1942 - 1947 Chevrolet Shop Manual



	*Section 3*

	KNEE ACTION OR INDEPENDENT FRONT WHEEL SUSPENSION PASSENGER CAR MODELS

	CONSTRUCTION The 1942 passenger car front wheels are independently sprung by the S. L. A. (short and long arms) method. This design allows the wheel to move straight up or down in following irregularities of the road. Whether these irregularities be raised obstructions or chuck holes, the shock will not be transmitted to the car or passengers. In this construction the complete assembly is attached to an unusually large and rugged frame front cross member of box section construction which is rigidly bolted to the frame side rails, Fig. 1. This cross member is also reinforced by a bracket under each side rail. The brackets are riveted to the cross member and bolted to the frame side rails. This construction facilitates complete overhaul or replacement in that the complete assembly may be removed from the frame as a unit. Chassis coil springs 14-1/8" long are employed which are mounted in seats, one seat attached to the lower control arms and the other being in the frame front cross member. Double acting shock absorbers of the parallel cylinder type are rigidly bolted to the top of the frame front cross member. The front and rear upper control arms are permanently attached to the shock absorber shaft to provide great strength and resistance to shock. The two upper arms are electrically welded together. Each lower control arm is pivoted at its inner end on a forged shaft attached to the underside of the frame front cross member by two brackets forged integral with the shaft (see Fig- 10). Each control arm carries a hardened steel bushing of the thread bearing type. Neoprene seals cover the inner end of each bushing and the threads on the shaft. These seals prevent dirt and water from entering the bearings, thereby prolonging their life. The steering knuckle support, which carries the steering knuckle and kingpin, is pivoted at its upper and lower ends to the upper and lower control arms. At the lower end a steel threaded type bushing is screwed into the steering knuckle support. A threaded bolt which passes through both arms and the bushing completes the mounting. Neoprene seals protect the bearing from road dirt	and water. The upper end of the knuckle support is mounted to the upper control arms through threaded bushings and a threaded eccentric bolt which provides for caster and camber adjustments. The steering knuckle is of the reverse Elliott type, pivoting on the kingpin through floating bushings which permit movement of the bushings on the kingpin as well as in the steering knuckle. Two tie rods are used which connect directly to the pitman arm—the right-hand tie rod is solid while the left tie rod is adjustable to provide for toe-in adjustment. Rubber bumpers for rebound and compression are mounted on the frame front cross member and lower spring seats. The lower (or compression) bumper engages the underside of the front cross member and the upper (or rebound) bumper engages the upper support arm at the point where the two arms are welded together. A front-end stabilizer is used in connection with this suspension to provide steering stability and control of body roll. The stabilizer is a long steel bar attached to the under side of the frame side rails ahead of the cross member by rubber bushed brackets. Delco type connector links are used to connect the stabilizer bar to the coil spring seats on the lower control arms. The linkage provides complete rubber insulation between the metal parts.
		DUST COVER PACKING
		FORGED PLATE RUBBER BUSHINGS
		RETAINER PLATE Fig. 2—Pitman Arm and Ball and Socket Joint Assembly The ball and socket joints on the tie rod connections are of the self adjusting type, protected from dirt and water by a dust cover and packing. This construction is shown in Fig. 2 at the end that connects to the pitman arm and in Fig. 17 at the tie rod end. The pitman arm is a built-up assembly (Fig. 2). The pitman arm proper is a heavy forging machined to receive tapered rubber bushings. The