1937-1957 Buick Oldsmobile Pontiac suspension upgrade
(Minor clean up; format images) |
(Minor clean up) |
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*The coils sit in a spring pocket on the lower control arm, and a spring perch built into the frame on the upper end. | *The coils sit in a spring pocket on the lower control arm, and a spring perch built into the frame on the upper end. | ||
*Steering is thru a kingpin steering knuckle. Alignment is accomplished with an inner and outer concentric screw adjustment in the upper steering knuckle mount (accessible by removing the grease fitting and inserting an allen wrench into the hole). | *Steering is thru a kingpin steering knuckle. Alignment is accomplished with an inner and outer concentric screw adjustment in the upper steering knuckle mount (accessible by removing the grease fitting and inserting an allen wrench into the hole). | ||
| − | *There are two types of shock arrangements. Roughly, ' | + | *There are two types of shock arrangements. Roughly, '37–'49 (not all 3 changed the same year) have a lever action shock that is built into the upper control arm and serves as the upper control arm mount. 1950s models went to a separate tube type shock. Some were internal to the spring, some external. The upper control arm is still a fixed frame mount, with caster/camber adjustment in the concentric sleeves. |
==Key shortcomings of the original suspension== | ==Key shortcomings of the original suspension== | ||
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For the more adventuresome, and fabrication minded, there is another approach. | For the more adventuresome, and fabrication minded, there is another approach. | ||
| − | The only real issue with the stock lower control arms is the king pin mounts. My buddy with the '49 Olds has a junkyard, but no '58 Pontiacs. He didn't want to wait for one to come in, so we cut the outer end from his lower control arms and welded on a 3/8" plate for a ball joint mount. He did have a '58 Buick, so those were the uppers we used. He had already pulled a complete spindle/disc brake setup off an early | + | The only real issue with the stock lower control arms is the king pin mounts. My buddy with the '49 Olds has a junkyard, but no '58 Pontiacs. He didn't want to wait for one to come in, so we cut the outer end from his lower control arms and welded on a 3/8" plate for a ball joint mount. He did have a '58 Buick, so those were the uppers we used. He had already pulled a complete spindle/disc brake setup off an early 70s Chevy, so we knew going in that the 45 degree angle on the spindle was going to be a problem. As it turns out, the narrower end on the original lower control arms is a blessing. A Chevy spindle can be made to work, but the Ford Courier had a ball joint with a 3-point “crowsfoot” design -- it is very narrow at the outer end, and the Chevy spindle cleared with no problems. There must be several ball joint mounts that could be adapted to the original arms. Just remember, the ball joints point down. |
[[image:49_olds_lower_with_for_ball_joint.jpg|thumb|left|450px|Ford Courier ball joint mounted on a '49 Olds lower control arm]] <br style="clear:both"/> | [[image:49_olds_lower_with_for_ball_joint.jpg|thumb|left|450px|Ford Courier ball joint mounted on a '49 Olds lower control arm]] <br style="clear:both"/> | ||
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