Front end rebuild - complete.

I find zero pleasure in exchanging plastic for instant gratification. The joy is in having something damn near kill you but it didn't. At 16 I was taught by Marine vet of Korea that anybody can do the difficult. The impossible just takes a little longer. R.I.P. Jim....

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Memo to self:
Mark pieces "L" or "R"" next time...

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Remember Bob we're not all as old as you are!
 
OK, I need some major help here from you guys who have done it.
It involves the sequence of events.
As you can see in the picture, The U&L control arms, knuckle, and arm are bolted in. The U&L arms are "finger tight".
How do I set it up so that I'm in the ball park for alignment specs for camber and caster before I crank down on the bolts?
Also at what point in the sequence do I install the torsion bars? Before, during, or after, securing the arms?

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use a tape measure across the tires front and back and get the 2 sides as close as possible to drive down to the alignment shop. The torsion bars should be adjusted with the nut finger tight so it doesn't stress the bushing. when you have the car down on the ground bounce the front end up and down and let go. Measure the heights of both sides and adjust accordingly so they are both the same height. The caster with the upper control arms is the hardest. We marked where mine where and set up that way. The tie-rod ends are the toe in and toe out. That's where you use the tape measure to see how close. Hopefully you don't live very far from the alignment shop. I live 60 miles so I drove it on old tires so my new ones didn't get messed up. It's a dirty job.... But my local shop wanted 700 in labor, plus parts so I did it all myself.
 
Measure across the front and back of the tire to make sure the tierod ends are both adjusted out the same. Ie so one isn't longer than the other. measure from outside edge to outside edge on the tires. You are trying to get the the measurements close.


You completely lost me.
Use a tape measure across the tires from where to where?

Ignore the torsion bar part:
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Measure across the front and back of the tire to make sure the tierod ends are both adjusted out the same. Ie so one isn't longer than the other. measure from outside edge to outside edge on the tires. You are trying to get the the measurements close.

Thanks. OK, toe in/out has never been a problem for me. That's the easy one. And I now have an understanding of the camber enough to roughly get it to zero and then to the alignment shop.
Here's what's kicking the crap out of me. I can't understand how to adjust for caster on this setup. Or is the caster not adjustable. I can't see how it is without going to offset bushings which I have never hears of a C-body having. Shims??
 
Today was a bad day at the office. A very bad day.
Of course the new torsion bar seals are too small so what should have taken 30 seconds to slip on ended up being an hour and a half so I wouldn't damage them forcing them on.
Then the fun began.
Went to install the Pitman arm onto the steering box. I had a real bad time when removing the nut off the steering box spindle and it wouldn't thread back on. Looked at the nut. Stripped smooth. Looked at the threads on the steering box. Threads mangled.
Went to the hardware store and had to order a 7/8"-14 jam nut. Order. Ever order one freakin nut??
Then I had to buy a 7/8"-14 die to rethread the spindle on the steering box.
And I had to buy a 3/4" drive socket to use on the die.
And then I had to buy a 3/4" drive 1-5/16"socket for the jam nut for when it comes in. I only have a 1-1/4" and a 1-3/8" socket. :soapbox:
A seventy dollar day that just adds to the thrill... :BangHead:
I'm never-ever doing this again.

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And I was just going to ask you if you were done yet.....never mind.

I hope the rest of the installation goes easy for you!!!
 
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