Evening guys. Anybody have any tricks to getting the frame pad bolts through the frame & into the frame pad? I have the threads in the frame pad & I see the holes on the bottom side of the frame. Just not the most convenient with the lower control arm & spring in the way. Thought I remember seeing a post saying it was easier with the spring out but don’t really want to do that with no motor in the car. Thanks, Kyle
Its doable,.but time consuming but some different extensions and a 9/16 short wiggle socket, some tape to hold the bolt in
The toughest will be the one over the fuel lines,..if you have slender fingers it will be the easiest tho,..my oven mitts make it impossible to get my fingers in the hole to push the bolt up
If the springs are out and lower control arms hanging down,it's waaaaayyyy easier.I always used multiple length extensions and like Ethan said,use tape to hold the bolt in the socket. Sometimes they just go right,other times you get to invent a couple new non kid type words...lol
Thanks fellas. Is it a bad idea to take the springs & shocks out with no motor in the car? I have new powder coated control arms, shocks, & springs. I was going to do that after the new motor install. Kyle
No issue taking them out with no engine,..putting the suspension back together without the help of the engine weight can be fun,.but once again its doable,..I use a big ratchet strap around the frame and under the jack for that chore. Not having that stuff in the way makes the frame pad install a breeze,..if you gonna change the suspension I'd take them out
Nice! Maybe I’ll take the suspension apart to get the bolts in, install the motor, then finish up the suspension. Seems like that will work in theory anyway. Kyle
It also helps if you bolt the frame pads on finger tight or slightly loose, so when you drop the engine in the frame pads can "move" to where everything wants to be. Then tighten the frame pads,o otherwise there's a chance things wont line up and you'll end up having to redo it.
On my S-10, which is the same setup, I used flanged nuts so they would stay in a box wrench and went in through the oval hole in the frame where the fuel lines come out. I then made an oval hole on the other side that mirrored the factory hole. It looks factory. Of course, if you are doing a nut and bolt factory correct restoration, judges may not like the extra hole.
