Need help with alignment and bolts holding in shims.

[funkytechmonkey]

I'm new so take it east on me.

I am trying to get this whole alignment thing fixed on my 68. I took it into a shop to have them allign it on their fancy machine but they said they were not able to allign it until I fixed the stud that hold on the upper a-arm shaft. They wanted $175 to fix it.

They were telling me that the shims just fell out as they started jacking it up and that the studs that go thru the shims and a-arm shafts are suppose to be a pressed in bolt. So they do not spin as you tighten down the stud nut, squeezing in the shims. Their problem is that the stud bolts just keep spinning and not tightening up. And they said they are not able to remove the bolt either. (not sure why)

Shouldnt this just be a simple fix of cutting out the old bolt and replacing it with a grade 8 bolt? or is that ghetto rigging it?

[KQQL IT]

Bolts work. Pressed studs are factory.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by funkytechmonkey

I'm new so take it east on me.

I am trying to get this whole alignment thing fixed on my 68. I took it into a shop to have them allign it on their fancy machine but they said they were not able to allign it until I fixed the stud that hold on the upper a-arm shaft. They wanted $175 to fix it.

They were telling me that the shims just fell out as they started jacking it up and that the studs that go thru the shims and a-arm shafts are suppose to be a pressed in bolt. So they do not spin as you tighten down the stud nut, squeezing in the shims. Their problem is that the stud bolts just keep spinning and not tightening up. And they said they are not able to remove the bolt either. (not sure why)

Shouldnt this just be a simple fix of cutting out the old bolt and replacing it with a grade 8 bolt? or is that ghetto rigging it?

The studs are accessible, it's just not an 'easy' job. The frame rail has access holes to allow removal/installation from the engine side. The motor mount towers hinder access as well as other stuff. Look inside the frame rail under your mm towers & you should be able to see the holes described.

[funkytechmonkey]

Ill have a look...I didnt notice anything like that before. But I wasnt looking from the back side.

Thanks,

[funkytechmonkey]

While I am down there working on this over the weekend I want to see about fixing the suspension squeek that is coming from my upper control arms. Is #6 and #7 what I need to fix that problem? I have tried wd40 and thats not helping.

[SCOTI]

Looks like 6 is the a-arm bushing & 7 is the grease seal. Have you greased the bushings (wd40 is not grease)? There should be grease fittings @ the end of each bushing to connect a grease gun to for servicing/lubing.

[funkytechmonkey]

I snapped a few pics of the shims and the upper a-arm shaft. Does that look like a butt load of shims to you? It looks like mine doesnt have the grease fittings like you are saying. Also... does anyone know what shocks these are? I tried searching that number on the side and got nothing.

[SCOTI]

Yes, that's a 'butt-load' of shims. You are also correct about the grease fitting not being there. That's because that upper a-arm in the pic is from a post 73 truck (rubber bushing in a shell).
Those shocks are for the trash. Don't bother replacing them w/the same thing. Get some decent shocks (mono-tube, HD gas shocks).

[funkytechmonkey]

Is the entire upper control ARM from the post 73... or just the shaft assembly? Can I replace the shaft assembly, like the one lmc has above (#5 in the pic)?

Yea I'm not to happy with these shocks. They looked nice and expensive with the coilovers but I really don't know anything about this stuff.

Is there a way to properly fix having that many shims? I believe the truck had a 5/7" drop.
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[lolife99]

The entire arm is 73-87.
Do the lower arms have the same type bushing on the end of the cross shafts?
I bet the entire crossmember has been swapped out for a 73-87 style.

Didn't you say you had a squeeking noise?
Is this area "metal-to-metal"?

[funkytechmonkey]

Here is a better pic of it. There is a gap there. The squeak sounds like it is coming from the rubber bushings. I have tried WD40 and that didnt help one bit. Also posted up a few other pics of the lowers... just took them a second ago (11.00pm here)

[SCOTI]

Definitely 73-87 a-arms upper & lower. When was the last time the ball joints were lubed?

