Installing strongarms and air bags into 1970 el camino

[elcaminokid]

I have a few issues I am concerned with and need some input. First off, I bought new grade 8 bolts for all the suspension arms to be bolted back into place, after assembly without torquing anything down the whole rear end seems to be kind of squeaky when i lift the frame up and down,
Should I grease the new bolts or bushings somehow before proceeding?

Next, One of my upper control arms is binding and rubbing on the rear end. See attached link for picture of this. Is there something abnormal about this, do I need to grind my brand new powder coated parts?
http://my.fit.edu/~kreihl/airride/CIMG0200.JPG

Next off, The rear air bags, when deflated is the frame supposed to lay on the rear end bump stops? Looking at my picture of the air bag, how is it not going to rub the rubber if this happens? And what is the orientation it should be installed. I don't know which is right side up.
http://my.fit.edu/~kreihl/airride/CIMG0205.JPG

Also,I believe that the front control arms were label wrong, This is how I have installed them, opposite to how it was labeled. Am I correct with this. Should the flat side of where it bolts be on the face of the frame like i have it now, or the other way around.
http://my.fit.edu/~kreihl/airride/CIMG0203.JPG

Are there any torque specs for bolting down all the control arms?

Thanks
-Keith

[darren@ridetech.com]

The polyurethane bushing should be lubricated when assembled here. Being that you just installed the stuff and it's already squeaking, I would say we may have forgotten to do this. Lithium or Silicone will work fine.

I had this same problem on my car, it's only on certain axles, and just on the driver side. We have been talking about redesigning those. You will have to grind it a little.

Yes, fully deflated you should be sitting on the factory bump stops. Fully deflated the the air spring will wrinkle up a little, but the lower plate will ensure that it will not rub on anything sharp to damage the air spring. Also, on some cars you may need to trim the edge of the bump stop off, so it doesn't rub the air spring. The end with the air fitting hole will go up. Clock it to whichever position give you best access to the fitting, (If I remember correctly I positioned the air fitting to point to the middle of the car, and drilled a hole in the frame.)

The control arm that you have pictured is the driver side arm, but you have it installed updside down. tighten down the cross shaft nuts enough to take the play out of it and enough to cause some friction some raising and lowering the arm. Same with the lower arms.

[elcaminokid]

I'll work on those things, so for the rear then, minimum ride height should be where the bag no longer wrinkles?
I bought this kit maybe a two years ago or so, and a lot of stuff happened to deter me from putting the kit in, so the bushings may have been greased but just over time settled or something. I just hope I got everything when I first ordered it cause I never had the time to really check it.

[darren@ridetech.com]

Also, I would use a locking nut or lock washer on that.

[darren@ridetech.com]

Fully deflate the air spring will wrinkle, and that is ok. Minimum height on that air spring is 5.25", Ride height will be around 10".

[elcaminokid]

Lock washer on what?

[darren@ridetech.com]

sorry. The bolts that attach the arms to the axle and frame.

[darren@ridetech.com]

So when are we gonna get some pics of the car?

[elcaminokid]

Well being that its really just a frame right now, not for a little bit haha. I will update where I'm at once I finish some more stuff. Still trying to figure out how to put all the suspension together and get some wheels back on the frame.

Here are some old pictures of when I first pulled the chassis out from the body. Since then I have sandblasted and painted the frame and what not.

*Note. My garage is nowhere near that clean anymore.

http://my.fit.edu/~kreihl/airride/DSC00338.JPG
http://my.fit.edu/~kreihl/airride/DSC00341.JPG
http://my.fit.edu/~kreihl/airride/DSC00344.JPG

I got some lock washers on all the new hardware, i just wanted to make sure you didn't mean the cross shafts for the front uppers. I also ground down the rubbing rear upper arm. Still need to do something about all the squeaks though. Also need to do the whole trimming for the front shockwaves.

[darren@ridetech.com]

Just so you know we are going to start sending the hardware with that kit. Also, we are changing the upper bar a little so that it will clear. Thanks.

[elcaminokid]

Yeah hardware would have been really nice, kinda hurt paying 50 bucks for 10 or 12 nuts and bolts, after spending so much money for the kit. It would also be nice if you included some poly bushings for the rear end where those uppers go in, since all of the control arms have them except I'm stuck with crappy old stock rubber ones in there for now.

[elcaminokid]

http://my.fit.edu/~kreihl/airride/CIMG0214.JPG

http://my.fit.edu/~kreihl/airride/CIMG0216.JPG

Does that wrinkle look okay, it seems to be folding on itself a bit.

[darren@ridetech.com]

Shoot some air in it. It will then roll over itself properly.

[elcaminokid]

Here is my latest picture of my car, I got some more work done and figured I'd show off. I have some more pictures Ill be posting in the rides section once I am approved.
Can't wait to finish and bring it autocrossing.

http://my.fit.edu/~kreihl/airride/70caminoair.JPG

[darren@ridetech.com]

Looks good man!