Tweet
How in the heck is the grease supposed to get to the pivot point when there is no channel or hole in the pin for the gease to flow through? Is it supposed to flow through the threads on the cap nut? Help the squeaks are driving my wife crazy. Thanks in advance!
-
-
Re: C1 UPPER A-ARM INNER PIVOT PIN
The UPPER-INNER A-frame cross shaft has metal-to-metal bushings (as do ALLLLLL 53-62 suspension joints). EACH bushing has a grease zerk and as grease goes into the bushing, it squeezes out the backside of the bushing. When new (or rebuilt), each joint in the suspension has a round, rubber seal (kind of like a flat O-ring) to keep dirt and moisture out of the joint. If your car still has good rubber seals, then you will see the grease come out from under them. BOTH the upper and lower OUTER pins have only one grease zerk and the pin has a hole drilled through it for the grease to pass through. But the upper and lower INNER shafts have a zerk at each bushing (nut). There are a TOTAL of 22 grease zerks on 53-62 front ends:
Upper inner-2
Upper outer-1
Lower inner-2
Lower outer-1
King pins-2
Each tie rod end-1
Link between pitman arm and center steering arm-2
IF YOU DRIVE YOUR CAR MUCH, THE FRONT END NEEDS TO BE GREASED FREQUENTLY. I believe the factory lube interval was 2000mi.--------------------YOU CANNOT GREASE THESE FRONT ENDS TOO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes, greasing these old front ends is messy, but it's cheaper than rebuilding them!!!
You may also have a zerk on each U-joint
Hope this helps. -
Re: C1 UPPER A-ARM INNER PIVOT PIN
Tom
When I first tried to grease these pins I could not get any flow, so I removed one cap nut and found that there was no channel or hole in the pin, just a dimple in the end of the pin. At this point I assumed somebody replaced the pins with the wrong parts, so I purchased new pins, cap nuts and seals these pins or shafts also have no passage for the grease to flow. With these new units the only way I could get the grease to flow was to back the cap nut off, fill the void with grease, and then tighten the cap nut at which point the grease was forced past the threads. I feel like I am missing something that is very simple, but beyond my simple mind. Again any input is appreciated.Comment
-
Re: C1 UPPER A-ARM INNER PIVOT PIN
Yes ! That's rightComment
-
Re: C1 UPPER A-ARM INNER PIVOT PIN
James,
Your configuration is correct, but you should be able to get grease to flow past the threads. The design is the same on the lower ineer shafts, and if you have a good grease gun, then you should be able to pump grease past the threads.
Regards, John McGrawComment
-
Re: C1 UPPER A-ARM INNER PIVOT PIN
Thank you,
I guess I need to find a better grease gun and after Roys dig I was ready to forget this board. You know everyone who owns a classic car did not grow up with a wrench in his or her hand, we might not know the proper lingo, and we might come across as real idiots, but damn it I could not get any grease to that pivot point and I needed someone more experienced to tell me where I was going wrong. Again thanks and double thanks for not castigating me for my inexperience.Comment
-
Re: C1 Sorry Sorry Sorry
James I'm sorry if you toke my post in the wrong way .You asked if the greas did flow through the treads cap nut. YES that's correct.I din't think that was such a dastardly thing to say. Again I apologize to you and every one that was upset with my post,and now realize I cant give a direct answer.Comment
-
Re: C1 UPPER A-ARM INNER PIVOT PIN
James,
Just a little added info. First, the 49-54 Passenger car and 53-62 Corvettes have (basically) the exact same front suspension. All of the normal wear/rebuild parts are the same. Thus, they all are greased the same. It was, and still is, common for a joint(s) on these old suspensions to be reluctant to take grease. SOMETIMES IT JUST TAKES A LOT OF PRESSURE, OR, YOU HAVE TO JOUNCE THE CAR TO FLEX THE SUSPENSION to get it to take grease. On either my 56 Vette or my 51 4dr Chevy, it seems there is always one fitting which just DOES NOT want to take grease. So, I just continue to keep up the pressure and eventually, grease starts to come out the back side. If you are using a GOOD, hand held grease gun, and, a particular joint won't take grease------------JUST KEEP SQUEEZING----------HARD!
Last, the upper and lower INNER fittings get lubed simply by grease flowing around the threads until it begins to come out. These fittings do not have internal passages----------------as you have discovered. Remember---------------------these suspensions are 40s technology (first used on a 49 Chevy).
Hope this helps.Comment
-
Re: C1 UPPER A-ARM INNER PIVOT PIN
James,
Don't be surprised if the "wife alienating" squeak is not coming from the pivot point. My 62 drives me nuts with this unless I keep some sort of rubber lube around to occasionally squirt into the front stabalizer bushings.Comment
-
Re: C1 A-ARM think about it
No one should try and remove the A-arm nuts to add grease. If you do , when you remove the shaft nut the a-arm being under pressure by the front spring can cause the A-arm to move. so that as you re-install the nut on the shaft and srew it on you may miss align the outer threads of the nut into the a-arm threads causing damage to the a-arm threads, bending or binding it. That procedure is done while installing the shaft a-arms nuts with-out the front sring installed so that the a-arm shaft nuts can be aligned evenly on the a-arm , so not to cross thread the a-arm to the shaft nuts.Comment
Comment