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Input about LCA pivot tubes in K frame

Llamaback

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Hey all, I am wondering if it is normal to have some side to side play when the LCA pivot pin is placed into the pivot tube in the K frame? The reason I got to wondering about this is when I restored my K frame I reinforced the pivot tube area with large washers and while I was welding the washers in I felt that I may have gotten things a bit hot and I feel like I could see the pivot tube distort in shape a little bit as it cooled and maybe pull outwards. When I go to test fit my pivot pins into the K frame it bothers me that there is some slop there. But... there is also slop that is in the LCA pivots themselves by design. I would hate to install the whole engine/trans and K frame assembly only to find out later that the front end may not track well due to the slop in the K frame pivot tubes! Let me know what you guys think. Thanks!

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I wonder if the weld around the hole is keeping the shaft from seating in all the way. There should be a little interference as you tighten up on the 15/16" nut. When I've pulled t-bars, I back that nut off like two turns then tap the end with a hammer to unseat the shaft so you can undo the bars.
 
The pictures do make that look a little deceiving, but I am able to push the LCA's all the way on and get the pins seated as far in as they are supposed to go. Good to know that there should be a little inference when tightened up though, thanks.
 
For down the road disassembling of those, you might toss a little antisieze on the shaft where it steps up just before the flange. I also added washers on the k for reinforcement plus a lot of other work.

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Nice, I like the washers on both sides of your pivot tube. I only did the one side on mine. Your pivot tube hole does appear like it is ovaled out a little as well, do you know if the pins fit snugly in by hand on that one? I did just tighten the pivot shaft nut only to 30-40 ftlbs and it snugged up tight with zero side to side play. This may be a dumb question, but I am assuming now that when the pivot pins are torqued to the 145 ftlbs spec that they will not rotate in the K frame at all during normal suspension travel? If they did rotate it seems like the torsion bar would lose it's setting?
 
Nice, I like the washers on both sides of your pivot tube. I only did the one side on mine. Your pivot tube hole does appear like it is ovaled out a little as well, do you know if the pins fit snugly in by hand on that one? I did just tighten the pivot shaft nut only to 30-40 ftlbs and it snugged up tight with zero side to side play. This may be a dumb question, but I am assuming now that when the pivot pins are torqued to the 145 ftlbs spec that they will not rotate in the K frame at all during normal suspension travel? If they did rotate it seems like the torsion bar would lose it's setting?
Yes, the bars would try to spin to their unloaded shape. All twist should be in the rubber under load.
Mike
 
The holes are fine, it's the weld that makes it look off. Before I sent it off to get coated, I dressed the welds down so they would not interfere with the shafts. On the nut side of the shaft, I welded in the washers that came with the FF greaseable shafts, using the Delrin bushings from them, then found a larger id/od washer to put around that and weld it all together. In addition I cut pockets out of the k, put some weld on the back of the tubes, then put the cut pockets back on with weld.
 
You want to use a thick washer and preferably a grade 8. Looks like a thin washer in your pic.
You are putting the load on a very small surface with the thin one which could lead to premature wear.
 
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