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62 American control arms

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MKIRKELIE View Drop Down
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    Posted: Mar/23/2021 at 5:55pm
I'm rebuilding this slightly abused 62 American, which someone has clearly ran into a curb, or rocks, who knows. I have one bent lower control arm, and two stripped upper control arms on the drivers side, and very bent madness happening on the passengers side, causing the spring to bend like a knee, rather than compress. After spending two days removing a very stuck bolt in the upper trunion, I realized there has to be something better out there. A way to bend these arms back into alignment and reinforce them, or maybe someone has come up with an aftermarket arm? I have been thinking of a way to eliminate the the outer threaded mess and install regular control arm bushing there instead. I have already had to repair all the threaded ends already, so why not just weld in sleeves and install bushings? 

Any and all input is welcome and appreciated. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote tomj Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar/23/2021 at 10:54pm
Aftermarket! I wish... Lower control arms are a problem. Nearly all of them are bent, I'd venture, from my sampling of over a dozen. Mostly from mis-use one way or another. DOes yours have the CORRECT Nash type shock with the big "spacer" in the lower arm? Or some parts-store shock and a dumb old bolt? If the latter, your arms are likely bent.

Here's my notes and fixes for many of the ailments.... https://www.sr-ix.com/AMC/Suspension-1950-1963-small/index.html

I've worked out a fix for the upper arms that should work with most badly-stripped out holes. I drove on it ~ 10 years, it's easy and safe. Requires welding.

The lower arms, I don't even have correct measurements of what "correct" is! I can't find two arms with the same dimensions. But I have started on it, and I have worked out some means to get them to assemble correctly. 


My highly modified '61 now handles competitively with many 60's sports cars, and on a hacked up Nashcan suspension.  https://www.sr-ix.com/AMC/Suspension-1950-1963-small-highperf/index.html



1960 Rambler Super two-door wagon, OHV auto
1961 Roadster American, 195.6 OHV, T5
http://www.ramblerLore.com

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote farna Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar/24/2021 at 6:08am
One enterprising fellow cut the outer ends off and welded plates to accept modern ball joints, and used Hornet/Concord/Gremlin/Spirit steering knuckles. The issue with this is that the bottom arms will now have to be cut to get them off, so change the inner rubber bushings too!

The suspension is "different", but effective and light weight. It's plenty strong as long as everything is installed as the factory intended. I know a fellow drag racing one the back halved it but kept the original front suspension -- it's a wheel stander!!

But yours has been damaged, and replacement parts are hard to find. This is about the only time I'd consider (and recommend) alternatives.  Fatman makes a Mustang II type crossmember for early Ramblers. I don't recall the years they list, I think 50-55 Nash Rambler, but the 50-55 Nash Rambler and 58-61 Rambler American have the exact same chassis, at least where the front suspension is concerned. There are some relatively minor differences over the years, but the unibody is the same in the suspension area.
Frank Swygert
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MKIRKELIE View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote MKIRKELIE Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar/30/2021 at 5:51pm
Originally posted by tomj tomj wrote:

DOes yours have the CORRECT Nash type shock with the big "spacer" in the lower arm? Or some parts-store shock and a dumb old bolt? If the latter, your arms are likely bent.

I didn't look that closely at the shocks I pulled off, as they were covered in road grime and completely blown. I ordered the correct type, custom 2" dropped, extra heavy duty from A-1 Shock, so they will be the correct type.  
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MKIRKELIE View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote MKIRKELIE Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar/30/2021 at 6:40pm
Originally posted by tomj tomj wrote:

Aftermarket! I wish... Lower control arms are a problem. Nearly all of them are bent, I'd venture, from my sampling of over a dozen. Mostly from mis-use one way or another. DOes yours have the CORRECT Nash type shock with the big "spacer" in the lower arm? Or some parts-store shock and a dumb old bolt? If the latter, your arms are likely bent.

Here's my notes and fixes for many of the ailments....  https://www.sr-ix.com/AMC/Suspension-1950-1963-small/index. - https://www.sr-ix.com/AMC/Suspension-1950-1963-small/index.html

I've worked out a fix for the upper arms that should work with most badly-stripped out holes. I drove on it ~ 10 years, it's easy and safe. Requires welding.

The lower arms, I don't even have correct measurements of what "correct" is! I can't find two arms with the same dimensions. But I have started on it, and I have worked out some means to get them to assemble correctly. 


