LCA doesn't look right

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charliec

charliec

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I am installing my new bushings and pivot into the LCA's and putting them into the Kmember.
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Bushings and pivots went in ok, but when I put the assembly into the Kmember, it just doesn't look right. The passenger side looks great, but the driver side looks like it is not at the proper angle relative to the Kmember. It looks like it is slightly cocked toward the front. I know these are not precision machined components and are generally very sloppy, but I can't imagine that this is OK. The one on the passenger side is straight and true. The one on the driver side looks like its been beat to hell and seems twisted.
Am I screwed, or will all come into place once all the rest of the suspension parts are in place?
20180810_163109.jpg

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Difference between passenger side and driver side is noticable.
Passenger:
20180810_163153.jpg

Driver:
20180810_163143.jpg
 
charliec said:
I am installing my new bushings and pivot into the LCA's and putting them into the Kmember.
View attachment 1715209042
Bushings and pivots went in ok, but when I put the assembly into the Kmember, it just doesn't look right. The passenger side looks great, but the driver side looks like it is not at the proper angle relative to the Kmember. It looks like it is slightly cocked toward the front. I know these are not precision machined components and are generally very sloppy, but I can't imagine that this is OK. The one on the passenger side is straight and true. The one on the driver side looks like its been beat to hell and seems twisted.
Am I screwed, or will all come into place once all the rest of the suspension parts are in place?
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The A arm looks bent to me.
The strut rod will probably push it into semi place, but still.

20180810_163109.jpg
 
That's what I would say, put the strut rods in and see what you got.
 
It is hard to see if the LCA is bent or the k frame is bent. Can you/do you have a LCA pivot without the LCA attached and see how it points relative to the k frame?
 
Put it all together and measure from the spindle nut to axle flange on either side after you get it aligned.

This will tell you if it's bent, after your alignment guy tells you it's bent.
 
X measure the mounting holes on the K-frame and that will tell you if it's square then measure from the outer lower ball joint hole in the control arm to the forward k-frame mount hole on the same side. Do the same on the other side and compare measurements. The drivers side measurement would be short as the control arm is bent to the forward end of the car.
 
jos51700 said:
Put it all together and measure from the spindle nut to axle flange on either side after you get it aligned.

This will tell you if it's bent, after your alignment guy tells you it's bent.
Click to expand...
That measurement tells very little and is highly inaccurate. It assumes the rear end is square in the car and if the wheels are turned a couple of degrees or the toe is off the measurements are all over the map.
 
Take both of the LCA's out, and lay them side by side.
Look at them end to end.
You will easily find out if one of them is bent or not.
The most noticeable place for them to bend, is by the ball joint socket area, at the end of the arm.

How's your crossmember, where the shaft of the LCA goes through?
 
You might have a hell of a lot of "fun" getting the t bar in that thing...........
 
GeorgeH said:
That measurement tells very little and is highly inaccurate. It assumes the rear end is square in the car and if the wheels are turned a couple of degrees or the toe is off the measurements are all over the map.
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I think you missed the point....being that an alignment is an easy way to know if it's a problem that needs fixing, and there aren't many other ways to concretely measure it out. :D
 
jos51700 said:
I think you missed the point....being that an alignment is an easy way to know if it's a problem that needs fixing, and there aren't many other ways to concretely measure it out. :D
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No I didn't miss the point and I'll stand by my statement. My method and a tape measure, since he probably doesn't have a tram gauge, will confirm what he's already thinking. No need to put it all together and pay for an alignment then fix it.
 
GeorgeH said:
No I didn't miss the point and I'll stand by my statement. My method and a tape measure, since he probably doesn't have a tram gauge, will confirm what he's already thinking. No need to put it all together and pay for an alignment then fix it.
Click to expand...

and then take it apart again...
 
Thank you all for your replies. I will follow through with as many checks as I am able to do. I measured the bolt holes in the frame rails where the Kmember bolts in and measured the holes in the Kmember; they line up exactly, so I don't think there is a problem with the K being bent. I think that they will just confirm what I already know...the CA is a POS. I just wish I had noticed that before I put the new bushings in.
I do have a set of LCA's in the attic, but they are pre-72. Is it possible to remove the sway bar clip from the bad '72 CA and weld it onto the pre-72? Are they configured the same way otherwise?
 
charliec said:
I do have a set of LCA's in the attic, but they are pre-72. Is it possible to remove the sway bar clip from the bad '72 CA and weld it onto the pre-72? Are they configured the same way otherwise?
Click to expand...

YES. Search Jim Lusk, who is above, he has some videos if you are interested in "beefing" the LCA

Jim Lusk

 
charliec said:
Thank you all for your replies. I will follow through with as many checks as I am able to do. I measured the bolt holes in the frame rails where the Kmember bolts in and measured the holes in the Kmember; they line up exactly, so I don't think there is a problem with the K being bent. I think that they will just confirm what I already know...the CA is a POS. I just wish I had noticed that before I put the new bushings in.
I do have a set of LCA's in the attic, but they are pre-72. Is it possible to remove the sway bar clip from the bad '72 CA and weld it onto the pre-72? Are they configured the same way otherwise?
Click to expand...

The control arms are all the same other than the location of the sway bar tab, and moving the sway bar tab is pretty easy.

Make sure you check the pivot tube for the LCA, they have a nasty habit of breaking loose inside the K frame and could add to the LCA position not looking right.
 
charliec said:
Hmmmmm. Could you elaborate on the "pivot tube"?
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The tube in the K-frame that the LCA pivot goes through. Basically where you mount the LCA to the K. All that mount consists of is a tube that is spot welded to the inside of the K frame, and the spot welds can (and do) break, which usually leaves the pivot tube able to flop around on one end.
 
Well, if my earlier photos weren't convincing, take a look at these. I put my machinist's rule on the adjuster arm, and look where it's pointing. Big difference between the F*$#$#ed one and the un-F*%$#$#ed one.
20180811_144507.jpg
20180811_144541.jpg
 
GeorgeH said:
No I didn't miss the point and I'll stand by my statement. My method and a tape measure, since he probably doesn't have a tram gauge, will confirm what he's already thinking. No need to put it all together and pay for an alignment then fix it.
Click to expand...

Jim Lusk said:
and then take it apart again...
Click to expand...

And 75% of the cars on this site have LCA's that are no straighter, and those cars drive and align just fine.
 
jos51700 said:
And 75% of the cars on this site have LCA's that are no straighter, and those cars drive and align just fine.
Click to expand...

Oh really? Did you take a survey?

Let’s face it, you have absolutely no idea how straight 75% of the LCA’s are. Or any idea if the OP’s car will align ok. Because really, with stock parts there’s already barely enough adjustment to put a decent alignment on these cars to begin with. Let alone compensate for a bent LCA. And that’s even before we think about why the arm is bent or if there are other problems with it, they’re assembled arms with rivets, they can wear out.

He’s identified a problem, the car is apart, now is by far the best time to deal with it. Unless you really like wasting time and money, because that’s what’ll happen. He’ll reassemble the entire front end, pay for an alignment, get alignment results that are less than great (at best), and then have to pull everything apart again, fix the issue he already knew about, and pay for another alignment.
 
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