Buick LeSabre 1965 Service Manual page 449

7 - 2 2 SERVICE PROCEDURES
CHASSIS SUSPENSION
Figure 7-20—Lower Ball Joint Installer
Tool in Place - 45, 46, 48000
3. With a suitable socket and
handle force the ball joint into the
lower control arm until it is fully
seated. See Figure 7-21.
4. Turn the stud so the cotter key
hole is fore and aft, and assemble
the rubber dust shield to the stud.
5. Position the tapered stud in
the knuckle and install nut.
Tighten the nut to 65 ft. lbs. and
install cotter key.
6. Install wheel with hub and
drum assembly. Adjust w h e e l
bearings (par. 7-10). Remove car
stand and lower car.
NOTE: Upper and lower b a l l
joints are similar in appearance
but are not interchangeable.
SOCKET
Figure 7-21— Installing Lower Ball Joint
c. Removal and Installation of
Steering Knuckle
1. Follow Steps 1 thru 8 of sub-
paragraph b., Removal of the
Lower Ball Joint. Be certain to
merely loosen the nut.
2. Remove cotter pin and loosen
(Do Not Remove) nut on upper ball
joint tapered stud. Nut should be
loosened not more than 1/8".
3. Rap steering knuckle in area
of stud on both upper and lower
ball joints to separate studs from
knuckle. Nuts that were previous-
ly loosened still hold upper and
lower control arms to knuckle.
4. Make certain that the lower
control arm is adequately sup-
ported by a jack on its outer
extremities to prevent any down-
ward travel of the lower control
arm when removing ball joint nut
(it may be necessary to actually
raise the lower control arm
slightly to remove force of the
knuckle against the nut). Remove
the nut and raise knuckle off ta-
pered stud.
5. The upper ball joint is already
loosened from the knuckle, and
with no spring force to interfere,
it is now possible to remove the
nut from the tapered stud and thus
remove the knuckle.
6. To replace knuckle, wipe stud
of upper ball joint clean, assem-
ble to knuckle with cotter pin hole
fore and aft, seat with sharp blow
of hammer, torque nut to 35 ft.lbs.
and install cotter pin.
7. Wipe lower ball joint stud
clean and assemble to knuckle as
outlined in installation Steps 1
thru 6 subparagraph b, preceding.
7-12 REMOVAL AND
INSTALLATION OF
UPPER CONTROL
ARM OR SHAFT
The removal and installation of
the Upper Control Arm and Shaft
is covered in paragraph 7-11 un-
der a. Upper Control Arm-Ball
Joint Assembly Removal and
Installation.
7-13 CHASSIS SPRINGS
a. Checking Spring Trim
Dimensions
Optional equipment, undercoating,
accumulated dirt, etc., changes
the car weight and must be con-
sidered when checking s p r i n g
trim dimensions. Because of the
many possible variations in load-
ing due to optional equipment it is
not possible to give dimensions
for all; therefore, the spring trim
dimensions given below are for
the standard car only, without op-
tional equipment or undercoating
and with car at curb weight. Curb
weight includes gas, oil, water,
and spare tire but no passengers.
Before measuring spring trim di-
mensions, bounce both ends of car
up and down several times to
make sure there is no bind in
suspension members, and to let
springs take a natural position.
When car is at rest, measure the
trim height at point "Y" for front
spring or point "Z" for rear
spring, a s indicated in Fig-
ure 7-22.
(1) Front Springs. On a car
having service miles the front
s p r i n g trim - dimension "Y"
should be as shown in Figure
7-22 chart.
NOTE: When checking NEW car
add 1/4".
When the front spring trim di-
mension is found to be too low,
correction may be made by in-
stalling special shims (Group
7.425), 1/8" thick, between upper
end of spring and the frame. If
more than two shims a r e re-
quired, replace the spring.
(2) Rear Springs. On a car having
service miles the rear spring
trim dimension should be as
shown on Figure 7-22 chart.