Installing VBP A-Arms?

[Wilkinshc]

Today I was talking with a friend that does alignments and I mentioned I just recieved my Frame back from powder coating and was install new VBP A-Arms and I that I was putting the shims back in that I had taken out of the stock A-Arms. He told me to leave them out as it was easier for them because they will probably take them out and start from scratch away. I have always thought that it would be better to start with what I had already. Does this sound right?

Thanks

 

[stepinwolf]

Yes it does sound, and is correct, however you must be careful because the cross shafts that come with the VBP A-arms, are off-set. Be sure you check which side you place next to the shock tower, and do both the same way.

The rest is the responsibility of the guy at the alignment shop.

Stepinwolf

 

[67HEAVEN]

Yes it does sound, and is correct, however you must be careful because the cross shafts that come with the VBP A-arms, are off-set. Be sure you check which side you place next to the shock tower, and do both the same way.

The rest is the responsibility of the guy at the alignment shop.

Stepinwolf

That's how I did it. I used new shims set to the original shim thickness as a starting point, and it wasn't too far off. The alignment shop finished it up.

 

[Wilkinshc]

Thanks for the info guys.I am so glad to be in the "putting together stage" now. Still have a couple big dents to put in the wallet still: Rearend (going with tom's diff.) and body (new fenders and nose work with corvette city in Co.). Bodywork won't be till march 2006, guess spring isn't so far off. :cry

Thanks again for the help.

Chuck

 

[stepinwolf]

Thanks for the info guys.I am so glad to be in the "putting together stage" now. Still have a couple big dents to put in the wallet still: Rearend (going with tom's diff.) and body (new fenders and nose work with corvette city in Co.). Bodywork won't be till march 2006, guess spring isn't so far off. :cry

Thanks again for the help.

Chuck

Corvette City was an excellent choice. They are very professionel, and " Gary " is a man of his word. Good luck with the build.

Stepinwolf

 

[Wilkinshc]

stepinwolf,

I was looking at your pic on the steeroid steering setup and noticed you have your shocks mounted to the bottom of the lower control arms and I was wondering why? I am putting mine together now and looks like they should be mounted on the top. Are you doing it to lower it?

Thanks for your help.

Chuck

 

[stepinwolf]

stepinwolf,

I was looking at your pic on the steeroid steering setup and noticed you have your shocks mounted to the bottom of the lower control arms and I was wondering why? I am putting mine together now and looks like they should be mounted on the top. Are you doing it to lower it?

Thanks for your help.

Chuck

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but sometimes pictures can be confusing. The shock is mounted to the bottom A-arm, in exactly the same way as it is with factory A-arms. It would be physically IMPOSSIBLE to mount them to the upper arm.

The top of the shock goes into the hole in the shock tower, and the bottom mounts as the factory designed it to, in the lower arm. Check the picture again.

 

[Wilkinshc]

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but sometimes pictures can be confusing. The shock is mounted to the bottom A-arm, in exactly the same way as it is with factory A-arms. It would be physically IMPOSSIBLE to mount them to the upper arm.

The top of the shock goes into the hole in the shock tower, and the bottom mounts as the factory designed it to, in the lower arm. Check the picture again.

I'm sorry, maybe I did not clarify. On the bottom a-arm the shock in your picture bolts to the bottom side of the a-arm not to the top of the lower a-arm. Looking at my VBP a-arms the nut (tabs) are welded to the bottom of the a-arm (opposed to the factory which are welded to the top of the a-arm). So bolting them to the top you're using the strength of the plate of the a-arm as the factory a-arms do. Bolting to the bottom your are relying on the just the welds of the tabs. But it seems that you would be lowering it by bolting to the bottom. Hope that clarifies what I mean.

Reason I ask is I really value your opinion and experience.

Thanks
Chuck

 

[IH2LOSE]

Make sure you bring a new shim pack to the alignment shop or youll end up with whaever they had laying around. Something I always do with my C2 but completely forgot about with my 62 and i have about 3/8'S of an inch of rusty nasty shims on my front upper a arm

 

[Wilkinshc]

Make sure you bring a new shim pack to the alignment shop or youll end up with whaever they had laying around. Something I always do with my C2 but completely forgot about with my 62 and i have about 3/8'S of an inch of rusty nasty shims on my front upper a arm

Good advice, will do. I didn't even think about it. My buddy runs the alignment shop so he might have realized it and hooked me up at the time but you never want to assume anything. PPP Proper Prior Planning.

Chuck

 

[Wilkinshc]

stepinwolf,


Did those last comments make sense? If you would like I can post pic showing what I am talking about. Nothing to do with upper a-arms.

 

[stepinwolf]

I'm sorry, maybe I did not clarify. On the bottom a-arm the shock in your picture bolts to the bottom side of the a-arm not to the top of the lower a-arm. Looking at my VBP a-arms the nut (tabs) are welded to the bottom of the a-arm (opposed to the factory which are welded to the top of the a-arm). So bolting them to the top you're using the strength of the plate of the a-arm as the factory a-arms do. Bolting to the bottom your are relying on the just the welds of the tabs. But it seems that you would be lowering it by bolting to the bottom. Hope that clarifies what I mean.

Reason I ask is I really value your opinion and experience.

Thank's


Chuck,

You are absolutely correct, and that being said, rather then recommending that others pay closer attention to the pictures or explanations, I should be doing so myself.

The tabs are welded as you stated to the underside of the a-arm, and my guess is that it's done this way in order to keep the same stroke on the shock as on a factory A-arm. Were the weld-nuts on the top as factory, there would be a reduction in the stroke of more then 1/2" .

All the welds on these arms being done with what look's like multiple passes with the tig welder, I doubt very much if these tabs would ever separate from the arm. However if ever one needed to reinforce the mounting, and at the same time defeating the lower weld tabs issue, it would be very easy to use slightly longer bolts, and then use a flat washer and a nut on the other side of the A-arm shock mount, thereby locking it firmly in place.

This might just be something that I will recommend VBP to mention in their installation manual. As it stands, I went over the installation manual for the front A-arms, and as strange as it may seem, the only mention of shock absorbers is, and I quote ( " reinstall shocks " ) unquote. I guess they think their two words would be self explanatory. :ugh

Thank you for bringing this to my attention, as I also value your input.

Stepinwolf

 

[Wilkinshc]

I agree, my instructions from QA1 were not any better on mounting the shocks. I have to install on the top as the dials will not fit thru the opening.

It appears from the stroke on my shock the stock distance would be on top, being on the bottom would lower the front end a 1/2 inch. Maybe if VBP reads this they can chime in what was the intented position.

Thanks again, you are a wealth of knowledge and I appreciate your help.

Chuck