks have steel sleeve inside the rubber bushings.

DC: Whew, bunches of questions. It has been a few years since I had all the rear suspension off and apart but from pin drawings and memory:

• face to face on the 0.750” chromium plated working length section I came up with was nominally 6.375”. I have never reverse engineered the vertical links into drawings so I don’t know what their nominal width was.

• from what I recall there are three special washers

- At rear over the 7/16 BSF threaded stub end between the vertical link and the Aerotight® “thin” stop nut.

- Near the front over the shank of the lower dampener mount between the dampener rubber bush and the vertical link

- At the front between the front end Aerotight stop nut and the dampener rubber bush.

• None of the Armstrong® dampeners that I have held have a steel sleeve in the lower mount bushes.

[Morris]

Originally Posted by Tom Kirkham

You need thrust washers.

[MAStuart]

Morris Thanks for the pictures. Although A little different than what I am doing I still like to learn. I probably like these kind of pictures a lot more than a picture of a cobra at a car show. I like to know what makes things tick!

[CompClassics]

As Dan has stated above, the mount for the rear shock to the lower control arm does not use a sleeve inside the rubber bushing in the shock absorbers eyelet. The rubber bushing contacts the lower control arm pivot pin directly.

[MAStuart]

Thanks again Dan. Don't know what I was thinking when I said shock mount. So yes I should of said sway bar mount. From what you posted things are starting to make sense.

So I now assume the upper rubber bush on the shock has an inner sleeve. Is this correct?

From what my drawings show it looks like the 3/4 dia part of the pin is 6.375. Also the part of the control arm that this pin goes thru to the outside edges is also 6.375 . So if these parts are the exact length the special washers would just be touching the ends of the control arm. Is this correct or should there be a little clearance there so it is not steel on steel contact?

[MAStuart]

Garlock G10DU washers.



My parts came in . I wasn't sure what to expect. These are made just like the bushing that go into the A arms. These are made of tin coated steel and on one side the have a special coating that includes PTFE. I was surprised to see it is coated on one side and has a hole for a pin to keep it from rotating. The dark side is the coated side.

My question is did original uprights have pins on the thrust surfaces for these washers ? Or are these G10DU different from what it should take?

[Dan Case]

Originally Posted by MAStuart

Thanks again Dan. Don't know what I was thinking when I said shock mount. So yes I should of said sway bar mount. From what you posted things are starting to make sense.

So I now assume the upper rubber bush on the shock has an inner sleeve. Is this correct?

From what my drawings show it looks like the 3/4 dia part of the pin is 6.375. Also the part of the control arm that this pin goes thru to the outside edges is also 6.375 . So if these parts are the exact length the special washers would just be touching the ends of the control arm. Is this correct or should there be a little clearance there so it is not steel on steel contact?

Looking under a car yesterday, it looks like just enough clearance to not drag.

[Dan Case]

Originally Posted by MAStuart

Garlock G10DU washers.

Attachment 31718

My parts came in . I wasn't sure what to expect. These are made just like the bushing that go into the A arms. These are made of tin coated steel and on one side the have a special coating that includes PTFE. I was surprised to see it is coated on one side and has a hole for a pin to keep it from rotating. The dark side is the coated side.

My question is did original uprights have pins on the thrust surfaces for these washers ? Or are these G10DU different from what it should take?

No pins. The 1960s ones look a little different color wise, probably more environmentally friendly coatings these days I guess, but they work the same.

[MAStuart]

I want to thank everyone that post on this forum. One would think as popular as these car are anyone could find this info easily. But it is hard to come by info.

I got the pins made. When I get the lower arms done I will post pictures of them.

[MAStuart]

Well they are not all done yet but getting closer. When I made the sway bar brackets and bottom plates I made extras.

[MAStuart]

Forgot to ask anyone got a picture or a link to one that show the welding on the plates and sway bar bracket?

[MAStuart]

Well I couldn't find any good detail pictures of rear control arms to try to duplicate the welds. So I just went ahead and welded. These thing were a lot harder to make than they look. Tuff job keeping everything straight so the shafts move freely. I think they will look alright with a coat of paint on them.