CHEV 4 MAINTENANCE
This can apply to some other models as well
By Chris Osborne
Front end
When jacking up, do not jack in the middle of the I beam as it may bend, always jack one
side at a time.
• Shackle pins: need greasing at least once a year, on annual service, preferably a
couple of times if used regularly. To check for movement place a pry bar between the
spring end and the chassis to see if it moves.
Handy hint: make sure when installing
shackle pins that the flat section of the pin goes to the top.
• Drag link/tie rod balls: These need to be dismantled cleaned and greased and
reassembled once a year. Make sure the balls are still round, if not replace them.
• Wheel bearings: not a great deal of work here, check for movement in the bearing,
adjust if necessary. If ok remove the hub cap and check the amount of grease that is
visible, if dry, disassemble and regrease, if looks ok leave it until the next check.
Should be regreased about every 15,000 miles. (front and back bearing) Always use
new split pins
• King pins: Check for movement in the pin, a bit hard to do on your own. To check
tolerance, movement at the top of the tyre should less than ¼". If near or over this,
replace them. Grease at your yearly service. Make sure that cotter pin is tight when
servicing..
• Wheel balance: This usually isn’t a problem on these older cars, however if you get
vibration in your front wheels it could be out of balance. An easy check is to loosen
the wheel bearing nut a little and place the join of the rim to the top and let it go, if the
wheel rotates it is out of balance. Get some clip on balance weights from a tyre shop
and place on the inside of the rim at the top, use masking tap to hold the weight on
so that you can remove it and try a different position, sometimes you need to put 2
weights on, a few inches apart, there’s a fair bit of trial and error and when you can
place the wheel in any position and it doesn’t move then it is close enough to
balanced. I’ve found that some wheels cannot be balanced at all, if this is the case as
was with one of mine, change the bad rim onto the back and try another one.
• Springs: the biggest problem here is ‘spring sag’ which occurs with age. To gauge
whether you have this check the rear hanger side plate position. The ideal position is
about 10 to 15 degrees (or ¾ ") off vertical, ie. if you look at the side plate from the
side, the bottom should be about ¾ " back from vertical. I’d suggest that when the
shackle side plate is over 45 degrees your springs need to be reset. I’ve seen side
plates that are near to horizontal. If you get front wheel shimmy at speed it is mostly
caused by your front springs flattening out which changes the angle of you king pin.
A short term solution is to place a wedge between your axle (I beam) and your
spring. The wedge can be from 1/8" up to ¼ " at the back. Remember that this is only
a short term solution.
• Wheel alignment: Not a necessary service but easy to check at home without going
to a specialist. Jack the car up at the front, one side at a time and place stands under
the axle. Tie a piece of string onto the rear spring, behind the back wheel and just
about the height of the hub cap, walk to the front wheel with your piece of string, hold
against or close to side of tyre and when the string sits nicely against both edges of
the rear tyre set the front wheel so that back edge of the tyre just touches the string.
Carry out the same on the other side of the car. Then measure the distance between
the inside edges of the wheel rim on front and back. The Chev 4 manual says 1/8"
toe in. A front end specialist mate of mine suggests that 1/16" is a better adjustment,
due to better road camber these days. I’ve used this method on both my 28 and 34
and recently when rebuilding the smashed front end of my 28, and then had it
checked by my mate, it was within 1/16" of the correct measurement.
This can apply to some other models as well
By Chris Osborne
Front end
When jacking up, do not jack in the middle of the I beam as it may bend, always jack one
side at a time.
• Shackle pins: need greasing at least once a year, on annual service, preferably a
couple of times if used regularly. To check for movement place a pry bar between the
spring end and the chassis to see if it moves.
Handy hint: make sure when installing
shackle pins that the flat section of the pin goes to the top.
• Drag link/tie rod balls: These need to be dismantled cleaned and greased and
reassembled once a year. Make sure the balls are still round, if not replace them.
• Wheel bearings: not a great deal of work here, check for movement in the bearing,
adjust if necessary. If ok remove the hub cap and check the amount of grease that is
visible, if dry, disassemble and regrease, if looks ok leave it until the next check.
Should be regreased about every 15,000 miles. (front and back bearing) Always use
new split pins
• King pins: Check for movement in the pin, a bit hard to do on your own. To check
tolerance, movement at the top of the tyre should less than ¼". If near or over this,
replace them. Grease at your yearly service. Make sure that cotter pin is tight when
servicing..
• Wheel balance: This usually isn’t a problem on these older cars, however if you get
vibration in your front wheels it could be out of balance. An easy check is to loosen
the wheel bearing nut a little and place the join of the rim to the top and let it go, if the
wheel rotates it is out of balance. Get some clip on balance weights from a tyre shop
and place on the inside of the rim at the top, use masking tap to hold the weight on
so that you can remove it and try a different position, sometimes you need to put 2
weights on, a few inches apart, there’s a fair bit of trial and error and when you can
place the wheel in any position and it doesn’t move then it is close enough to
balanced. I’ve found that some wheels cannot be balanced at all, if this is the case as
was with one of mine, change the bad rim onto the back and try another one.
• Springs: the biggest problem here is ‘spring sag’ which occurs with age. To gauge
whether you have this check the rear hanger side plate position. The ideal position is
about 10 to 15 degrees (or ¾ ") off vertical, ie. if you look at the side plate from the
side, the bottom should be about ¾ " back from vertical. I’d suggest that when the
shackle side plate is over 45 degrees your springs need to be reset. I’ve seen side
plates that are near to horizontal. If you get front wheel shimmy at speed it is mostly
caused by your front springs flattening out which changes the angle of you king pin.
A short term solution is to place a wedge between your axle (I beam) and your
spring. The wedge can be from 1/8" up to ¼ " at the back. Remember that this is only
a short term solution.
• Wheel alignment: Not a necessary service but easy to check at home without going
to a specialist. Jack the car up at the front, one side at a time and place stands under
the axle. Tie a piece of string onto the rear spring, behind the back wheel and just
about the height of the hub cap, walk to the front wheel with your piece of string, hold
against or close to side of tyre and when the string sits nicely against both edges of
the rear tyre set the front wheel so that back edge of the tyre just touches the string.
Carry out the same on the other side of the car. Then measure the distance between
the inside edges of the wheel rim on front and back. The Chev 4 manual says 1/8"
toe in. A front end specialist mate of mine suggests that 1/16" is a better adjustment,
due to better road camber these days. I’ve used this method on both my 28 and 34
and recently when rebuilding the smashed front end of my 28, and then had it
checked by my mate, it was within 1/16" of the correct measurement.