37 Buick Coupe Lower Control arm / shaft set up

[DavidNA]

Happy to say my 37 Buick 46 coupe has safely arrived from Canada to my home in Jersey CI.

Before I can register the car I have to have it passed by my Government Department of Vehicle Standards. It has gone to test and apart from having to adust up the handbrake, they have come back to me with two questions before they will pass it. I have no other Buicks here, so hopefully someone the forum can give me some advice.

Q1. The mounting of the front lower control arms shafts to the cross member are not equal, the right hand control arm shaft is lower than the left due to a spacer between the control arm shaft flange and the cross member. There is a corresponding spacer diagonally across on the back left control arm.

If you look at the pics, you can see the spacer and the effect it has to drop the right hand control arm shaft.

Is this normal, or is there a reason for this, I have to tell them them before they will pas the car.

Q.2 At the bottom of the left hand front coil spring, there is some kind of spacer or wedge placed between the bottom coil and the top of the contol arm any ideas what it's purpose is, and what will happen if I remove it. It look like it is to increase the spring height or harden the spring up.

I have attached some pics of the car, original headlamps with the side trim and original lenses are to be fitted, plus the radio is in and all working.

All I need to find now now is the left hand tail light with the mounting bracket for then number plate

Thanks in advance

David

Edited July 2, 2011 by DavidNA (see edit history)

[Mark Shaw]

Unfortunately my back went out yesterday morning, or I would take some photos of my 38 for comparison. From looking at your photos, I think someone "adjusted" the suspension to compensate for bad springs. I suggest you call Dave Tacheny (763-427-3460) for some replacement springs.

[Mark Shaw]

David,

Well I loaded up on meds and just held my camera in the general direction under the the 38 Special for these photos...

[DavidNA]

Mark,

Thank you most appreciated, looks pretty conclusive on your car, no spacers, I wonder if the '38 with telescopic shocks is set up differently to the '37 with lever arm shocks.

I think you are right what I have is there to compensate for worn springs, the lever arm shocks are really not doing very much either, so I will rebuild these and do the springs at the same time.

Thanks for your pics and advice, and hope your back recovers.

Kind regards

David

Edited July 2, 2011 by DavidNA (see edit history)

[Mark Shaw]

I'll keep poppin pills til I get on the plane for the BCA National this week...

Thanks,

[eric_b_1937]

Looks like your car is due for a front end rebuild. Check the number of coils on the left side it was probably replaced with the wrong spring. Sr 40 has a different spring from the sr. 60,80,90 since the engine weighs less.

While you have it apart you should check all pins, bushings, arms, tie rod ends, shocks for wear. Check the brakes, wheel bearings, and do an alignment.

Check for safety cotter keys.

Edited July 7, 2011 by eric_b_1937 (see edit history)

[FLYER15015]

David NA,

The twist nuts in your springs are to adjust ride height. I found 4 on my '40 LTD, and was told they were to insure the distance from the front wheel well edge of the fenders to the ground, measured thru the middle of the tire diameter, were the same.

The shim block on the inside of the front lower "A" arm was inserted to either account for a crooked frame or cover up an accident. This is not how you set the "caster".

I would take both out, and get through your inspection, and then have the alignment done before replacing them. You might need to reinstall , but that can be done later.

Only my $ ,02

Mike in Colorado

[trp3141592]

Hi,

I recall those twisty-nut thingies from the wild days of my youth when $$$ was scarce and beater cars were the norm. You could buy them cheap from JC Whitney/Warshawski, and with a long handled wrench you could skmoonsh them between the coils to counteract sagging from wrong or weak springs. Put in enough of them, though, and you would eliminate spring action almost entirely. This substantially changed suspension characteristics, and most assuredly not for the better.

These thingies were a cheap non-fix to a more serious problem than we kids were willing to admit to, or to pay for. We survived, though. Best advice I can offer--do it right and get new springs.

--Tom

[DavidNA]

Thanks for all you comments, we took out the coil spring spacer, put some oil back in the shock absorbers, left the bottom spacers, and passed the test conditionally.

The condition is the handbrake, even after adjustment the right side is proving difficult to balance off with the left, but on the brake meter, the foot brakes are equally balanced.

I'll go through the front suspension in the winter, but for the moment all looks OK

Thanks for your advice and comments

David