I am Idiot, Hear me Roar.

[davepl]

Sigh. This is the kind of mistake I should probably take to the grave with me, but I'll share it in case it makes someone feel better the next time they make a really stupid mistake that costs them a lot of time.

Check out the photo of my nice, newly assembled front suspension (driver's side). Looks great, right? All nice and powder coated, all new wear items right down to new lug studs.

Only one small problem. The lower control arm is on the wrong side of the vehicle.

I didn't notice until I went to connect the shock, and found the shock mount at the front rather than the rear.

[big mike71]

You're like me, I always tell on myself when I screw up. Your frame looks really good.

[suspect]

you shouldn't be so hard on yourself. if that's the biggest mistake you make on your build, then your doing just fine.

[VA72C10]

Good news is it's nice and clean and easy to get apart

I almost did the same thing on my 70 when reassembling it...just noticed the shock mounts as I was getting ready to put the u-bolts on...

[SS Tim]

Better??? :-)

[Palf70Step]

Yeah....that'll work

[Chvy2NV]

Looks great man. You'll be just fine. It's part of the process to make mistakes. At least it shouldn't cost you much.
Posted via Mobile Device

[pritch]

You have another issue. I have always heard that the nuts have to be up on the upper ball joints. I know it looks much better nuts down. That was the first way I had mine, and was scolded on this very board. Maybe someone will chip in with a reason, I assume it's so the ends of the bolts don't tear up the rubber cover.

Other than that, looking fantastic!

[special-K]

Heck,I was hoping you did something as stupid as me.

[jocko]

Originally Posted by pritch

You have another issue. I have always heard that the nuts have to be up on the upper ball joints. I know it looks much better nuts down. That was the first way I had mine, and was scolded on this very board. Maybe someone will chip in with a reason, I assume it's so the ends of the bolts don't tear up the rubber cover.

Other than that, looking fantastic!

Interesting - I did not know that - but now that you mention it, I have normally seen it nuts up. Could the reason be that the bolt heads are significantly shallower than the nuts (and maybe slightly protruding bolt?) and that nuts down could interfere with the spindle? I don't know - just guessing, I'm interested to hear a definitive answer.

[towbar]

the best part about this mistake is that you can correct it.....and it your bank account wont reflect the mistake!!

maybe I've been doing it wrong all these years....I always put my ball joints in nut side down too.....much cleaner looking, but never had an issue either.

[AustinScott]

Originally Posted by jocko

Interesting - I did not know that - but now that you mention it, I have normally seen it nuts up. Could the reason be that the bolt heads are significantly shallower than the nuts (and maybe slightly protruding bolt?) and that nuts down could interfere with the spindle? I don't know - just guessing, I'm interested to hear a definitive answer.

As far as I know, the reason for putting the nuts on top is so they won't rub on the ball-joint dust cover and create a hole/tear it in.

I had to redo ours after my son put ours together the " easy way " nuts down and only after getting it all back together we noticed the mistake.
Also, another thing we found out the hard way is when rebuilding the lower control arms, having the shaft centered caused our new drop springs to rub in the cup. We Had to offset the shaft by one complete rotation.
Posted via Mobile Device

[jhaymon]

yeah it should always nuts up. it's not the first and wont be the last ive seen nuts down. if its a matter of looks, just grind the the excess off and hit it with some black nail polish.

i've done that countless times. i normally dont notice till im trying to put the outer control arms on.when you've had everything in a box for a few months and start reassembly, sometime you dont question the things that fit. i do it all the time with fuel filters too. they have arrows on them so it really makes you go duhhh.

[68shortstep]

Voice of experience from an old gray-haired guy: there's good mistakes, and bad mistakes.

Just remember that the good kind are the ones that don't somehow involve a doctor, a cop, or an attorney............

The good ones are just a "learning experience."

[pumpkin]

Its not a mistake unless it leaves the shop that way.

[wilbilt]

Are they 2-hole shafts, or did you swap the saddles around in order to install it on the wrong side?

[sir_talk_alot]

that gave me a good chuckle. if i did that on my truck i would just walk away, until i have the money to strip everything apart and use a chainsaw to cut all the grease and mud off im just gonna have to deal with it.

[Rusbuilt]

Don't feel to bad, I almost set myself on fire last night! I took my rear breaks apart and cleaned the backing plate and everything with break cleaner. I had a box placed under it to catch all the crud. Well I stepped away from that for a second to grind off the the upper shock mount and boom!! Instant fire!! Lost a few leg hairs and hurt my pride a little. I should have known better. Luckily it was only a box.

[faribran]

68 shortstep has the RIGHT IDEA

[davepl]

Originally Posted by wilbilt

Are they 2-hole shafts, or did you swap the saddles around in order to install it on the wrong side?

Bottom shafts don't have holes (at least on the 3/4 ton), they're held in by U-bolts.

Good catch on the ball joint bolts. They don't -seem- to interfere with the ball joint dust boot but I'll reverse it just to be sure.

[wilbilt]

Originally Posted by davepl

Bottom shafts don't have holes (at least on the 3/4 ton), they're held in by U-bolts.

There should be a shallow hole on the side of the shaft that fits over a locating pin in one of the U-bolt saddles. It prevents the shaft from moving fore-aft under the U-bolts.

Usually the pin is in the front saddle on each side. Some shafts have 2 holes, so they can be installed either way in the control arm.

[davepl]

Originally Posted by wilbilt

There should be a shallow hole on the side of the shaft that fits over a locating pin in one of the U-bolt saddles. It prevents the shaft from moving fore-aft under the U-bolts.

Usually the pin is in the front saddle on each side. Some shafts have 2 holes, so they can be installed either way in the control arm.

I put the driver's shaft in the passenger side control arm, so I'll have to swap the shaft out (because the locating notch you mention would be in the wrong place).

Not a big deal by any stretch, I just hate messing with the springs. With no weight on the frame, you need to use a spring compressor and it spooks me. Or at least to force the wrong control arm on, you need to compress the spring :-)

[brianthelion02]

10-4 on that one!!

Originally Posted by 68shortstep

Voice of experience from an old gray-haired guy: there's good mistakes, and bad mistakes.

Just remember that the good kind are the ones that don't somehow involve a doctor, a cop, or an attorney............

The good ones are just a "learning experience."

[hayhauler71]

Originally Posted by jocko

Interesting - I did not know that - but now that you mention it, I have normally seen it nuts up. Could the reason be that the bolt heads are significantly shallower than the nuts (and maybe slightly protruding bolt?) and that nuts down could interfere with the spindle? I don't know - just guessing, I'm interested to hear a definitive answer.

the studs of the bolts can interfere with the steering knuckle when the suspension works this is a safety issue on some model cars you van not even turn the wheel
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[jaros44sr]

What are those round tubes for inside the brake rotor?