Upper A-arm bumper question

[53k]

Due to my general laziness, lack of ability and lack of initiative I decided to take my '64 Daytona convertible to an old car mechanic to go through the front end - see if he could get rid of some rattles and squeaks. Even though the A-arm bushings had been replaced less than 10,000 miles back, they were bad. And, he says the upper A-arm bumpers AND brackets are missing. I thought the brackets were welded to the top of the frame just outside the spring pockets, but he says there is nothing there except a couple bolt holes in the frame. I finally found the brackets in the frame section of the parts book listed as part number 529332, but vendors don't seem to have them. The shop manual doesn't have any pictures and is kind of vague about the removal and installation of the bumpers.
Advice?




Paul Johnson, Wild and Wonderful West Virginia. '64 Daytona Wagonaire, '64 Daytona convertible, '53 Commander Starliner, Museum R-4 engine, '62 Gravely Model L, '72 Gravely Model 430

[N8N]

I don't know that the *upper* bumpers would cause rattling in normal driving - they point *up* and keep the suspension from hitting the frame when completely *un*loaded. They generally can be replaced simply by crawling under the car with the car sitting on the ground and reaching your hand up in there (helps to turn the wheels all the way to one side or the other.) The one that keeps the suspension from over-compressing is the one physically on the lower A-arm.

and yes, you are correct, the brackets are welded to the frame...

nate

--
55 Commander Starlight

http://members.cox.net/njnagel

[jimmijim8]

Paul, I don't see how the mounting brackets could have disappeared as they are welded in place where you say they are. I think your mechanic has a misconstrued conception of the workings. There may be hole or holes drilled in them but I do not remember for certain. New bumpers are very easy to put in. Block rear wheels. Put floor jack under lower control arm as close as possible to the king pin. Jack up and remove wheel. Continue to jack against the lower control arm until the spring will compress no further. This should have made enough room under the upper control arm to access the bumper mount area for installation. Spread the bottom of the rubber A frame bumper open{it even looks like the letter "A"} and encase the frame bracket. Show him an A frame bumper-snubber. He will more clearly understand. Perhaps your old ones are missing because with age they sometimes fall out. Remount wheel an do the other side. As Nate said, your rattling is caused by something more directly associated with suspension-steering. Inner or outer A frame bushings on upper and lowers control arms. Shocks or bushings. King pin bushings or bearings. Tie rod type ends to include steering reach rod. Center pin assembly. Wheel bearings. jimmijim















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[53k]

quote:Originally posted by jimmijim8

Paul, I don't see how the mounting brackets could have disappeared as they are welded in place where you say they are. I think your mechanic has a misconstrued conception of the workings. There may be hole or holes drilled in them but I do not remember for certain. New bumpers are very easy to put in. Block rear wheels. Put floor jack under lower control arm as close as possible to the king pin. Jack up and remove wheel. Continue to jack against the lower control arm until the spring will compress no further. This should have made enough room under the upper control arm to access the bumper mount area for installation. Spread the bottom of the rubber A frame bumper open{it even looks like the letter "A"} and encase the frame bracket. Show him an A frame bumper-snubber. He will more clearly understand. Perhaps your old ones are missing because with age they sometimes fall out. Remount wheel an do the other side. As Nate said, your rattling is caused by something more directly associated with suspension-steering. Inner or outer A frame bushings on upper and lowers control arms. Shocks or bushings. King pin bushings or bearings. Tie rod type ends to include steering reach rod. Center pin assembly. Wheel bearings. jimmijim

Thanks jimijim and Nate. He has a '55 which has the earlier type bumper that does use a retainer so that is probably what is confusing him. I have explained the difference to him so hopefully we will get past that problem.




Paul Johnson, Wild and Wonderful West Virginia. '64 Daytona Wagonaire, '64 Daytona convertible, '53 Commander Starliner, Museum R-4 engine, '62 Gravely Model L, '72 Gravely Model 430

[jimmijim8]

Thanks Paul. I didn't know about that 55 thingy. jimmijim

[jackb]

funny...my 63' has just begun to rattle after a few 1000 miles of front end work. I'm betting on loose A-arm bolts/nuts....maybe loose lower control arm bushings

[53k]

quote:Originally posted by jackb

funny...my 63' has just begun to rattle after a few 1000 miles of front end work. I'm betting on loose A-arm bolts/nuts....maybe loose lower control arm bushings

Better re-tighten them right away. I had a lower arm come off at the inner mountings on my Avanti. They had worked loose after a spring change and I couldn't hear any noises- just driving along and "clunk". This was about three miles from home just at low speed on a country road (at night). I had just driven about 30 miles at 75 mph on the Interstate. When I had the lower arms loose on the convertible last summer when I did some spring work, I replaced all the bolts and nuts with grade 9 bolts and lock nuts (and then double nutted them as well).
Another possible noise is loose shock mountings and/or loose retainers on the inner bushings. They have to be tightened with the car's weight on the suspension. Even with going over mine when I got the car, my guy found one of the upper inner retainers compeletely gone when he tore it down.




Paul Johnson, Wild and Wonderful West Virginia. '64 Daytona Wagonaire, '64 Daytona convertible, '53 Commander Starliner, Museum R-4 engine, '62 Gravely Model L, '72 Gravely Model 430

[StudeRich]

quote:Originally posted by 53k

/Cut/ I decided to take my '64 Daytona convertible to an old car mechanic to go through the front end - see if he could get rid of some rattles and squeaks./Cut/

A very common front suspension rattle, is loose STABILIZER mounts! [:0]


StudeRich at Studebakers Northwest -Ferndale,WA

[53k]

quote:Originally posted by StudeRich
A very common front suspension rattle, is loose STABILIZER mounts! [:0]

Stabilizer being what I may mistakingly call the sway bar? If so, he is putting all new sway bar bushings on the car so he should catch any loose attachemnts.
Thanks,




Paul Johnson, Wild and Wonderful West Virginia. '64 Daytona Wagonaire, '64 Daytona convertible, '53 Commander Starliner, Museum R-4 engine, '62 Gravely Model L, '72 Gravely Model 430