JoeyOldsmobile

Hey everybody,

I have some issues with the alignment of my front suspension.
I had a lot of play on the shocks (and the were leaking) and on the lower control arms.
I have replaced all the bushings, kingpins and shafts for new ones and bought refurbished action shock levers.
Now when putting it all together my uprights won't fit into the control arms.
As you can see on the pictures below the lower control arm is too much to the left, or the shock should be more to the right.
Force mounting it together is almost impossible and really doesn't feel healthy
I have this issue on both sides.
The car is straight and has no frame issues as far as I can see.
All the shafts are hand tight without any play (as wel as in the shockmount as the shaft on the lower control arm) and everything has been put together what seems to me a normal order.
Am I missing something here? Is there a trick to it to adjust the lower control arm?
Just to let you know that the left and right shock are not interchanged :P
Hope you guys can help me out, would like to drive again.

Mark Desing

From the picture it doesn't look like the upper steering knuckle support is in the middle,

JoeyOldsmobile

​​​​​​​Yes indeed, I checked and it's 2,5mm off center. I'll correct that but that still won't make up for the big gap underneath.
I ordered a shop manual but this will take a while before it gets here. If anybody who has a sho manual could check for clearances etc. on installation that would be great!

Thanks

Charlie Jones

The steering knuckle supports are not identical . They are different from left to right .
Perhaps you have them on the wrong side of the car .

JoeyOldsmobile

nope triple checked, left and right are not mixed up...

Charlie Jones

We are talking about the knuckle supports , right ? Not the shock absorbers .

JoeyOldsmobile

Indeed the knuckle support. I have a ‘47 which has the shock absorber in the upper control arm as you can see.
i know left and right are different but they are not mixed up.

JoeyOldsmobile

Thanks for the replies. I'll have a look into it.
All my parts will be painted before final fitting, i'm just testing it out now :P.
I'll let you know how far I'll get this week.

Joey

Cadillacrazy

did you get those lower bushes out or did a shop do it because if there is an easy way of doing it I want to know as mine are in so tight nothing wants to move.

Mark Desing

I got mine out. If they won't move, preheat with a torch.

al1950

how did you refurbish your shocks? mine our worn out on my 1950 88,, any info details appreciated , thanks Allan

Cadillacrazy

My 1947 steering box has the pitman arm coming out of the top....is that how they were or is mine odd? Never seen one this way?