So I reinstalled the LCA's with the Hotchkis tabs on them, new moog rubber upper and lowers bushings and now need to know the proper method of when to tighten the pivot shaft down. Torsion bars are in, wheels still up in air - to set approx ride height can i jack them up to where I think they shod be on the ground and then tighten up the pivot shaft nut or does it really matter and can I tighten them up now while hanging down?

Thanks!

You'll never be sure they are settled with it up in the air. Put some wheels/tires on, let it down and bounce it a few times to get the tires to settle. Then measure.

So if I do it that way what's good guesstimate for how many turns in the torsion adjuster bolt should go in before I set it back down ? I looked in the FSM and there's not much data on this...


Thx.

It varies on everything from T-Bar diameter and clocking to preferred ride height. As a general rule I'll tighten them until there is some tension on the T-Bar and then lower and figure it out. For rough in, I'll make adjustments 2 complete turns at a time, then quarter turns for final dial in. Make sure you measure the car at each corner, not just the two fronts as the T-Bars can have a jacking effect on the rear. Also as a note, roll the car forward and backward about 5-6 feet while bouncing it after each adjustment to get the scrub out of the tires.

I guess maybe the really basic question I should of asked is once the suspension assembly is together, Tbars, LCA's, etc...should I leave the pivot shaft nut semi tightened, crank up the T-bar bolt a few turns as suggested then lower and adjust ride height once motor is installed & torque the LCA nut down then....or does it matter if the pivot shaft nut if torqued down at the initial install?

Thanks for all the help, sorry for the lengthy questions...

The answers you seek are on page 2-13 of the ’71 FSM, steps 3 through 13, listed in sequential order. LCA pivot shafts with original style rubber bushings should only be torqued to specs with control arms at ride height.

well then I guess I'm blind, I've read the front end section plenty of times.

Should of found that, thanks.

If you tighten rubber bushings while the front end is up high, as in no weight on it/not at operating height, then put weight on it, the rubber in the bushings will stretch around the shaft, and could eventualy tear, and so not last as long as it should. You want the rubber in a 'neutral' state, no stretch while at operating height. That way when the front end goes up and down over bumps and into pot holes the rubber can now stretch in both directions without over stretching in one direction.

The way I learned it was to "Put weight on the front end before tightening the bushings" No engine in the car? Then use weights like barbells that equal the weight of the engine. Some people say you should have the weight of a driver in the driver's seat when setting front end height.

I suppose I've confused myself way to much by this overall. It makes sense to leave things loose a bit then lock them down after setting the height under weight. I think I was confused when I'd start thinking about the position / clocking of the T bars & once I had them in thinking that it didn't matter about hte LCA's if they (T-bars) were in the proper place.

I'll just make sure the LCA, shocks & strut nuts are loose prior to setting the height.

Thanks.