WTF now... strut rod too long on one side?

So I was putting my front end back together after replacing all the bushings and steering box.... other than the typical spinning LCA pins with the poly bushings it all went back together pretty okay.... except the passenger side control arm is pushed back on the pin. Driver side is okily dokily, everything is as it should be.

I can bang on it with a hammer and it moves forward a bit then slides back. Still nowhere near where it should be.

Then I remembered this when I disassembled it: the rear strut rod bushing was halfway through the hole!! You couldn't see it when the nut was tightened but sure enough...



I used Energy Suspension bushings and trimmed the backside back on both rear bushings as I've done before but I don't think that's the culprit as the drivers side all went together good and I double checked the bushing placement...

Is there a possibility it has the wrong strut rod?

Maybe another year/body style car's strut rod made it onto this car? Maybe a B-E Body?

If the strut rod checks out correct, what next?

Everything has been fighting me on this stupid car. Even my 2 year old little girl is calling it "stupid car" now...

Do they both have course or fine threads or is one fine and one course? There is 2 different lengths for a bodies...

Is anything bent? I had a similar problem with a 70 Duster I ended up replacing the lower control arm and the strut rod, turns out the K member was bent from a previous accident. I replaced the K member and everything was perfect. Hopefully that's not your problem, but I would check it out.

Measure both of your strut rods. It is possible you have one from a different car.

However, I will say that the poly bushings are not identical to the originals. If you snug the LCA against the poly bushing and the bushing up to the K frame, you end up needing a shorter strut rod to keep the suspension moving free of binding. Which is why I always recommend adjustable strut rods with poly LCA bushings.

The factory strut rods are “one size fits most”. They weren’t exact. They work because of the large rubber bushings, they allow for a lot of movement. If you start tightening things up by installing poly bushings, which have a lot less give, the length of the strut rod becomes more critical to prevent binding.

Also, the strut rod bushings in your picture are completely worn out. They need to be replaced, which will also change the strut rod position.

I was so at my wits end last night, tired of every step having a complication or snafu. I just want to drive the thing again!

I don't see anything obviously bent or broken but people have definitely been into the front suspension before. I've found replacement bushings and random suspension parts painted blue already.

I'm gonna pull it apart tonight and check to see if the radius rods are the same length and check if the LCA slides all the way up without the strut rod on.

Really hoping there isn't a bent k-frame but after I take off and review the parts I'll have to check the next thing....

44067gtdart said:

Is anything bent? I had a similar problem with a 70 Duster I ended up replacing the lower control arm and the strut rod, turns out the K member was bent from a previous accident. I replaced the K member and everything was perfect. Hopefully that's not your problem, but I would check it out.

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i had the same problem on my car, pass side too (is that the side everyone tags the curbs with??), instead of replacing the Kmember, i used some spare 1/4" steel plate i had laying around and used a bolt and washers and nuts to pull the bent part back out.
i think i pulled it out about 3/8" or so, could def see how it was concave, but was much harder see with the strut rod bolted up.

RabidScott said:

I was so at my wits end last night, tired of every step having a complication or snafu. I just want to drive the thing again!

I don't see anything obviously bent or broken but people have definitely been into the front suspension before. I've found replacement bushings and random suspension parts painted blue already.

I'm gonna pull it apart tonight and check to see if the radius rods are the same length and check if the LCA slides all the way up without the strut rod on.

Really hoping there isn't a bent k-frame but after I take off and review the parts I'll have to check the next thing.... View attachment 1715702150

Click to expand...

When that happens... walk away, take a break...