Upper A-arm clearance problem

[Kurt G.]

After a couple of months with the front end out of my '72 for restoration I'm finally in the process of putting it all back together. The car has been supported at the front frame jack points on 12" of wood on each side. This afternoon, with some help, the process of putting the restored, re-bushed A-arms back on began. We got the left one on the car and found the front edge of the A-arm rubbed the front of the cutout in the fiberglass fender liner when the arm was raised about 2 inches. I installed the shims packs as they were when I took the arms, still rubbed. I compared the current situation and the spacing is different in the "hole" than it was before I installed the new bushings and ball joints. My question is, is it possible that, since the car has been on blocks so long with the engine in, etc. is it possible the frame or the body has flexed? If so, will it re-align when I get the weight back on the wheels. Any suggestions?

Thanks guys. Right side starts tomorrow.

[Randall K.]

Re: Upper A-arm clearance problem

For what it's worth, I found that when I had my '72 big block supported on wood blocks at the jacking points behind the front wheels and in front of the back wheels (for brake rebuild), the front end of my car dropped enough that the doors wouldn't open/close correctly. I put a jack under the front cross-member to level out the car so I wouldn't stress the body.

All was good when the wheels met the floor again. I would assume that the body/frame could flex the opposite direction of what I found when I had mine on blocks.

Good luck!

Randy Krohn

[Russ S.]

Re: Upper A-arm clearance problem

On convertibles the reason the doors don't open when up off the wheels is because the back end drops down.

[Wayne W.]

Re: Upper A-arm clearance problem

The body will not move that much.

You are sure you have the arms on the correct sides?

[Mike E.]

Re: Upper A-arm clearance problem

The body will not move that much.

You are sure you have the arms on the correct sides?

I wasn't going to say that but I was wondering the same thing. I don't think the spindle would line up with the lower unless the lower is also swapped. In that case you would have had to also put the shaft in backwards. It could happen I actually feared this with mine so I tagged everything when I took it off. There should be stop for the kuckler on the lower arm, it should be towards the rear of the cars, the sway bar bracket should be towards the front.

I even marked the upper shaft and installed it in the same orientation front to back as well as the correct side. It doesn’t makes a difference however, I’m just nuts.



Mike

[Kurt G.]

Re: Upper A-arm clearance problem

Thanks for the comments guys. Yes, the arms are on the correct side. The problem turns out to be sagging on the frame. Door gaps areway off on top and bottom. Also noted a big change when we got the spindles back on and lifted the a-arms from underneath to put the upper cushions in the holes on to of the frame. Things straightened out once the weight of th car was back on "the wheel."