Hit a snag on the re-assebly...help/opinion - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

**1971Stepside** · 10-09-2002, 03:10 PM

I knew everything was going too good. Last night I was putting my new lower control (A-Arms) together with the new shafts and I noticed my drivers side a arm was bent! The new shaft would not go in because the hole was pushed in. Ughh! Fresh powder coat and new ball joint and what to do. Well, I took it to a machine shop and they were able to bend it back to about 90% (the actually overcorrected it slightly) and I didn't loose any powder coating expcept for a couple small scratches on the underneath side.

Anyway, as I put the shaft in the threads are boogered up on the arm and the cap goes on, but it isn't perfect. Should I worry about this ever coming off? It is tight, but those threads are very wimpy to begin with.

If I do go with a new A-Arm I can get one off a 68. Will that lower a-arm be the same as the one on my 71???

**1971Stepside** · 10-09-2002, 03:12 PM

Here is a pic of the a-arm, but it doesn't help you much.. It actually fits together real nice, I am just concerned about the cap working its way loose later because of the threads being bad.

crazy longhorn · 10-09-2002, 03:38 PM

If in doubt, i would replace the arm.....you havea lot of time &cash involved at this point. the 68 arm will fit........but the steering stop is different. you could modify it before sending it out for powdercoat, or look for a 71-72 arm. good luck.....Longhorn

jmil1974 · 10-09-2002, 03:47 PM

I really can't imagine that thing EVER coming off but with the caliber of job you're doing, it's be a lot easier to redo it properly now than after it's back together. My $.02
Good luck,
Jason

**1971Stepside** · 10-09-2002, 03:49 PM

I agree. I will most likely replace it. I just hope I can find one for next to nothing. Sounds like I need to find one from a 71 or 72. Hmmm.

Just got off the phone with a guy and he thinks he may have one for around $20. He will let me know in the morning. Now I just have to pay for that powder coating minimum of $75 or come up with some other things to have coated.

Thanks for confirming my feelings on this one.

rustfree · 10-09-2002, 04:15 PM

A small tack weld will take care of the 'coming apart' worry and will save you some bucks too.
Some rebuilders do this as a matter of course.

**COBALT** · 10-09-2002, 04:16 PM

Well, I just got mine together and bolted on. The two things I noticed about my control arms where, first, that the metal bushing (cap)-and-control arm threads are VERY robust. I had one control arm center bar that had managed to "egg" out one of the caps. There wasn't even any threads inside the cap any more. When I got the cap loose from the control arm the cap just fell off the shaft. It was full of rusted paste where the shaft/cap had been destroying each other. NO damage to the control arm at all. The threads were perfect.

Second, putting them back together wasn't too hard, but torquing them was. Those bastards are a tight fit onto the control arms. I can't see any way the cap would come loose, and yet the center bar could remain stable. The threads inside the cap are way weaker. Those caps are literally embedded into the control arm once you've torqued them down. I'd worry about the fatigue damage to the steel on the control arm more than the threads.

As long as you can thread the cap onto the center bar, keep that bar centered, and torque the caps down to (you're 1/2 ton?) 85 ft/lbs (3/4 ton is 90-100) then you're a-ok.

If you're worried about it, then you should be able to get a replacement pretty easy. Those look EXACTLY like the ones on my '69, so I doubt you're stuck finding a '71 or '72. At least '68 and up will work. Of course then your only worry is NOT the control arm forks, but also how tight your lower ball joint presses into it. My driver's side just recieved the last press it will take. Next time too much material will be missing, and I'll either have to use a thin sleeve, or go with a new control arm. Guess which option I'll take? hehe

Good luck.

**1971Stepside** · 10-09-2002, 04:27 PM

I just got off the phone with the powder coating shop and they won't waive the $75 minimum fee for me. So, this deal will end up costing me a $100 before it is all said and done. Man, I just hate it because I should have noticed it from the beginning.

What size socket do those nuts take anyway? I need to get one to torque it properly.

Thanks guys.

Stepside · 10-09-2002, 05:44 PM

I brought my 1 1/2-1 5/8 wrench from work when I did mine. It's been a while, but I believe 1 1/2

crazy longhorn · 10-09-2002, 05:53 PM

I 3/8 top, & 1 5/8 bottom is what i have.....just slipped a couple sockets on. The 67-70 arms do also differ in the steering stops,as compaired to the 71-72. some of us have learned this the hard way! As i stated , the arms will interchang.....with the exceptionthe steer stop(the turn radius will be shortened ). good luck.......longhorn

>X< · 10-09-2002, 05:55 PM

hey 71stepside, if your still looking for some other stuff to powdercoat i can send you my frame and suspension

**1971Stepside** · 10-09-2002, 06:05 PM

Ha! I knew that was coming from someone. I wish I could do that for ya.

