Front Suspension

The front suspension is designed to allow each wheel to compensate for changes in the road surface level without appreciably affecting the opposite wheel. Each wheel is independently connected to the frame by E steering knuckle, ball joint assemblies, and upper ant lower control arms. The front wheels are held in propel relationship to each other by two tie rods which are connected to steering arms on the knuckles and to an intermediate rod.

Coil chassis springs are mounted between the spring housings on the frame and the lower control arms. Shock absorbers are mounted inside the coil springs and attached to the lower control arms by bolts and nuts. The upper portion of each shock absorber extends through a frame bracket and is secured with two insulators, two retainers, and a nut.
Side roll of the front suspension is controlled by a spring steel stabilizer shaft. It is mounted in rubber insulators that are held to the frame side rails by brackets. The ends of the stabilizer are connected to the lower control arms by link bolts and isolated by rubber insulators.
A ball joint assembly is riveted and bolted to the outer end of the upper control arm and is attached to the steering knuckle by a castellated nut and cotter pin.

The inner ends of the lower control arm have pressed-in bushings. Bolts that pass through the bushings attach the arm to the frame. The lower ball joint assembly is a press fit in the lower control arm and attaches to the steering knuckle with a castellated nut and cotter pin.

Rubber grease seals are provided at ball socket assemblies to keep dirt and moisture from entering the joint and damaging bearing surfaces.
All wheel drive models have a front suspension consisting of control arms, stabilizer shaft, shock absorber and a right and left torsion bar. Torsion bars are used instead of conventional coil springs. The front end of the torsion bar is attached to the lower control arm. The rear of the torsion bar is mounted into an adapter and adjustable arm at the torsion bar crossmember. Vehicle trim height is controlled by this arm adjustment.