[fastwillie 696969]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

Definitely 73-87 a-arms upper & lower. When was the last time the ball joints were lubed?

same year LOL j/k

[funkytechmonkey]

Originally Posted by fastwillie 696969

same year LOL j/k

Prob...lol.

I have no idea. I have this weekend off so I am going to try and get under it and grease everything and do a service on it. Tranny has a leak too so I am going to try and fix that as well.

So what can I do to keep from having all those shims? and just to make sure.. If I want to replace those old rubbers on that a arm saft assmbly I need to order the ones from LMC that are 73-87 right?

[lolife99]

Skip LMC.
THey have great catelogs with good pictures.
The quality of there parts can be "hit and miss".
There are better online places to buy your parts.
Better yet,... stop by your local auto parts store and buy your parts.
They should have this stuff in stock.
I like to use NAPA.

[lolife99]

While your under your truck,... measure the "width" of the front rotors.
There are two different 73-87 front ends.
1-1/4" wide rotors are on the HD version.
The Light Duty version has 1" wide rotors.
You NEED to know this when ordering front bearings, calipers, and rotors.
I assume your truck has drop spindles?

[funkytechmonkey]

Good info to know.... Thanks lolife

Are the shims something I should worry about? or is it normal?

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by funkytechmonkey

Good info to know.... Thanks lolife

Are the shims something I should worry about? or is it normal?

They're 'normal' when a truck is lowered using cut or dropped coils w/o dropped spindles. There shouldn't be that many otherwise (on the average truck).

[funkytechmonkey]

Originally Posted by lolife99

While your under your truck,... measure the "width" of the front rotors.
There are two different 73-87 front ends.
1-1/4" wide rotors are on the HD version.
The Light Duty version has 1" wide rotors.
You NEED to know this when ordering front bearings, calipers, and rotors.
I assume your truck has drop spindles?

I just measured then and they are 1 1/4" rotors.
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[Tx Firefighter]

If your truck has a 5 inch front drop like you say, you're gonna see a lot of shims to get the camber adjusted out right.

But, in this picture, I can see a lot of your problem



Your lower arm rubber bushings are beyond wasted. You need to replace them. Notice how the big washer under the nut isn't centered over the bushing. That's wear in the bushing. As long as your control arm bushings are that worn, you're not gonna get a decent alignment and the shims are a sure sign of that.

And, like Scot said, those shocks have to go. These trucks were bad about ripping the upper shock mounts out of the frame anyway. With coil overs, the extra load is definitely going to stress the mount even worse.

[funkytechmonkey]

Thank you for pointing that out. I'll see about replacing them. So far I've been told these shafts should have the grease fittings on the end...these don't. Do I need to track down and fund out what bushings I need or do you guys know where to get them? A link would be great!

I just got done replacing the front shocks. I put a set of kyb excel-g on there. Think those are fine for now?
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[funkytechmonkey]

BTW... thanks a lot for the responses on this. It's kinda nice to be in the garage working on my truck and get these answers.
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[lolife99]

Your 73-87 front suspension (that someone installed in your truck) has rubber cross shaft bushings.
The 1/2-ton 67-72 a-arms had grease fittings.
Two different a-arm set-ups.

You need "press in" 73-87 bushings.

[funkytechmonkey]

I had already ordered two new upper shaft assemblies for the 73-87 from lmc before you said to skip lmc. It looks as if theirs comes with the grease fittings. Did I order the wrong part? Should I just send them back when I get them?
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[Tx Firefighter]

Do yourself a favor in the future, buy your stuff at the local parts store. LMC blows for most things and even more for something you can buy at any parts store in America.

Your suspension is 73-87. You need to always buy parts for 73-87. 73-87 do not use greasable bushings on the control arms, 72 and earlier did. The parts are not interchangeable. The only bushings that will fit your control arms are 73-87 spec.