Odd Suspension Issues

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PanzerschreckLeopard said:
To be honest I wouldn't be surprised if *I* had done that during the disc brake conversion in January, cause until now I didn't know it wasn't anchored into the part it's pushing on. I kinda just loosened it until I could lift the arm up and down, so it likely shifted then. So, I've removed thew bolt, and yes it was out of the "cup," and I'm near certain that's what happened. I put it in correct place and then made sure both sides had the same amount of turns. It didn't pop back out on the way home, so do you guys think it's safe to go ahead and get it realigned?

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With the amount of damage on that adjuster I wouldn't run it like that. The bolt carved a groove into the adjuster! Minimum it should be welded up so the adjuster bolt doesn't pop out. Not to mention the adjuster bolt has been getting mashed the whole time.

Bottom line is, the lever and adjusting bolt are damaged. That lever carries significant load. It needs to be fixed or replaced. I'd replace that adjuster bolt and threaded plate. And that doesn't even address that you've been bottoming out the suspension on that side for at least months, which can damage other suspension parts, bushings, etc.

Sorry, but in my opinion you still need to pull the suspension apart and inspect everything. And if your other bushings are as old and trashed as your bump stops, they need to be replaced anyway.
 
72bluNblu said:
With the amount of damage on that adjuster I wouldn't run it like that. The bolt carved a groove into the adjuster! Minimum it should be welded up so the adjuster bolt doesn't pop out. Not to mention the adjuster bolt has been getting mashed the whole time.

Bottom line is, the lever and adjusting bolt are damaged. That lever carries significant load. It needs to be fixed or replaced. I'd replace that adjuster bolt and threaded plate. And that doesn't even address that you've been bottoming out the suspension on that side for at least months, which can damage other suspension parts, bushings, etc.

Sorry, but in my opinion you still need to pull the suspension apart and inspect everything. And if your other bushings are as old and trashed as your bump stops, they need to be replaced anyway.
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What's the name of this lever? All I can find are control arms and ball joints. Or is it totally integrated?
 
I'll see if one of the guys at work might be able to weld it, and Saturday I'll take it to have the suspension inspected.
 
I just call it a torsion bar adjusting lever. But it's not something you can just replace. I mean, I suppose you could but you'd have to disassemble the lower control arm and then there would have to be replacement parts, and there aren't. You'd have to find another control arm, and if you do that you should just use that one.

The overall strength of the lever isn't really an issue with that damage. But the cup that the bolt rides in being damaged could cause the bolt to pop out, or slip, or even fail. Weld up the gouge, make sure the cup is the right shape and smooth and it should be ok. And I'd replace that adjusting bolt and block.
 
In my view, That second divot in the finger was created as the bolt was turned with a wrench with vehicle weight on it. A ball end in a ball cup has much more surface area and a dab of grease, preventing this. No turning or additional wearing happens while driving, so the original proper cup doesn't grow larger. And weren't not supposed to adjust while vehicle weight loaded. I'm kinda surprised that you haven't already stripped threads. Aftermarket has new bolts and nut blocks because this happens.
Welding would only fill the extra lil divot at best. It could make this piece of forged iron more brittle. I would inspect the threads but if all is good just put it back together correctly and set the right height correctly, i.e. lift, adjust, lower, jounce, measure, repeat.
p.s. A single separate lower arm with that sway bar attach tab on it would be difficult to find ( like those forward bar mounts ). Any A-body lower arm would work, You would cut, move, and weld your tab on it.
 
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RedFish said:
In my view, That second divot in the finger was created as the bolt was turned with a wrench with vehicle weight on it. A ball end in a ball cup has much more surface area and a dab of grease, preventing this. No turning or additional wearing happens while driving, so the original proper cup doesn't grow larger. And weren't not supposed to adjust while vehicle weight loaded. I'm kinda surprised that you haven't already stripped threads. Aftermarket has new bolts and nut blocks because this happens.
Welding would only fill the extra lil divot at best. It could make this piece of forged iron more brittle. I would inspect the threads but if all is good just put it back together correctly and set the right height correctly, i.e. lift, adjust, lower, jounce, measure, repeat.
p.s. A single separate lower arm with that sway bar attach tab on it would be difficult to find ( like those forward bar mounts ). Any A-body lower arm would work, You would cut, move, and weld your tab on it.
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I see. The threads of both the bolt and the plate didn't seem damaged, everything turned easily.
 
So, a couple of turns on the adjuster bolt caused the smooth round end of the bolt to carve out that divot in the lever? Really?

Those super bright shiny threads in the adjuster block are good? Yeah, that totally explains why half of them are rusty and the other half a shiny, because they're all good. Ok.

Getting pretty obvious you're not planning on really addressing any of this, just looking for excuses to leave it as is. Just listen to redfish, shadetree the crap out of it, and drive it until something fails. I mean, you've already been driving it with the suspension totally bottomed out and misassembled for ten months, so it'll be fine. Good luck.
 
72bluNblu said:
So, a couple of turns on the adjuster bolt caused the smooth round end of the bolt to carve out that divot in the lever? Really?

Those super bright shiny threads in the adjuster block are good? Yeah, that totally explains why half of them are rusty and the other half a shiny, because they're all good. Ok.

Getting pretty obvious you're not planning on really addressing any of this, just looking for excuses to leave it as is. Just listen to redfish, shadetree the crap out of it, and drive it until something fails. I mean, you've already been driving it with the suspension totally bottomed out and misassembled for ten months, so it'll be fine. Good luck.
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When I said "looked good" I meant the little plate it threads into, not the lever, I'm going to try and fix that soon. But if you really insist I replace the bolt and threaded plate, then I will. And I'm getting the other components looked at tomorrow....

Edit: I see you WERE referring to the plate now, ohh...
 
post #26 , top picture, that divot appears to be maybe a 3/8 long, less than 1/8 deep, although the 2nd view does make it look more severe. Its not a crack. That area of the finger is not any weaker than the original cup. I just cannot imagine the finger would break due to that little scrubbed divot/spot.
I wont attempt a judgement call on the threads based on pictures. If I found the threads damaged, I know I can buy the block and bolt, good used, or new ( although some new aftermarket parts available on Ebay, etc.., may be made of lesser grade materials ).
Search for a correct OEM lower arm? Buy a pair of aftermarket tubular lower arms? Just replace every damn thing from radiator cap down?
Our opinions, your decisions. Good luck with it.
 
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