Afco Adjusters Installation

[JEFFTATE]

I Have A 1969 Camaro Ss.have Purchased Afco Front Spring
Adjusters.do They Have To Be Cut Or Notched To Fit Into The Upper Spring Pocket Correctly?is Welding Them Into Position A Good Idea?has Anybody Installed A Set Of These? How Did You Do It?

[dennis68]

They have to be notched to fit in the upper spring seat, not a big deal. Welding them in is a huge PITA!

[68BNUT]

I know it was a pain to get them to line up correctly to get the shock thru straight.

[a67]

There needs to be a helical shape to the top of the adjuster. As you posted, this is so it sits properly into the upper pocket. My install was on a '67. Can't see it being much different on a '69.

The helical is 1/4" deep and tapers to 0". This is done over one rotation, turn, circumference (pick a term) of the adjuster. To mark it I ran a strip of masking tape around the top of the adjuster, mounted it in a lathe, set the lathe for 4 threads-per-inch, held a pencil in the compound rest, up against the masking tape, and hand rotated the chuck. Gave a nice even line around the adjuster.

Then used a bench grinder to remove the excess metal.

If no access to a lathe, some tape and a piece of string can be used to provide the helical marking.

One thing I didn't do and recommend, is to put four radial lines on the rotating adjuster spring plate. Make it so the lines are evenly spaced and extend from the center outward. This will make it easier to see the plate rotation while adjusting the height. No need to remove the whole assembly, just need to relieve the spring pressure then reach up and turn the plate by hand.

Bob.

[dennis68]

F bodys must be different than A bodies, either that or you guys are putting the adjusters in the lower spring seat. The A bodies are just stepped right in the middle...cut the adjuster in half about .750 deep.

[CarlC]

Check out my website

[David Sloan]

Hi Jeff!!
Good to see you are using the pro-touring site!!
There are some really good people on this site, that dont mind sharing what they have learned.
If you need any help let me know, We will be glad to help out!!!!

PS If you deside to step up in spring rate let me know i still have the 700lbs. springs!!

[JEFFTATE]

Hey David! I'm glad you still have the 700lb springs.I have been thinking about using them.I can't wait to get my car back on the road and over to Road Killer Customs to
have some bodywork and the guldstrand mod done.Thanks to everyone who answered
this thread.

[68SSConvt]

Nitro - Carlc has a good photo on his site above. I also have a photo of mine at http://www.geocities.com/hrayhouston/Springadjuster.html. A couple of notes, I used cardboard to make a template of the spring pocket, and I found that the taper is actually only 1/4 of the circumference of pocket, not around the whole circumference. 3/4's is just cut flat with a taper the last 1/4 turn. I'd recommend making a similar template on your spring pocket and then wrap that around the adjuster and trace it.
Also, you can see in my photo that I welded a bolt to the top of the adjuster that fit in an existing hole in the spring pocket that holds it up for an easier spring install.
Ray

[JEFFTATE]

Hello Everyone ! I thought I would post a little follow up info for this thread in case someone is searching for information. I ended up making a pattern by using a large Christmas candle,carving it as close as I could to fit the spring pocket in the lower control arm,and then heated the candle and let it make a mold of the exact shape of the spring pocket.It's kind of like making a plaster cast of Bigfoots footprint,only with wax. Don't laugh,it worked great. I then had an exact pattern to cut the spring adjusters by.After cutting the adjusters,I had two studs welded to the edge of the adjusters so they could be bolted in place (180 degrees apart).I also marked the adjuster plate in four places so i could see the rotation.I bolted the adjusters into the upper pocket. the work great. Thanks for all replys. Jeff.

[67LS1T56]

How about cutting some slots on the adjusters and making a window in the frame and turning the adjusters from outside with a long screwdriver sort of like adjusting drum brakes.
I always tought abut it but never did it.

[JEFFTATE]

Hey 67LS1T56, I had the same thought about the notches and slot like a brake adjuster. The weight on the adjuster may make it really stiff though.(Hard to turn).
Also, I did mock-up the spring adjuster on the bottom control arm.That would make it easier to get to, but it interfered with the shock. I am using QA-1 adjustable shocks.
They are too fat to be able to swivel inside the adjuster. A shock with a smaller diameter body may work in this position though.

[vanzuuk1]

Hey nitro, did you mount your qa1s from under the control arm like stock or does the shock sit on the control arm. Mine were too fat to go thru the dse lower arm so I mounted them from above the arm, what a pain.

[JEFFTATE]

I,m glad you asked. I meant to post some info on the QA-1's before now but I,m computerless at home. I have to do all my posting at work. I mounted my QA-1's from the bottom just like a stock shock. But, yes they are to large in diameter to fit through the hole. I enlarged the hole with a die-grinder and cut-off wheel. Not too much,just enough to let the shock sqeeze through. I didn't want to ruin the structural integrity of the control arm. I had to do away with the stock j-nuts in the lower arm that are for attaching the stock shock. I had some grade- 8 3/8x16 nuts welded to the lower arm in place of the j-nuts. Make sure they are square with the shock before you weld them or else. In other words,make sure the lower bolts go straight through the shock so it will be mounted firmly. I used grade-8 bolts also. I also cut a notch out of the hole to allow the adjustment knob to go through. The hole kinda looks like a key-hole ( Round with a square noutch off of on side ). I faced the notch toward the wheel. I believe I can stick a screwdriver through the spring and turn the adjustment knob, although I haven't tried it yet. One thing I have noticed is thet the Qa-1's are always firm,even on #1 setting. They go from firm to bone jarring. I like them though.

[vanzuuk1]

I adjusted mine yesterday , its annoying that they could not make a decal to show the settings, your under the car trying to count clicks. Easy with the shock on the bench, not so easy on the car.

I had them set on 6 but the car followed every ripple in the road, I set them at 4 but I have not driven the car yet.