Well, I’m trying to get ready to take the cougar off the rotisserie and was making some rough adjustments to the strut rods which is a lot easier when the car is on its side. When I adjust the nuts at the bushings to approximately 4.3 inches per the assembly manual, it pushes the control arms back the where they hit/rub on the back side of the frame mount. It’s like this on both sides. I was measuring from the back side of the rear strut adjuster nut to the tip of the strut rod. Does anyone know what I’m doing wrong? If this is a stupid question, let me know, I have thick skin;)
I just measured my three '68’s in the garage. I admit that I have never seen that dimension, and indeed the '68 manual doesn’t have it. I normally measure the position of the rearmost nut on disassembly and reinstall it there when the car is put together after restoration. Then invariably the alignment shop adjusts it again.
On my three cars I have measurements from 4 1/2" to about 5". The one that is at 5" has yet to be aligned, maybe I will decrease it to 4 3/4" before going there. None are rubbing. This one (pictured) is at 5" and it’s close but not touching.
I haven’t dismantled mine yet, if it helps any here’s a photo, and I don’t see any evidence of rubbing
Maybe I’m not reading this measurement correctly. My car is a 70, would it be similar to the 68?
Thanks Randy, is that from a 68? Mine is a 70, should be similar I would think. I’ll go search old photos to see if I can see approximately where it was originally.
Jon
Yes 68 , sorry I missed that
Should be all the same dimensions from 1968 - 1970. I would ignore what the book says (except the word APPROXIMATELY).
Thanks for the advise!
A couple of other things to ‘investigate’ :
(1) Has the bushing itself ( although pressed into the end of the lower control arm )become off center at some point during the assembly ?
(2) Has the front nut on the support strut been tightened to spec ? Just wondering how much it would compress the two bushings as they become ‘sandwiched’ between the washers, and how much that might pull the entire strut rod forward towards the front of the car, and the LCR along with it ( this is the caster alignment adjustment )
From your images the Lower Control arm is rubbing / in contact with the rear of its frame mounting channel, indicating it has to move forward or the bushing is no longer centered in the LCR ?
Just some thoughts …