Upper and Lower control arm bushing replacement.

[Gregs57]

Thanks Rich. Much better. I will go to their site as I need rebound rubber as well. Greg

[59meteor]

When I did this on my 59 Meteor, both rear pivot bolts came out fairly easily, but the fronts were more stubborn. I have the socket that fits the hex on the pivot bolt, but for whatever reason, Ford made the bolt head so then, the socket tends to want to slip off the hex. Grinding down the end of the socket, so there is no chamfer left, helped, but one was too stubborn, so I ended up having to head up the front crossmember around the pivot, between that, and a big hammer, it eventually came out OK. Rather than hammer on the stock retainer bolt, I picked up a longer bolt, threaded long enough, so that I could thread the bolt into the pivot all the way in, until it bottomed out in the pivot bolt, to prevent damaging the threads inside the pivot. I did all this while the engine was out, so no idea how much hammer swinging room you will have with an oil pan in the way. My pivot bolts didn`t have any noticeable pitting, so I just cleaned then up with a wire wheel. I used a bit of silicone spray on the lower rubber bushings, and Never Seize where the pivot goes into the front crossmember, just in case it ever needs to be taken apart in the future.

[Gregs57]

Finally tore into it. Upper and lower bushing pins didn't look to bad for 65 years old.  rears came out easy. fronts were soaked and came out. Thanks to everyone for tips. Don't worry about backing plates hanging. Removing to convert to disc. All in all I can't complain. For a Canadian car this one is a dream to work on. Must be because it came from west coast.

[59meteor]

Finally tore into it. Upper and lower bushing pins didn't look to bad for 65 years old.  rears came out easy. fronts were soaked and came out. Thanks to everyone for tips. Don't worry about backing plates hanging. Removing to convert to disc. All in all I can't complain. For a Canadian car this one is a dream to work on. Must be because it came from west coast.

Being from the West Coast likely did help it come apart. My 59 Meteor was originally sold in Kitchener Ontario, but spend the majority of it`s like around Vancouver bc, which has much less snow, and milder winters. ( I base this on the 1976 British Columbia Motor Vehicle Safety Inspection sticker on the old windshield). Since moving to Nova Scotia in 2020, I am now familiar with the amount of rust vehicles suffer in most of Canada, there is a local wrecking yard with a number of old cars, including 2 58 Fords, and it is not at all uncommon to see vehicles around here, with rotted out frames, that are less than 10 years old. Funny, how when I grew up on the West Coast, I always thought our cars were rust buckets, and compared to vehicles that I have bought from California and Oregon, they were, BUT, compared to what I see in Atlantic Canada, and have seen in visits to the North Eastern US, our stuff in BC was cherry!

[Gregs57]

Hi again. OK started reassembly. Working on left side first. When I was ordering my parts the Concours parts list shows a large washer called a front spring spacer PN#8A-3013 for the left side. I called Concours to inquire if there was one needed for the right side and was told no just for the left. Hmmm. I looked at the front end parts diagram in the Fabulous Fords catalogue and it does NOT show this spacer. When I removed my LS front spring there wasn't a spacer ring there just the rubber insulator. Can anyone shed a light on this part. If it does use this part does it go between spring and insulator or insulator and frame cup. Also why just 1 side gets it? Thanks again

[59meteor]

If that spacer is what I think it is, I believe it is more of a select fit shim.  My 59 had one, but when I installed the new LCA bushings, there was not enough room between the bushing and the crossmember, so I just left it out. Maybe the new LCA bushings were a bit longer, so the spacer was no longer needed, not sure.

[RICH MUISE]

Mine did not have them/it. Possibly to even out ride height if needed. Some have asked why their front ends were not sitting level.

[Gregs57]

 By definition it appears to have something to do with the coil springs not a arm bushings. 1 washer is $10 U.S. What would make the car require a spacer on the left side. If you think of the crown of the road I could understand putting one on the right side to level it up. Thanks for the feed back

[hiball3985]

I can see needing them as the spring usually sags more after years on the driver side due to the drivers weight. I've never seen one from the factory.

[Gregs57]

Thanks Jim. I have no idea if the springs have ever been replaced. There wasn't one in the left side and the front end sat level b4 taking it apart.

[Gregs57]

On another topic . I posted a new post about idler arm play. I installed a new idler arm and bushings. I used specs from my 1957 manual. It called for 19/32 between the inside top of the bushing{nut} give or take 3/16 and the idler arm itself. When I did this at both the center link and the bracket end there is an incredible amount of slop. I saw on another site you are supposed to snug up tight and back off 1 turn. Am I missing something here. Thanks

[59meteor]

Thanks Jim. I have no idea if the springs have ever been replaced. There wasn't one in the left side and the front end sat level b4 taking it apart.

OK, I thought you were talking about a steel washer between the front crossmember and the LCA front bushing. Seems that you really mean a rubber cushion on the top of the front coil springs. In that case, yes, my car did have a rubber cushion on each side, and when I ordered my new coils from Eaton Detroit Springs, I ordered new cushions, as the 60 year old originals were split and falling apart. Pretty sure all the cars came with them, as a noise insulator.

[lalessi1]

I looked in the Ford Parts Book and I didn't find the PN 8A3012 spacer and it doesn't show up in the Parts Illustration Book either. I suspect it was intended to fix the lean of the car in a "driver only" scenario. The spacer thickness is multiplied by the suspension geometry as far as ride height is concerned. I did see it in the Concours Catalog, very interesting. I would put the spacer between the rubber isolator and the frame if I were going to use it

If you replaced the bushings on the idler since they screw on the the shaft. there shouldn't be a difference in the "slop" based on how far they are screwed on. I think the spacing is for the seal. Maybe the threads on the arm itself are worn?

[jviera]

In the 60's we call them air condition spacers do to the extra weight. The 57 Ford is notorious for being low on one side, it was due to poor welding and frames not being correctly jig up. The owner would never know because the factory installed the spacer if needed and unless you  disassembled the front end you would never know. J Viera

[jviera]

Concourse has them under item #8a-3012 l.h. upper spring spacer not to be confused with insulator, around I/4 in. thick aluminum.