Tag Archives: “A” Arms

Front Hub Assemblies Installed

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We had previously built-up the front hub assemblies including the “A” arms, stub axles, king pins, bearings, hubs, rotors, calipers and etc. This process is covered in “Front Hub Assemblies and Brakes” https://valvechatter.com/?p=13792

The “Front hub Assemblies and Brakes” post also includes a video depicting the process.

“Rebuilt Front Suspension Installed in the Car” https://valvechatter.com/?p=13828 is another post made earlier in the restoration process that is helpful to review before installing the front hub assemblies.

Installing these components can be approached two ways. One can assemble everything on the bench and then mount the entire assembly to the chassis as we did. Alternatively, one can mount the “A” arm and the shock absorber to the chassis and then build-out the assembly on the car. This method is the one explained in the owner’s manual.

Choosing the approach we did certainly made it easier to put the various pieces together, but you end up with a pretty heavy unit that can be a bit of a struggle to mount to the chassis. Resting everything on a floor jack helps, but it is still difficult to get the holes and lower fulcrum pins lined up perfectly. At any rate the job is done.

The two plates below show the various parts that are used to comprise the assemblies. Note that the lower fulcrum pins are inserted from the inside of the chassis cavity with the special washers toward the front and rear of the car. The second plate shows the earlier drum brakes while we are using later front disc brakes.

Front Suspension Components

Front Suspension Components 2

 

Bugeye Restoration Video Episode Seventy-two shows the process of installing the completed front hub assembly to the chassis. https://vimeo.com/981964234/b1aa7a5a24?share=copy

0:00 – Front suspension hub assembly

1:07 – Installing rubber rebound buffers

1:35 – Cleaning paint from chassis mounting area to “A” arms

2:09 – Poly lubricant on fulcrum pins and bushings

2:44 – Moving the hub assembly into position

3:11 – Fulcrum pins and special washers installed

4:26 – Wood spacer blocks installed

4:56 – Upper fulcrum pin locking bolt into shock

5:50 – Coil spring installation

6:30 – Coil spring installation tool

6:54 – Compressing the coil spring

 

The split pin on the upper fulcrum pin was then installed. All bolts and nuts were checked for tightness with the exception of the lower fulcrum pins and nuts to be tightened when the car is on the ground. A little paint touch up on a few scratches completed the process.

Chapter 9 – Disassembly

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Steering Column Sealing Plate – Removed four sheet metal screws securing each of two sealing plates through which the steering column passes. Note the felt “gaskets” on the inside face of the plates.

Front Suspension and Steering  

The disassembly of the front suspension and steering assembly was a messy job. Lots of grease and grime built up over the years. I first jacked up the car. Disconnected the cross tube and side rods from the steering levers. The cross tube was 5/16” from the side to the nuts. Released cotter pins and took lever arms off. Used a fork and hammer to free the ball joints from the side rods at the inner and outer connections. Pulled the rods off.

Stub Axle Carrier, King Pin, Caliper, Dust Shield

Cross Tube, Ball Joint, Steering lever and Side Rod

RH Steering Lever

Stub Axle Carrier, King pin, Dust Shield

Cross Tube and Side rods

LH Steering Lever

Cross Tube Ball Joints –  were removed by repeating the same action as above. Unscrewed the mounting bolts from the steering box. This requires removing the 7/16” bolt that secures the left brake flexible fluid hose. 

Steering box – After removing the mounting bolts, the box and rod can be pulled out through the front of the car.

Steering Box in Place

Steering Box Oil Filler Cap

Steering Box Side View

Steering Box Mounting Position

Steering Idler –  Unscrewed three bolts to the mounting bracket and lifted the idler away.

Steering Idler

Steering Idler 2

Aluminum Spacer Block Mount

Aluminum Bracket Spacers – for steering box and steering idler were removed. They appeared to be interchangeable.

Removing Aluminum Spacer Block

Aluminum Spacer Block

Front Suspension Coil Springs – Removed two bolts and nuts at a diagonal. Nuts on top and bolt heads under bottom spring bracket plate. (this is opposite the picture in the manual so we need to check other cars before reinstalling) Inserted two threaded rods with nuts into those holes. Then removed the other two mounting bolts and nuts. Finally, gradually relieved pressure on the threaded rods until spring tension was removed. The left spring was broken on the bottom coil.

Coil Spring and “A” Arm with spring pan removed

Spring Pan

Anti-Sway Bar Bracket

Tub on Stands

Front Suspension Arms, Brake Rotors and etc.  – It was difficult to remove the arm bushings. They required extensive “torching” for heat and hammering, but all eventually released. Then removed the fulcrum pin securing the shock absorber arms and the four bolts to the shock towers on the frame. One hole on the right tower had been stripped and broken. Each shock had the remains of rubber rebound buffers on the towers. Once the shock was removed this permitted the removal of the left and right king pins and assembled units.

Front Shock Perch

Bent “A” Arm Bracket

Radiator 

Radiator Brackets were removed from the frame. Two 1/2” bolts for each bracket. We will be replacing the original radiator with an aluminum unit from Cape International.

Radiator Lower Mount

Radiator Mount Bracket

Radiator Brackets Removed