[grandville455]

Ok Got my control arm off today.. and first thing i notice is i will need a new ball joint still the original no biggie there.. second someone welded one of the crossshaft nuts on!! .. So Now i need to get a crossshaft.. the ones i am seeing have a positve offset.. does that mean i dont use the same shims that came with the standard set up or what? their like almost 1/2 the price then the standard shafts .... Or should i just get the positve offset one and take it and have it aligned.. probably should anyway huh? also i need the bumper too.. are these still available?

[grandville455]

I found one on ebay complete will just put a new ball joint in and bushings if needed....

[moegoat]

I have seen some F-Bodies with one of the nuts welded on, appears original & have heard from others that they have seen it too. I have taken a cut off tool & ground the weld off gently. The nut comes right off & the shaft is still usable.

Or just buy the offset shafts & realign the car & max out the caster so it will drive better at the end of the 1/4.

Buy the adjustable competition engineering bump stop kit, then you can dial in the launch height & get even better traction for your 60ft.

[grandville455]

where do u get that kit?

[moegoat]

Here are some pics, I have not installed them yet. They can be bought anywhere that sells competition engineering stuff. Just check the line from where the stop would be to the wheel/tire the bolt may not clear since they are pretty tall, they can always be cut down after you figure out the right setting & have a nut welded back on to adjust in the future.
Another thing, if you use stock rubber upper control arm bushings grind the teeth off the both ends of the sleeves so they will rotate & not bind, use synthetic brake grease on the shaft so they don't gall up & tighten the lock nuts just enough to seat the sleeve so it will rotate & not move fore & aft. Will give you good lift & weight transfer without binding & still drive fine.

[grandville455]

Thanks!... I think I am just going to buy a new crosshaft with bushings and a new moog ball joint and have a shop press out the old and in the new bushings.... now using that offset shaft do i still install my shims the way they came off the standard bar or no?

[engineer]

no. shims will be less with offset shaft. suggest you get it aligned once installed.

[69lm69gp]

Originally Posted by engineer

no. shims will be less with offset shaft. suggest you get it aligned once installed.

If you install the shafts backwards. Like you would if you were doing a tall spindle upgrade.

Offset upper control arm shafts were designed to add positive camber to vehicles where the frame had "saged" and with all the shims removed the camber was still not in spec.

So on a stock suspension you will be adding shims.

[grandville455]

what do u mean backwards? does it say front or back?

[moegoat]

Originally Posted by grandville455

what do u mean backwards? does it say front or back?

Will say WHEEL SIDE on the shaft. Offset toward the wheel.

[grandville455]

Ok thx!.. Got them ordered will be here today... get a nice discount from the parts place... thx uncle ...... So Being its a stock suspension then install the shims as they came out.. and let the alignment place work from there?... How hard is it to press the old ones out? I have access to a press at a friends garage....

[moegoat]

Here are some pics. You can see that the shaft end is offset toward the outside of the car.

[grandville455]

Wow Nice pics !! thx alot makes sense !!

[moegoat]

[QUOTE=grandville455;3338950]Ok thx!.. Got them ordered will be here today... get a nice discount from the parts place... thx uncle ...... So Being its a stock suspension then install the shims as they came out.. and let the alignment place work from there?... How hard is it to press the old ones out? I have access to a press at a friends garage....[/QUO

You don't need a press I usually use a air hammer or my upper control arm bushing C-Clamp installation & removal kit. The air hammer is the easiest way to get them out, clamp the shaft in a vice & push them out from the inside. For installation clamp a piece of 2X4 in a vice, find a suitable deep socket that will fit over the end of the bushing & make full contact with the flat outboard end of the outer shell & pound it in with a brass hammer so as not to damage the socket or extension (suggested) while resting the control arm on the wood. Make sure the shaft will fit through the opening on the other end first & drop it through & install the other end in the same manner. Lube the outer shell with some grease so it will go in easier, remember to grind the teeth off the inner sleeve & lube the shaft like I said in my previous post. See pics, crappy but you get the gist of it?

[grandville455]

Ok got the old bushings out... I was talking to the parts guy about grinding them .. and i have a couple of questions if i grind those edges what does that do first of all? and i am not going to be doing the passenger side will it effect the way the car launches or brakes only doing that to the drivers upper?.. When I put back together just slide it through the big end first and install that bushing then install the small side last?

[grandville455]

We'll I ground the one side down and got the bushings in but i couldnt get the bigger one in all the way.. going to have to use a press or maybe the nut will draw it in the last 1/8? Forgot to say i am using nylock locknuts too on the bushing ends so i could leave them a little lose too? doing the same thing as grinding them correct?....

[grandville455]

We'll I got it all the way in .... wasnt thinking clearly how to put it in the vise,lol......