C-1 Front suspension

[Skip Kimball]

Hello all,
I have a 62. The front suspension needs all new bushings, shocks, etc. Would it be easier to drop out the whole front end? And can it be dropped out with not pulling the motor?

Skip

[Ed Jennings]

Re: C-1 Front suspension

I can't see any advantage to pulling the front crossmember. It might be more difficult to get the springs in and out without the weight of the car to assist. No reason at all to pull the motor. I did have to pull the fan shroud on my 61 to get to the bolts on the inner lower shafts to cut them out, but if everything comes apart as advertised after 40+ years ( good luck), this won't be necessary either.

[Dennis C.]

Re: C-1 Front suspension

Agree with Ed on leaving the front crossmember in place. Believe it is easier and safer this way.

[Christopher R.]

Re: C-1 Front suspension

Just did mine last Winter. I wondered this also. Advice I got was to leave it in. After doing it, I now understand. You will, though, want to remove the knuckle and spindle as an assembly so that you can do the kingpins off the car. I needed to take mine to a machine shop to get them pressed out. No amount of heat and pounding was gonna get them out. Also needed to have the machine shop get the lower outer bushing out of the spindle. That thing went in there 40+ years ago at 175 ft/lbs. Needed to get that cherry red; hold it with the mother of all vises; and, unscrew it with a very big lever.

Do the 3/4" threaded rod trick to hold the springs in place when you take the knuckle/spindles off. Email me if you need to know about that.

Get some 1/2" drive 6 point sockets and a big breaker bar.

Despite what you think now (and what I thought then), you may find that not everything needs replacing. The upper inners are difficult. But it seems the lower outers wear the most. The upper outers are easy. Don't know about the lower inners, but they look easy.

[Ed Jennings]

Re: C-1 Front suspension

I have owned 5 C1's and all needed kingpins. Of the rest, only one had any wear to the A arm bushings- an upper outer on the 61 I had a couple of years ago.

[John M.]

Re: C-1 Front suspension

I agree with Ed. My 60 had all the original parts in it and only the kingpins needed replacing The lack of rubber bushings on these cars means that with proper lubrication, the bushings will last almost forever. I bought a full kit for my front end but ended up sending it all back and only putting new kingpins in.

Regards, John McGraw

[Dennis C.]

Re: C-1 Front suspension

For what its worth department: My experience seemed to indicate that when there was a little slop in an old bushing - the new bushing really offered no noticeable improvement and the configuration was not OEM. Often, I just put the old bushing back in place. Maybe I was expecting a more precise fit ???

[Skip Kimball]

[Dennis C.]

Re: C-1 Front suspension

OK - I'm going to skip the VIN tag issue in this response - although I assume you want to deal with that on your own. I'll bet a cheeseburger you might be able to find a 56/7 owner that may be willing to trade for what you have. Good luck, Dennis

[Skip Kimball]

(Message Deleted by Poster)

Message Deleted by Poster

[Dennis C.]

Re: C-1 Front suspension

Skip - Guess we don't really have much need to communicate anymore. Too bad. Dennis

[Dave Suesz]

Has anyone here tried the SSB "bearing" kingpins? *NM*

[Terry D.]

Re: C-1 Front suspension

I just did mine. I asked the same question a couple months ago and was told To go with Kanter front end ket. I did and am very pleased with it. There number is 1-800-526-1096. Ask for Marty ext.310 www.kanter.com
Terry Deusterman

CaptainEgg@aol.com

[Skip Kimball]

Re: C-1 Front suspension

Thanks very much Terry I will look into it. Skip