The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Offset upper cross shaft kits?

Hi all,
I've been looking all over the place for offset upper control arm cross shafts, but I'm surprised that I'm having so much trouble finding them for our trucks (69-72 chevy).

Does anyone know where to get them? Some of these aftermarket suspension companies might, but I don't need a "billet" set.

Moog only lists them for '73-'91. You might be able to use those if you swap to the later style control arm or perhaps swap the bushings to the later style. The part numbers are K6184 for the '73-'86 and K6355 for '87-'91. These are all for 1/2 ton, 3/4 and 1 ton uses the same cross shaft '63-'91.

Is there a good reason for needing the extra adjustment correction? Those shafts are generally used to compensate for a sagged front crossmember, and it's a lot more effective to have a frame shop stretch the crossmember back into position. I've done this several times when I was teaching alignment procedures in three public schools.
Jerry

Thanks Longbox. I looked into that, but if Im going to change upper control arms, I may as well go with the tubular aftermarket ones that come with their own offset shafts.

I did discover something interesting in regards to Moog and their "problem solver" line. For the earlier trucks they offer a "problem solver" lower shaft. The new problem is, Ive converted my truck using lowered tubular control arms.

I do have threads left on the drivers side cross shaft bolts. Its 'one' bolt on the passnger side that is already shimmed to the max.
Whats it cost to spread the frame/crossmember anyway? Ive been asking about this.

Have you considered using longer bolts? Most frame shops can do the crossmember correction with about an hour's labor time or less, once the machine setup is done. Any Grade 8 bolt would work to attach the cross shafts as long as it's the right diameter, 1/2" I believe.
Jerry

Interesting, this is the second thread recently posted asking about the camber/caster adjustment issues and offset croos shafts, and both have a similar issue that may be the actual cause of the problem; Both trucks have been lowered with aftermarket parts. As you mention, tubular control arms on yours, the other (61apache) had done a swap with an '83 crossmember using lowering spindles. It's making me think perhaps the aftermarket parts companies are not doing their research to manufacture a component that will work without ruining the alignment angles. You might want to talk with the company that the contorl arms came from, you may have gotten a defective set.

I noticed that too, but since I've got somewhat of a curmudgeon reputation where altered ride height is concerned (up or down), I chose not to mention the obvious cause of the problem.

The aftermarket suspension kit makers have only one interest, their bottom line. Whether or not it's safe or effective to change the ride height is not much of a concern to them, as long as "it looks cool". P.T. Barnum was right!
Jerry

I hear you Jerry. I get lifted/lowered vehicles in the shop somewhat regularly, every once in a while one will come back with some sort of handling or tire wear complaint because the kit used didn't allow for proper alignment. We have it printed clearly in the warrantee that "vehicles with altered suspension or vehicles used for racing/off road purposes void any warrantee on alignment".

Working for a public education facility, teaching auto mechanics for over 30 years, I had a simple, no-exceptions rule. ANY modifications, including non-stock diameter wheels, kept a vehicle out of my shop. Lifted or lowered, FUGGEDABOUTIT!

There were too many ambulance-chasing lawyers out there with the school board's multi-million dollar budget in their beady little eyes, just waiting for one of my students to have a big wreck after working on his car in my shop!

The reckless little guys were bad enough about wrecking bone-stock vehicles, let alone a jacked-up offroad pickup or a lowrider!
Jerry

I believe mine might be the exception. The control arms are from a company that no longer exists (Chisholm), but they are a quality unit, and were made here in the USA.
My truck suffered some damage sometime in its past, right at the passenger side front corner. So, it was pretty obvious to me the reason why that side is a bit of a problem.

Things worked out though. I had Les Schwab do my alignment today, and it turns out that the front end was correctable. I have a suspicion though that the right side wasn't even touched, because no shims were added, and the bolts were really tight because I had torqued it using a breaker bar.

Tell me if these camber numbers are good...

Before:
LF -0.1
RF .2

After:
LF .2
RF .2

Keep in mind, my problem is excessive inner-edge tire wear.



Here's the Toe numbers...

Before:
LF -.16
RF -.2

After:
LF .2
RF .2

Im thinking since mine had abnormal inner tire wear, that this positive camber would be good, but Im not familiar with what would work in terms of specifications.

Cant seem to find anything on factory specs on the web.

The alignment specifications in the truck manual I've got handy at the moment only go back to 74, which is a little later model than your system. I have a feeling the tread wear problem will not be correctable, due to the major change in the scrub radius caused by the change in the spindle position relative to the angle of the control arms. There is no correction available for the error you have created by lowering. The relationship between the ball joints and the tire centerline has been changed in such a way that the factory-engineered scrub radius has been permanently altered. The best you can hope for is that the vehicle will be safe to drive, and won't have unpredictable and potentially deadly handling characteristics in an unexpected sharp turn or accident-avoidance maneuver. It can probably be made to track pretty straight as long as nothing dramatic happens. Good luck!
Jerry

I have the '63-'66 handy. These are just the preferred spec, the tolerances are not listed in this particular manual.
Caster +2.5
Camber +.25
Toe In 3/16"
Th toe could be tightened up a bit from te spec if you're running radials.

Great, thanks for that. It looks like Im in the "sweetzone".

Thanks again. It will be interesting to see how things unfold. If the geometery has in fact been altered, then maybe a special upper control arm may be necessary to correct it.

By the way, I do have the stock spindles on there. What lowered the truck are 2" drop springs, and 2" lowered control arms. The latter was supposed to be better than drop spindles because they touted that it actually corrected the geometry...it was part of the reason that attracted me to the contorl arms (versus drop spindles).