I guess I will have the radiator support done at the same time.

Damn, I hate sandblasting! Now, I have to go get dirty again.

10-09-2002, 03:10 PM	#1
1971Stepside Almost Satisfied Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Springfield, MO Posts: 2,932	Hit a snag on the re-assebly...help/opinion I knew everything was going too good. Last night I was putting my new lower control (A-Arms) together with the new shafts and I noticed my drivers side a arm was bent! The new shaft would not go in because the hole was pushed in. Ughh! Fresh powder coat and new ball joint and what to do. Well, I took it to a machine shop and they were able to bend it back to about 90% (the actually overcorrected it slightly) and I didn't loose any powder coating expcept for a couple small scratches on the underneath side. Anyway, as I put the shaft in the threads are boogered up on the arm and the cap goes on, but it isn't perfect. Should I worry about this ever coming off? It is tight, but those threads are very wimpy to begin with. If I do go with a new A-Arm I can get one off a 68. Will that lower a-arm be the same as the one on my 71??? __________________ 1971 C10 Stepside. LSx 6.0 with BTR Stage IV, Speed Engineering Headers, 4L80e transmission w/3200 Circle-D Stall. 3.73. Posi. Purchased this truck when I was 17. I started the rebuild (or take apart) in 1993. I have drug it around all over the country in pieces. Finally back on the road in 2021. "I can't complain, but sometimes I still do. Life's been good to me so far."

10-09-2002, 03:12 PM	#2
1971Stepside Almost Satisfied Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Springfield, MO Posts: 2,932	Here is a pic of the a-arm, but it doesn't help you much.. It actually fits together real nice, I am just concerned about the cap working its way loose later because of the threads being bad. Attached Images __________________ 1971 C10 Stepside. LSx 6.0 with BTR Stage IV, Speed Engineering Headers, 4L80e transmission w/3200 Circle-D Stall. 3.73. Posi. Purchased this truck when I was 17. I started the rebuild (or take apart) in 1993. I have drug it around all over the country in pieces. Finally back on the road in 2021. "I can't complain, but sometimes I still do. Life's been good to me so far."

10-09-2002, 03:47 PM	#4
jmil1974 Ain't we cute? Join Date: May 2002 Location: Friendswood, TX Posts: 700	I really can't imagine that thing EVER coming off but with the caliber of job you're doing, it's be a lot easier to redo it properly now than after it's back together. My $.02 Good luck, Jason __________________ 69 C10 2WD LWB Fleet 350/350 power front disc conversion (6 lug disc kit from gmcpauls) and new engine, PS, A/C, fresh fluids, SHE DRIVES! FOR SALE $3900

10-09-2002, 03:49 PM	#5
1971Stepside Almost Satisfied Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Springfield, MO Posts: 2,932	I agree. I will most likely replace it. I just hope I can find one for next to nothing. Sounds like I need to find one from a 71 or 72. Hmmm. Just got off the phone with a guy and he thinks he may have one for around $20. He will let me know in the morning. Now I just have to pay for that powder coating minimum of $75 or come up with some other things to have coated. Thanks for confirming my feelings on this one. __________________ 1971 C10 Stepside. LSx 6.0 with BTR Stage IV, Speed Engineering Headers, 4L80e transmission w/3200 Circle-D Stall. 3.73. Posi. Purchased this truck when I was 17. I started the rebuild (or take apart) in 1993. I have drug it around all over the country in pieces. Finally back on the road in 2021. "I can't complain, but sometimes I still do. Life's been good to me so far." Last edited by 1971Stepside; 10-09-2002 at 04:01 PM.

10-09-2002, 04:15 PM	#6
rustfree Registered User Join Date: May 2001 Location: Warren, OR , USA Posts: 166	A small tack weld will take care of the 'coming apart' worry and will save you some bucks too. Some rebuilders do this as a matter of course. __________________ 72 swb cheyenne super 350/350 69 cst20 BB longhorn Warren, OR

10-09-2002, 03:38 PM	#3
crazy longhorn Fabricate till you "puke" Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Ill Posts: 9,403	If in doubt, i would replace the arm.....you havea lot of time &cash involved at this point. the 68 arm will fit........but the steering stop is different. you could modify it before sending it out for powdercoat, or look for a 71-72 arm. good luck.....Longhorn

