'60-'64 Galaxie Lower A-Arm Offset Shaft Eliminator

One of Ford's not so good ideas was the addition of an offset shaft on the front pivot of the lower control arm on 1960-1964 Galaxies and Mercury Marauders. The offset shaft actually moved as the car was traveling and encountered road irregularities. The camber, caster and toe would all change dynamically as the car was moving. Ford did this to give the car a nice plush ride, and it worked well at slower speeds.

Once vehicle speed was increased, the cars felt like wet noodles. Ford knew this fact and tied the lower pivots together with a bolt on bar on taxi cabs, police cars and any car that would see extreme road conditions. I have seen a couple of these bars on Galaxies over the years. There were also some straight lower pivot shafts that would not move and change the front end settings, but they are not readily available. I have also read about people welding the shaft in position, but that makes removal of the lower A-arm more difficult later.

I fixed the "wet noodle" feel on my road race '64 Galaxie by bolting on a simple aluminum radius rod and a couple of brackets to the offset shaft on each side of the car and effectively tying them together so the A-arms cannot move.

Here is the offset shaft I am talking about. One side of the shaft that bolts to the frame is offset about 5/8" from the side that bolts to the lower A-arm:


I built a small bracket out of 3/16" plate that will bolt to the offset shaft. The bracket has a 5/8" hole to slide over the offset shaft, and a 5/8" grade 8 bolt welded to it. The bracket also has a slight bend to allow the radius rod to bolt on straight:


The original nut that holds the A-arm to the offset shaft is used to hold the bracket on:


The aluminum radius rod is 19" long and has left and right hand thread male rod ends on each end. This is a common circle track item and can be bought from Speedway Motors:


The radius rod is adjusted for length and is now bolted to the "stud" on each of the brackets bolted to each of the offset shafts. A self locking nut is used to secure the rod:




The radius rod now will effectively tie the two offset shafts together so that they cannot move. The feeling of the car at speed is nice and stable with no movement at all:

Very nice! I was lucky enough to find a NOS TRW kit on Ebay.

FM Tech Exchange contributor Dazecars informed me that he believes Ford started installing the offset shafts in 1963. I merely included the years 1960-1964 becuase I have seen the offset shafts installed on a 1961 and a 1962 Galaxie, though I don't know if they were factory installed. Can anyone tell us for sure what year Ford started installing them?

I have toe-in stablizer bar , looks better , safer too.. if welds breaks..

Greg Donahue - Online Catalog - DIAGRAMS

Originally Posted by F15Falcon

FM Tech Exchange contributor Dazecars informed me that he believes Ford started installing the offset shafts in 1963. I merely included the years 1960-1964 becuase I have seen the offset shafts installed on a 1961 and a 1962 Galaxie, though I don't know if they were factory installed.

Can anyone tell us for sure what year Ford started installing them?

FORD- 63/64
MERC- 61/64

They were not used on all models. POLICE and HP used a 1962 lower arm.

There are several style kits to stabilize the control arms although yours would look bitchen sitting in front of a 7-QT oil pan...

Originally Posted by KULTULZ

FORD- 63/64
MERC- 61/64

They were not used on all models. POLICE and HP used a 1962 lower arm.

There are several style kits to stabilize the control arms although yours would look bitchen sitting in front of a 7-QT oil pan...

That makes sense. Ford thought it was an improvement so if it was available on the Merc cars in 61 and 62 I can see how it ended up on some Galaxies, probably as a dealer install..... I am just glad my 62 did not have them

Originally Posted by kuumakyyticom

I have toe-in stablizer bar , looks better , safer too.. if welds breaks..

Greg Donahue - Online Catalog - DIAGRAMS

I used this on my car. It was relatively inexpensive at $45. It totally changed the way my car rides and handles. I felt that it was for the better.

Larry

This only pertains Galaxies. All 63 and 64's had the offset shafts even the Hi-Po cars and police cars. Only the Light Weight Galaxie drag cars did not have them. They would not fit on 62 and earlier cars because the frames were not made for them the hole for the lower control arm bolt was too small. The bar that Donahue sells is a copy of one made by Cure-Ride. There were other bars made that did the same thing. The Moog kit was too bars that bolted to the front crossmember with rubber bushings and to the lower control arm bolts. Mark the director of FGCoA sells a kit to replace the off set shaft with a straight bolt. It is a copy of a kit made by a So-Cal Galaxies member.

Originally Posted by 63ford406

This only pertains Galaxies. All 63 and 64's had the offset shafts even the Hi-Po cars and police cars. Only the Light Weight Galaxie drag cars did not have them. They would not fit on 62 and earlier cars because the frames were not made for them the hole for the lower control arm bolt was too small.

Partially correct.

There is a difference in the 60/62 and 63/64 frames whereas the earlier control arms will not fit the later FORD. I remember a thread some while ago regarding this and completely forgot about it. Your post shook a few cobwebs loose.

There were two control arms released for the 63/64 regarding this feature.

63/64 A (except P/I and Taxicab)

R.H. C3AZ 3078-D
L.H. C3AZ 3079-D (CORRECTED)

63/64 A (P/I and Taxicab)

R.H. C3AZ 3078-E
L.H. C3AZ 3079-E

From- 60/64 FORD MPC

(The PN Suffix E control arms has no provision for the off-set bushings.)



Now this being said, one would only assume the feature was not used on lightweights but what about the 64 R-CODES released for the street? I have a 62/63 LIGHTWEIGHT SERVICE BULLETIN here somewheres, and I remember it covering body panels but am unsure of the suspension.

What we need is owners here with 62 and 63/64 406/427 and Police to look under their cars and post here what they find.

I would think the control arms without the feature would be hard to find now (and most likely then) and why the correction kit(s) are so popular.

I think JCAllison mentioned his PI did not have the offset shafts. Rare Parts sells ones like Ford made and are listed for Police and Taxi. I just installed ones like these that I bought from another Fordmuscle member a couple years ago. I'm still waiting for the machine work on the engine so I haven't driven with them yet.

http://ecomserv.bytedesigns.com/ez/retail_order.asp

18021

CRANK REPLACEMENT, Lower Inner, HIGH PERFORMANCE CRANK REPLACEMENT KIT and POLICE/TAXI

233.71