I am in the process of reinstalling the front uprights & control arms & I'm having a bit of a struggle to install the upper pivot seals. I bought the front end rebuild kit from Shoebox Central & up until this point everything has been going back together easily. I cannot physically compress the seal enough to reinstall the upper pivot into the upper control arm. Is there a trick to this like perhaps trimming the seals to fit possibly? The old ones were hard & cracked to shit so there is no reusing them. Any help would be appreciated.
Don't cut the new seals. Post up a photo if you can. I do remember there was an easy way to do it but instant recall is having issues. Seemed the cup side needed to be tipped and then the trunnion pulled down into them then install the through bolt. I also think I put a little dab of grease on the rubber to help things slide in place.
To the top. Come on guys, I need some help here. Only one member on this huge site has been this deep in a Shoebox?
I thought you'd have 50 inputs by now. Guess I need to get into my Antique manuals for a refresher course. Seems I used to start the rubber on the threaded flange on the A arm on both sides at about a 45 degree angle up and set the shoulders on the up right above and into the rubber and pull them down rotating the rubber over and on the rest of the ears once in place. This of course with a little grease on the I.D. of the rubbers. Now mind ya I haven't done this for 20 years. As I remember it we had a tool that went through the lower A arm up to the top shock mount and loaded the spring so the upright was taller than the eye in the top A frame letting you move it up and down to align the eyes for the through bolt. Wonder where that old service manual went?
Thank you Pist-n-broke! You are totally correct. The hardest part was trying to hold the seals & spindle at the same time. Thank God for zip ties. One side is in after 1/2 hr of fiddling around. Wish I'd have talked to you 3 days ago. Thanks for your knowledge, time & effort, you are what I consider to be a true club member.
Glad to help when I can. I just was in the Chassis/Body book and seen the exploded photo of your unit and it brought back the memories, above seems right. I couldn't find my Chassis service manuals that covered 54 and back. Funny how time does that to things. At least your going forward.
I couldnt get that seal in when I did my front end. Got frustrated and left it out. I regret it but its still on my list.
Hey Blushu Did you ever get on top of the issue with those damn seals. I'm presently havin "FUN" trying to get them in on my '52. Same as the shoebox. I'm getting pretty damn crabby with them at the moment. How did you end up? Cheers Mick (in Tasmania - the land of the Tassie Devil)
The Jalopy Journal
