Front end teardown

[Guest]

I get the scary feeling that without an engine or the weight of a body on this frame, there's not going to be an easy way to 'open up' the front end without a body part flying across the room. I was using the floor jack under the lower arm, with that chain.



I'd like to put in a new set of springs and press in a set of delrin bushings. Should I just clean it all up as best I can, replace the engine/tranny then do it? Thanks.

Western Washington, USA

[showbizkid]

You can get it apart really smoothly without the engine/trans in. But your chain is in the way wrong position - it won't help you a bit way over there!

What you want is about 3 feet more chain. Then take out the shock and thread it through the shock tower and coil spring and lock it together, giving it enough slack to let the spring reach the floor once the kingpin nut is off.

It's that spring that's the dangerous part. With the chain through the center of it, it can't come flying if it lets loose. And if you let off the jack easy, it should just open up real easy and drop out.

Check out the pix on this page for a little clearer explanation:

http://www.ncsdc.com/TechnicalPages/FrontSuspension/FrontSuspension.html

[img=left]http://members.cox.net/clarknovak/lark.gif[/img=left]

Clark in San Diego
'63 F2/Lark Standard

http://studeblogger.blogspot.com

https://www.studebakersandiego.com

[Jeff_H]

I had this same problem taking my '53 apart. I put a spring compressor on the spring and seem to recall also needing to pile some weight on the front of the frame. I was at the bare frame stage like it seems you are. Its been some years ago now but probably I used some concrete blocks and a couple sacks of sandblast sand. Then I put the floor jack under the A arm like the shop manual shows to take off the inner lower A arm bolts. Getting it back together was harder and I needed a bigger pile of weight to hold it down since the spring compressor did not compress the spring completely. I had trouble getting the A arm up to the cross member to start the bolts. I had to use a long punch or "drift" per the shop manual that would reach through the A arm shaft and then several inches up to the frame to force the holes to line up. After the car was all together I had the springs out again to change to different ones and did not need any extra weight. It was easier. The shop manual procedure worked OK but I still use a spring compressor on things to reduce the force on the jack in case it slips out.

PS: I hesitate to mention this, but I once removed a pair of springs from a '53 sedan in a junkyard by slowly unbolting the lower A arms. The car was sitting on its side so it was easy to get at. I made sure to stand off to the side when the last thread gave way and the A arms "popped". No damage to me, the springs did not go too far, but I DO NOT recommend this!!!

Jeff in ND

'53 Champion Hardtop

[Guest]

Thanks for the good advice. I have great respect for things wound tight. (Except my ex-wife!) D'OH!

BTW, check this out. Here's a guy who's figured it out!

http://j-walkblog.com/index.php?/weblog/posts/moving_big_rocks/

[59r2]

I took the a a- frame off of my 60 conv by use of 3/8" threaded rod . first remove one bolt from a-frame mountto frame bolts and put threaded rod in each hole.Remove other two frame bolts ,then start loosening the nuts on threaded rod with the help of one of those ratch box wrenches it went pretty smooth,also assembled it this way. joe

1959 HARDTOP R2 clone
1960 conv
SDC member since 1972

[JDP]

N8 and I just use a "safety". Just leave the shock in place or drop a long rod down the shock hole, take the big nut off and the spring won't go anywhere.

JDP/Maryland
64 R2 GT spent to date
$62,439.30
63 R2 SuperHawk
spent to date $54718.75
63 Lark 2 door
54 Starlight
52 Starliner
51 Commander
39 Coupe express
39 Coupe express (rod)

[s2dwagon]

Hi Tom,

I took my front end apart on my Conestoga as per the Shop Manual instructions. Since I had the engind out, the body off, and rear-end out, I was fearful of "things flying around", also.

So, I did as instructed; remove the shocks, put a jack under the lower a-arm, remove the sway bar, remove the bolts from the lower a-arm, and then lower the jack. Sounded simple, but, I was concerned about not having any weight on the front end other than the frame itself. So, I took my time and was very aprehensive about removing that last bolt. Anyway, I am happy to reprort that it worked just like the manual said and there was no danger at all, at least in this case.

Best regards,

Scott