Front end issue

[rusty58]

Hi Floks,
I was tinkering with my project FC today, trying to get the Torana calipers off my HR front end. When I swung the hub to full lock, I noticed the wishbone move forwards as well! I had a closer look and one wishbone is further forward than the other and its bush seems to be hanging in 'mid air'. I also noticed that it takes less turns of the wheel to get to full lock one way than the other. Are these matters related? Does the wayward wishbone mean the crossmember is knackered or does it just need rebushing?

[EffCee]

Rusty 58

To have the lower control arm moving at all when you turn the steering indicates that there is a problem, If it is hanging in mid air as you have said, it may well be a combination of both the lower inner pivot pin and bush that is worn out. If the Lower inner pivot pin is excessively worn in the crossmember you will have to replace the crossmember.

A photo, or series of photo's would help immensely with the diagnosis.

Keith

[rusty58]

Hi Keith and everybody else,
I have attached a couple of pics of the LH wishbone/crossmember. What do you think?

[NO NAME]

shit, i had this once, i put a tack weld on but it broke so a bought another HR front end.

[mcl1959]

It looks quite flogged out - I think I would be getting another front end.

Ken

[jasonr70002]

Couldn't the plate be removed and replaced with a fabricated one or take out the pivot and get an engineer to weld and redrill instead of finding a costly front end.

[EffCee]

As Ken has said, it is quite flogged out, time for a new crossmember, don't waste your time with this one

Jason 70002
The crossmember has a thread on it which would be difficult to reproduce, you would need to have the plate machined up by someone who is good on a lathe, then the plates would have to be reinstalled on the crossmember with the lower inner pivot pins installed to form a point in which to take measurements from. It is possible, but the time and expense is seriously just not worth it, better to replace it.

Keith

[rusty58]

Oh, dear...
Thanks for that, guys, just another job to add to the list!

[jasonr70002]

Wow that's no good and those front ends are pretty darn expensive too. Bloody shame to see another old holden bit gone and I hope mine never goes like that. Is it common for them to do that ??

[mcl1959]

I have seen a few like this over the years, but regular maintenance checks should prevent it. A drum brake front end can be got quite cheaply (They're all the same you know)

Ken

[EffCee]

Wow that's no good and those front ends are pretty darn expensive too. Bloody shame to see another old holden bit gone and I hope mine never goes like that. Is it common for them to do that ??

It is easily prevented - grease the pivot pins bushes regularly. What happens is the pivot bush seizes up on the pivot pin through lack of lubrication, then the pin starts to turn in the crossmember. The crossmembers were never meant to have the pin turn inside the crossmember, and so, due to a total lack of lubrication, it doesn't take much to render the crossmember unserviceable.

Keith

[NO NAME]

if you are lucky you might find a bare front end with the mounts and outriger already done, my replacement was a drum front end that had been fitted to a FC, i just swapped all the disc stuff onto it.