A body lower control arm shaft kit.

Hi Guys,
My 74 Dart needed LCA bushings. I had both sides replaced with Pro Forged kit.
The right side shaft tightened and was torqued. The left side shaft got six threads tight and started to spin shaft and bushing. Not good. The shaft is still in frame, I pushed the LCA away and out from under.

Working on the concrete and under the car port. Upon inspection, the bushing was greased inside the shell. After the fact, I read the factory manual which states- No grease or lubricants.
I think this is why the shaft and bushing spun.

Can I install a new bushing and shaft into the same shell, cleaned completely of grease?
The LCA arms are original.

The Landlord wants this car on all wheels and moved. Or He will have it towed.

I am spun about the drama. any experience or helpful ways would be appreciared.
thanks,
Dave [email protected]

Dave, you can press the new bushing and shaft into the outer shell, no problem.

And forget what the factory service manual says regarding the grease, it's not the reason why the pin is spinning. The factory service manual is for rubber bushings, which are different in both material AND construction from the poly bushings. The factory rubber bushings have a different installation process. Poly bushings NEED to be lubricated, they do not work the same way as rubber bushings. That’s why they have greaseable LCA pins for them.

The pin spinning in the bushing can be a problem with the poly bushings when trying to torque the LCA pin nuts. I generally start tightening the LCA pivot pin nut with an impact wrench, because usually that will tighten the pivot nut fast enough that it will get to the point that the nut is pulling enough tension on the pivot pin that the pin won't spin. And since the LCA pin nuts with aftermarket pins get tightened to 100 ft/lbs the impact isn’t an issue.

Alternatively, since you have slid the LCA back off the pin, you can probably grab the round shoulder of the pin that sits against the bushing with a set of channel locks or vice grips. Do not grab the section of pin that the bushing will slide over, as that will damage the bushing later. I’ll highlight that in a second. Once again, because these are poly bushings, there is no need for the car to be at ride height, or even for the pin to be inside the LCA, for the LCA pivot nut to be tightened. The poly bushing inside the shell should slide back onto the pin, even with the pin mounted in the K-frame and tightened already. Probably not the easiest way to do it, but if you pulled the LCA and bushing off the pin already it should slide back on too.

I grease everything, I use regular wheel bearing grease on the part of the LCA pivot pin that goes inside the K-frame because it will keep the pivot pin and the inside of the tube in the K frame from rusting, which helps remove the pin easier later if necessary. The pivot pin doesn't spin so it doesn't matter otherwise. And I use poly or delrin LCA bushings, so, the poly ones get lubricated with poly specific grease like they're supposed to. Don't blindly follow the FSM for aftermarket parts, follow the instructions for the aftermarket parts.

***edit***
Here's what I'm talking about. You should be able to grab the outside of this round shoulder with a set of channel locks or vice grips. Do not grab the surface the bushing will ride on (blue highlight).

HSS-3005_MF_xl.jpg