10-09-2002, 04:16 PM	#7
COBALT Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Seattle, WA, USA Posts: 5,817	Well, I just got mine together and bolted on. The two things I noticed about my control arms where, first, that the metal bushing (cap)-and-control arm threads are VERY robust. I had one control arm center bar that had managed to "egg" out one of the caps. There wasn't even any threads inside the cap any more. When I got the cap loose from the control arm the cap just fell off the shaft. It was full of rusted paste where the shaft/cap had been destroying each other. NO damage to the control arm at all. The threads were perfect. Second, putting them back together wasn't too hard, but torquing them was. Those bastards are a tight fit onto the control arms. I can't see any way the cap would come loose, and yet the center bar could remain stable. The threads inside the cap are way weaker. Those caps are literally embedded into the control arm once you've torqued them down. I'd worry about the fatigue damage to the steel on the control arm more than the threads. As long as you can thread the cap onto the center bar, keep that bar centered, and torque the caps down to (you're 1/2 ton?) 85 ft/lbs (3/4 ton is 90-100) then you're a-ok. If you're worried about it, then you should be able to get a replacement pretty easy. Those look EXACTLY like the ones on my '69, so I doubt you're stuck finding a '71 or '72. At least '68 and up will work. Of course then your only worry is NOT the control arm forks, but also how tight your lower ball joint presses into it. My driver's side just recieved the last press it will take. Next time too much material will be missing, and I'll either have to use a thin sleeve, or go with a new control arm. Guess which option I'll take? hehe Good luck. __________________ '69 3/4 ton C20 2wd-350ci/TH400 '69 3/4 ton Custom 20 2wd-350ci/4sp Manual '99 2wd 5.7 Chevy Tahoe Seattle, WA.

10-09-2002, 04:27 PM	#8
1971Stepside Almost Satisfied Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Springfield, MO Posts: 2,932	I just got off the phone with the powder coating shop and they won't waive the $75 minimum fee for me. So, this deal will end up costing me a $100 before it is all said and done. Man, I just hate it because I should have noticed it from the beginning. What size socket do those nuts take anyway? I need to get one to torque it properly. Thanks guys. __________________ 1971 C10 Stepside. LSx 6.0 with BTR Stage IV, Speed Engineering Headers, 4L80e transmission w/3200 Circle-D Stall. 3.73. Posi. Purchased this truck when I was 17. I started the rebuild (or take apart) in 1993. I have drug it around all over the country in pieces. Finally back on the road in 2021. "I can't complain, but sometimes I still do. Life's been good to me so far."

10-09-2002, 05:44 PM	#9
Stepside Gasser Join Date: May 2000 Location: Thomasville,NC USA Posts: 456	I brought my 1 1/2-1 5/8 wrench from work when I did mine. It's been a while, but I believe 1 1/2 __________________ :thud 70 sstep tubbed, Muncie, double hump, snowflake,

10-09-2002, 05:53 PM	#10
crazy longhorn Fabricate till you "puke" Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Ill Posts: 9,403	I 3/8 top, & 1 5/8 bottom is what i have.....just slipped a couple sockets on. The 67-70 arms do also differ in the steering stops,as compaired to the 71-72. some of us have learned this the hard way! As i stated , the arms will interchang.....with the exceptionthe steer stop(the turn radius will be shortened ). good luck.......longhorn

10-09-2002, 05:55 PM	#11
>X< registered IWATA user Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Baton Rouge Posts: 4,483	hey 71stepside, if your still looking for some other stuff to powdercoat i can send you my frame and suspension __________________ -'63 Ford Fairlane 500 coupe, v8, auto, faded and rusty. awaiting built roller 302 and some flat black -'99 Honda Prelude. vtech/5spd. no pipe, no intake, bone stock. awaiting new top end. -01 GMC Yukon SLT 5.3 dented and scratched with a noisy tranny. Take off that Von Dutch hat before i stab you with a 000 Mack.

10-09-2002, 06:05 PM	#12
1971Stepside Almost Satisfied Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Springfield, MO Posts: 2,932	Ha! I knew that was coming from someone. I wish I could do that for ya. I guess I will have the radiator support done at the same time. Damn, I hate sandblasting! Now, I have to go get dirty again. __________________ 1971 C10 Stepside. LSx 6.0 with BTR Stage IV, Speed Engineering Headers, 4L80e transmission w/3200 Circle-D Stall. 3.73. Posi. Purchased this truck when I was 17. I started the rebuild (or take apart) in 1993. I have drug it around all over the country in pieces. Finally back on the road in 2021. "I can't complain, but sometimes I still do. Life's been good to me so far."



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