[ray96480]

I have a 1947 Nash with a 70 Nova clip in it. Just replaced all the A frame bushings, ball joints, tie rod ends and an idler arm. The problem is that when I go forward the suspension extends and stays there causing the the tires to squeel. We have aligned the front end and it has gotten better but when out on the highway it stays up until I slow down. Squeels something bad, anyone have any idea what to do?

[1badLemans]

Not too sure what would make the tires squeel when the suspension "extends"? Do you mean the nose of the car raises up when on the highway? Did this happen before you changed the bushings? Was the nova front clip put on/welded up right? Springs the right rate for your car engine? Did you use polyurethane bushings and NOT grease them liberally???

[ray96480]

Excellent questions. There is rocket science to this hot rodding stuff. This is what I found when I went back into the A frame set up. All of the bushing are stock and not the poly type bushings. The original bushings were missing so much rubber and stuff that it did not climb when accelerated. I am surprised that it all stayed together. And I suspect the original architect put this subframe on with the worn out parts on it from the start. The springs have been heated up to drop the front end down. I found that I had not got the top of the springs onto their perches and were actually riding on the hat section of the perches. Seated the springs correctly and the car rides much better. I don't think the car weighs enough and even now when given the gas the front end rises causing the front tires to tilt inwards like when you jack a front end up. We have decided that the springs are still too strong and the car needs more weight up front. When I get off the gas the front end settles down and the tires go back to their proper driving alignment. This is the 1st front end overhaul I have done and have learned much.

[aosborn]

If using OEM style rubber bushings, did you tighten them with the car at finished ride height?

[aosborn]

If the car was aligned when sitting "low", the alignment will be off when the car is "raised". That is likely your squeel problem.

[aosborn]

Looks like we were posting at the same time.

Are you still using the springs that have been heated?

[cpg2]

I think aosborn is on to your problem about tightening the frt end. If you tightened all your bolts on your a arms with the car jacked up then the rubber in the bushings will always be trying to hold the frt end up. When it is sitting at ride height the rubber will be constantly twisted and your new bushings will not last long. The weight of the car will twist the rubber and settle the frt down but when you accell the natural motion of the frt to rise is assisted by the rubber bushings and goes up and stays up easier.

If you did not do it when you installed the new parts you need to loosen all the bushing bolts and let the car sit with its weight on the suspension at normal ride height and then tighten the bushing bolts.

[ray96480]

Yeah we tightened the a frame bushings with the weight on the car. This last weekend I put close to 300 miles on the car at a rod run poker run. The winds were gusting to 30 mph. The only time the car extended is when i turned into the wind at speed around 60 mph. The cab is basically empty with only the front seats in the car. It does need some weight to it. Thanks for the lessons on front end overhauling.