My highly modified '61 now handles competitively with many 60's sports cars, and on a hacked up Nashcan suspension.   https://www.sr-ix.com/AMC/Suspension-1950-1963-small-highperf/index. - https://www.sr-ix.com/AMC/Suspension-1950-1963-small-highperf/index.html




I will have to check out your treasure trove of information on my phone or home computer, as my router at work is blocking me. Thank you for the reply.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote MKIRKELIE Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar/30/2021 at 6:42pm
Originally posted by farna farna wrote:

One enterprising fellow cut the outer ends off and welded plates to accept modern ball joints, and used Hornet/Concord/Gremlin/Spirit steering knuckles. The issue with this is that the bottom arms will now have to be cut to get them off, so change the inner rubber bushings too!

The suspension is "different", but effective and light weight. It's plenty strong as long as everything is installed as the factory intended. I know a fellow drag racing one the back halved it but kept the original front suspension -- it's a wheel stander!!

But yours has been damaged, and replacement parts are hard to find. This is about the only time I'd consider (and recommend) alternatives.  Fatman makes a Mustang II type crossmember for early Ramblers. I don't recall the years they list, I think 50-55 Nash Rambler, but the 50-55 Nash Rambler and 58-61 Rambler American have the exact same chassis, at least where the front suspension is concerned. There are some relatively minor differences over the years, but the unibody is the same in the suspension area.

I did consider the Fatman option, but the cost scared me away for a car I just want to cruise around on nice days. I'll figure out a way to wrangle these control arms into good enough shape to work.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ramblinrev Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar/30/2021 at 6:46pm
Are you sure A-1 shock has the correct shock for you? I'd be shocked!

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62 American Convertible (still worth the $50 I spent in 1973!) AMCRC #513, AMO #384
70 AMX 360 4-speed (since 1981)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote farna Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar/31/2021 at 2:28pm
They advertise 58-63 American, and state "Includes bushings for lower mount, reuse original steel sleeves in car."  I know Kanter and Galvins gets them from somewhere! The only real difference is the larger than other shocks eye on the bottom. Any shock with similar specs will work as long as that large eye is there.

IIRC, the spacer is about 1" diameter with a 1/2" bolt running through it.

I think slightly twisted arms (due to that bolt working loose?) are why the lower trunnion bushings (the screw on "caps") sometimes freeze up -- that along with lack of lubrication. A minor twist in an arm can cause the threads to bind just enough to eventually back a cap off. I think that's what happened to one of my cars after I replaced the front trunnions -- many years ago (actually 1987). I was on my way from SC to NY for a USAF training base (USCG Search and Rescue School, Governor's Island , NY -- now closed). Had to leave car in MD for the two weeks as a cap backed out on the road (after about six months riding there just fine -- this was a daily driver back then).  Ordered a new trunnion from , replaced the cap, and drove it back to SC on the way back. Stored it at a local garage that was sympathetic to a young Airman and rented a car to continue the trip and return.

Once back to my dad's in SC I tack welded every one of those caps. Just a little tack on the outside where it could be struck off with a chisel or grinder if necessary. From then on every time I was under the car to grease the front end (roughly every six months) I looked at those tacks. If intact I knew it wasn't turning in the arm. I've also take a hammer and lightly peened that hole in the arm tighter since then. Just slightly -- overdo it and the bushing won't screw in.
Frank Swygert
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote tomj Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Apr/02/2021 at 11:41pm
The hole in the eye of the Nash shock (for that is what it is) is .75". The through-bolt is 3" long, 9/16"-NF, grade 8. I've done a lot of shock and suspension work on these things lately... I have a web page devoted to the shock mount (!) (lol, not kidding) but I realize just now it's got an error I will correct in the morning -- I recently got correct measurements from someone with actual unused NOS parts.

What Frank says about the trunnion caps and bent arms is definitely true. I'll add that nearly all early Americans that were driven/on the road in the 1980's onward DO NOT have the correct shock installed, and DO NOT have the shock "spacer" that is really the critical stiffener for the lower arm.

Without that stiffener in place the lower control arms are bent. In years of collecting parts only one car had the right shock in it and the stiffener. All of the rest were bent.

1960 Rambler Super two-door wagon, OHV auto
1961 Roadster American, 195.6 OHV, T5
http://www.ramblerLore.com

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote farna Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Apr/03/2021 at 11:01am
I got lucky. The last 61-63 American I bought that had been running was back in 1986. It (and all others before it) had the original type shocks, just badly worn. Never got one that had a different shock mounted to it.
Frank Swygert
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