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Rear radius arm attachment

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C

Cutlass

Jedi Warrior
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For some unknown reason, my '66 BJ8 came to me without rear radius arms or a panhard rod, although the rear end does have radius arm mounts. The mounting boxes for the rear radius arms usually located on the inside of the rear wheel wells were missing too. In any event, I'm ready now to install the boxes. I know I'll have to assemble the springs and rear end housing, with the radius arms attached to the rear end, but is there a reasonable way to locate the front mounting holes? I could just aim for the near center of the boxes, but I'm worried that if that hole is not at the geometric center of the arc, there could be problems. Anyone got any measurements of that hole in relation to the inner wheel well? Or any other useful ideas.
 
I don't have a BJ8 to look at. Surely, someone with a BJ8 will go look under it & find a location for you. I'll go out on a limb & say that with rubber bushings, it probably doesn't make much difference within 3/4" or so. Then again, it might cause some binding if not precisely located. Anyone?
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Thanks for the response. Boy did I just spend a frustrating hour and a half, trying to refit the real axle housing and springs so that I could locate the radius arms. With the springs on, the axle housing just won't go down far enough for the u-bolts to attach. I've been working on this project for over seven months now, and this is the low point.
 
Well Cutlass, I can not help you on the radius rods right now as the Healeys are on the ground and covered up.However, you need not fret about the panhard rod as BJ8's do not have one.---FWIW---Keoke
 
Thanks. I was aware that BJ8s did not have panhard rods. It was just odd that the car apparently left the factory without either the rod or the arms, or the mounting hardware for either.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Thanks for the response. Boy did I just spend a frustrating hour and a half, trying to refit the real axle housing and springs so that I could locate the radius arms. With the springs on, the axle housing just won't go down far enough for the u-bolts to attach. I've been working on this project for over seven months now, and this is the low point.

[/ QUOTE ]Cutlass, the usual technique is to jack the rear spring up to fit the U bolts and associated fittings.---Keoke
 
Yeah, I know. Problem is that I'm working with a bare chassis, so the weight is just not enough to compress the spring. I'm thinking about putting the engine in the passenger compartment to get the job done. Thanks for the support.
 
Hi Cutlass,
I used a couple of 6" C clamps to put the U-bolts on. Use the screw end of the clamp to hold the plate in place and hook over the axle. Tighten as needed.
 
Although you said your BJ8 is a 1966, (lots of time back in the 60's the year indicates when the car was first sold, not when it was manufactured), I am wondering how close your vin # is to the changeover from phase 1 to phase 2. That was actually about May, 1964. It seems odd that your car doesn't have either the panrod or radius arms. Phase 1 BJ8's had the panrod. I think the changeover vin # was around 26704 from the phase 1 to 2. Of course the rear shocks and the rear leaf springs are different between the two. I guess it could be possible that they made your car with an older chassis w/o the radius arm attachment.
 
The vin # is 35708, so that much is Phase II. The body number is 3221BJ8/80616. But I think you're right. At the factory they just used whatever chassis they had on hand that day.
 
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