78 A-arm shims

[crazyhorse]

Ducked a bullet last Sunday...was on vette run and heard something metallic hit passenger footwell,exhaust. Stopped to check...found nothing...so finished run (150 miles round trip).Monday,went out for closer look. Out of 4 shims,one was still hanging on upper A-arm rear bolt....two were laying on the frame...and fourth one was gone..
I had put new bushings in last year and must have forgot to torque that last bolt...
Went to True Line alignment shop yesterday and they did 4 wheel alignment(replaced shims,etc) for $42.50...

Also had them check tolerance spec on my original ball joints...lower left out of spec:.060" and lower right .055"...must decide to use either Spicer or Moog...(next project)

Click thumbnail..



You can just see out last shim hanging loose...


Rich

 

[big2bird]

Also had them check tolerance spec on my original ball joints...lower left out of spec:.060" and lower right .055"...must decide to use either Spicer or Moog...(next project)

Moog is the best, and not that spendy. Available at Rock Auto about the cheapest.

 

[crazyhorse]

Moog is the best, and not that spendy. Available at Rock Auto about the cheapest.

Moog is my first choice...(been spending alot of time researching this issue)...so far guys in the know have told me MOOG or SPICER...both of which used by Nascar...I can get Moog thru a local shop...

The originals sure have survived alot of pounding...:wink:

Rich

 

[BRUTAL64]

Moog is my first choice...(been spending alot of time researching this issue)...so far guys in the know have told me MOOG or SPICER...both of which used by Nascar...I can get Moog thru a local shop...

The originals sure have survived alot of pounding...:wink:

Rich

I changed out the ball joints 25+ years ago--I used Moog. Still in the car. Rubber boots are bad.:thumbs:

 

[TimAT]

I changed out the ball joints 25+ years ago--I used Moog. Still in the car. Rubber boots are bad.:thumbs:

Kalifornia smog. Ate your boots. I've got a set of red poly boots I can send you. They won't really fit my MOOG joints.

I had a guy tell me that DELCO joints were pretty good too. Never seen one, or found anyone that sells them. I have a friend in KC that's the Wagner Brake/MOOG distributor- got all the stuff from him. And it's the real stuff. No reboxed parts.

I'd think that .060 wear after XX years ain't bad. Probably good for another XX year trip.

 

[BRUTAL64]

Kalifornia smog. Ate your boots. I've got a set of red poly boots I can send you. They won't really fit my MOOG joints.

I had a guy tell me that DELCO joints were pretty good too. Never seen one, or found anyone that sells them. I have a friend in KC that's the Wagner Brake/MOOG distributor- got all the stuff from him. And it's the real stuff. No reboxed parts.

I'd think that .060 wear after XX years ain't bad. Probably good for another XX year trip.

Thanks, but was able to to fix with Silicone and Elec tape (10 years ago).:smash:

 

[Twin_Turbo]

I had those red poly boots. They tore before I even had weight on the car. IMO they're junk! They didn't fit my moog joints and I had just hand tightened the castlenut. No weight on the suspension at all. Couple of weeks later, saw one was torn. Checked the other side, sure enough...that one too. the poly is just too stiff. They were prothane brand (and I haven't had any luck with any of their stuff, the control arm bushings all have sleeves that are too large for the cross shafts)

 

[TimAT]

Shhhh! I wasn't going to tell Glenn--I didn't use the Energy Suspension boots on the lower joints, they fit like a saddle on a pig. I was hoping he'd ask and I could have sent them to him.:sweat:

 

[big2bird]

Ducked a bullet last Sunday...was on vette run and heard something metallic hit passenger footwell,exhaust. Stopped to check...found nothing...so finished run (150 miles round trip).Monday,went out for closer look. Out of 4 shims,one was still hanging on upper A-arm rear bolt....two were laying on the frame...and fourth one was gone..
I had put new bushings in last year and must have forgot to torque that last bolt...
Went to True Line alignment shop yesterday and they did 4 wheel alignment(replaced shims,etc) for $42.50...

Also had them check tolerance spec on my original ball joints...lower left out of spec:.060" and lower right .055"...must decide to use either Spicer or Moog...(next project)

Click thumbnail..



You can just see out last shim hanging loose...


Rich

Wierd thing is, John had this same thing happen 2 weeks ago.:bonkers:
One shim pack fell off in his garage.:blush:

 

[mrvette]

Never pass NCRS, but who cares?? I put a dap of RTV black on my alignment shims, to stick them to the car when/if the bolt loosens up....tired of loosing shims....

God, Im lazy....

:3rd::clobbered:

 

[Twin_Turbo]

I had that happen on my car once, (yes, about a century ago when it was still running), luckily for me it happened close to my house on a bumpy road. It was on a quiet day so i could just coast to the side and search for the shims. The ones with the tabs on the top end can easily be drilled for a retainer wire so you don't loose them.

 

[crazyhorse]

The ones with the tabs on the top end can easily be drilled for a retainer wire so you don't loose them.

Good idea....we loctited bolts this time...both sides....first time in 29 years throwing shims...just good thing front ones stayed in...otherwise,might be posting in "parts for sale"....

 

[Twin_Turbo]

Oh, I also use lock washers behind the bolts, those locking nuts...well...over time they don't lock so well anymore

 

[easyasone2three]

Wierd thing is, John had this same thing happen 2 weeks ago.:bonkers:
One shim pack fell off in his garage.:blush:

Yep, was changing motor mounts and found a shim laying on the crossmember. Started checking and all the nuts were loose. Only lost one shim and the tire shop down the street had the right size to get me by for now.