I just purchased new upper control arm shaft kits for my 69 Skylark. The kit came and they are the original bolt type shafts, not the replacement ones with the nuts on the ends. The kits came with the washers for the ends but not the bolts. What type of bolts are used here, and where can i get them? Are they special bolts, or can I use regular hardened bolts? Any help would sure be appreciated.
I believe the bolts you are talking about have a knurled/serrated shank that presses into the bracket on the frame. Did you already take off your existing upper control arms? Are the bolts still pressed into place if you did?
Upper control arm shaft Bolts Thanks for the replies guys, I think I need to clarify my question. The bolts I am speaking of are on the ends of the shaft fastening the bushings to the shaft, not the serrated bolts that fasten the arm to the frame. My original shafts had the nuts, which I believe indicate it has had the shafts replaced. I hope this clarifies my question. Thanks.
The earlier cars used nuts (threaded bushings) with a grease fitting on the end. I believe your car should have just the nut. I don't remember who used the bolts...but I have seen them. Check your books and make sure, but I think you need to return those and get the right ones for your car(69 skylark, right?). - Bill
uppper control arm shafts Yes it is a 69. After consulting, I'm told that the shafts that have the bolts in the ends, are "original type", and the ones with the nuts are replacement types to get more adjustment on the front end for allignment purposes. Does anyone know this to be true? o No:
Not sure about the '69 model years, but my original '71 car (that never even had a front end alignment!) has the nuts on the end.
There is an "offset" upper control arm shaft that allows for more adjustment in the front end to allow for frame sag. A bodies "relax" due to the weight of the engine, especally big blocks. The difference is the mounting area (flat part) is offset from the round part, where the bushings go, to move the control arm (in, I think) in relation to the frame. Both the standard and the offset use the nuts. My parts book shows the screw on bushings and the regular nuts with press in bushings for 1969, so maybe they made a change during the prodcution year. But looks like it shows the bolts are for big cars 1969-70. 'Course I'm not an expert and may be reading the book wrong! Also, the upper control arms came as an assembly in those years and they do not show an exploded view! Who is telling you the bolts are original? If its the folks who sold them to you, they may have the wrong catalog. Do the shafts look like they fit your control arms? BTW, MOOG shafts are the "best", in my opinion, and I believe they currently only make the offset ones. - Bill
Rockauto.com carries Moog K5250 offset shaft/bushing kits. They price out at $39.89 each, and you'll need two kits. They don't list it for your Buick, but if you look up a Chebby Chevelle from the same year they're listed. Through 8/16, Rockauto is giving 5% using discount code 244299235553. Good Luck!
Sounds like they gave you the 66-67 shaft setup. That is what is on my original 67 GS400. My original 68 & 69 Sportwagons, 69 Stage 1 and 70 GS all have the shaft with the large nuts on the end. It should work fine, but not look correct. So, it all depends on what your intention is. Mark
Makes sense to me, I'm not doing a concourse restoration, so it really wont matter much. Thanks for the input!
