Tabs

[schuyler]

On the lower control arms pivot shaft ( part # 532188 ) of the front suspension both the left and right shafts have a "half moon" shaped tab with a hole in it. What are these tabs used for? I use them to hook up tie downs when trailering my Avanti ( no, this does not hurt the alignment ). Your thoughts? Thank you!

[Gunslinger]

I think you have it right...they're for securing the cars when being transported on delivery trailers.  

Edited January 15, 2019 by Gunslinger

[mfg]

To expand on this question a bit.....Those lower control arm pivot shaft eyelets came out when the Studebaker Avanti was introduced.... this was due to the car's fiberglass body.

Avantis entered the scene long before modern 'rollback' type car carriers......Back then the older winch type  'hook it by the nose or tail and lift' tow trucks were all that were available.

The eyelets or "tabs" were essential, as an Avanti's bumpers can not, of course, be used for lifting the vehicle!

A 4"X4" piece of wood also came into play when lifting one of these fragile cars!

I'm going to stick my neck out here and say that in '63 &'64, the lower control arm pivot shafts WITH EYELETS came standard only on Avantis, however, they possibly may have also came on the Hawks & Larks!

 

[StudeNorm]

Over the years I have owned and dismantled a number of Larks from '63 to '66 and all the a-arms I removed came equiped with the shafts with the eyes. I always thought that was normal on a Stude and even used that point for attaching tow chains when required (too often back in the day but I could never resist back country trails, even in a Lark). I'm not sure if I would recognize a pre-63 shaft and where else do you hook up your chains?...?

[mfg]

17 hours ago, StudeNorm said:

Over the years I have owned and dismantled a number of Larks from '63 to '66 and all the a-arms I removed came equiped with the shafts with the eyes. I always thought that was normal on a Stude and even used that point for attaching tow chains when required (too often back in the day but I could never resist back country trails, even in a Lark). I'm not sure if I would recognize a pre-63 shaft and where else do you hook up your chains?...?

It makes sense that Studebaker only used one lower control arm pivot shaft from '63-'66......Pre'63, wrecker operators would snake the hooks through the lower control arm or behind it....we've all seen those lower arms bent up at the rear!

They would also use the rear lip of the main engine support crossmember....or even the hold down brackets bolted further back on the frame side rails that many Studebakers which were shipped by railroad seem to have.