Technical Control arm ?

I am rebuilding my front clip in my 56 chevy and I wondered if its ok to put a washer on each side of the lower control arm bolt .There is some wear in the mounts as to be expected but there was no washer and figured it would help preserve it .Just wanted to make sure there was not some issue in doing this like messing up torque setting or something .

 

Those are a special bolt from the factory. Up next to the the bolt head there's a spline that's goes down thru the crossmember. On the bottom side there's a lock washer and a thick nut.
I'm not sure what wear your talking about. Is it on the crossmembers holes? Ron

 

I am aware of the upper ones you are talking about those are fine .These are the lower ones .I have the proper bolts .There is just minor wear on the frame and just wondered if there was any issue by just putting washer on the bolts that's it since they don't have washers from the factory .

 

what kind of 'minor wear on the frame'? Do you mean the surface area surrounding the bolt hole, or the bolt hole itself is elongated? And, if the surface area, how deeply is it worn, as a percentage of it original thickness?

It may be negligible wear, but if it is deep enough, 50% or so, maybe a repair is required. Perhaps a suitable washer could be tack welded around it's perimeter to restore some strength, for one example.

Ray

 

maybe at most 20% and it is the hole but its still round.The material is not so much worn away just distorted in more

 

I am still uncertain........are you saying the bolt hole is now about 20% larger than the bolt diameter, but 'is still round'? Because if that is the case, it's a different issue than surface wear on the flat part of the frame surrounding the bolt hole.

Ray

 

20% into to the surface .The hole is still perfect round.

 

Bushing?

 

There is no bushing just a bolt thru the frame .I looked on the schematic and that's how its supposed to be .

 

Based on what you have said so far, if you have a power sander of some sort, I think I'd just smooth the surface a bit and bolt it together. Unless the bolt head/shank has some special characteristics that would interfere, you could use a washer under the bolt head if you feel better about it. However, if the washer isn't part of the frame material (not welded to it) I don't see how it adds much to the equation. It wouldn't have to be welded solid, four tack welds around the edge of the washer would probably be sufficient to add some 'beef' to the area.

Ray

 

Not really too much of a issue just figured it would help disperse some of the pressure of the bolt head.

 

I meant put a bushing in the enlarged hole.
Not liking slop...........I might even make the hole a bit bigger to accommodate a bushing.

 

I overlooked the last sentence earlier. Just use a "dolly" and hammer it flat.

Ray

 

Your right, Sorry about that. I went out in the garage and checked some of my old bolts. I got confused with the upper A-arm bolts.
As far as washers I see no problem as long as your bolts are long enough and there's enough room on the crossmembers.
You might get some small OD washeres the kind made for allan head bolts. Ron