Front Axle / Front Suspension: Front shaft shim

[BRUCESTUDE]

Today I began disassembling the front end of my ‘51 Land Cruiser, ( a fun job 😁) and found this shim between the lower inner arm and frame cross member, on one side only. This is a one owner car last licensed in 1976, and has no evidence of accidents or frame work. Could this be something that was installed on the assembly line, and should I replace it?
There’s a winter front moving in so I’m putting off painting, as the shop is hard to keep at a constant temperature, so I’m going back to the mechanicals!

[StudeRich]

A Wheel Alignment Shop would install those when More adjustment (King Pin Angle) is needed than the Eccentrics will allow.
Of course it could happen at a Dealership IF they did alignments, that not all were equipped to do.

Factory installed? I don't know about that, COULD be.
I think I would put it back, after the first attempted alignment, you will know if it is still needed with new Suspension Parts, not hard to remove.

I would not say that your Car or Studebakers in general are crudely built, but certainly NOT perfect, so some things do not work on every Car per the Blueprint.

That reminds me of when we found that one 747 Wing was LONGER than the Other !
It was caused by Blueprint tolerance buildup over dozens of Parts.

All that went away on the 777 with Cad/AM Final complete Aircraft Designed to fit Parts, as opposed to Blueprint designed individual PARTS, not Final Aircraft fitted.

I guess you could call that Top Down Design, not Bottom UP.
Just Reverse of the Management Concept at the Saturn Division of GM.

[oilnsteel]

I saw the same thing on a Lark, same place. Once is a fluke, twice is a coincidence, three times is a pattern.
JT