Lower Control Arm Doesnt go back in????

-
I

idrift

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 29, 2009
Messages
469
Reaction score
2
Location
earth
Hey guys, so I have this all torn apart, cleaned up, new PST bushings
in the lower arms, new pst strut rod bushings on and woaaa I am way off
from getting this together. What gives? I can't believe the torsion bar
can drive this that much forward. Do I need to lift the frame? Are the
PST strut rod bushigns too thick? Even at that is seems like a stretch.

Thoughts and help would be much appreciated!

SNC00057.jpg


SNC00058.jpg
 
I think I have the same problem.I posted this question not that long ago but didn't get a very clear answer, just to make sure the shaft has a sholder on it.I just did a mock up on mine out of the car and noticed it I don't no what I'm going to do yet
 
Yes the strut rod has a shoulder on it that prevents it from engaging any
further. I think I had some of the same issue years ago with my E body but
I dont recall it was nearly this bad.

I hope someone else who has done this on an A body chimes in.

I still have the passengers side together, I will try to take some measurements with the strut rod engagement. I might end up getting some
rubber bushings to try.
 
If your using the pst polyeurethane bushings, They will change the geometry of your suspension as they don't compress like the original rubber ones.I believe that's why there are adjustable strut rods available $$$.I corrected this by cutting the bushings and inner tube to the height of a compressed rubber bushing.Not a big fan of polyeurethane it minimizes deflection but it also limits suspension travel .:angry7:
 
As you can see the stock bushing is almost flush with the race but the poly has that mushroom like tip that sticks up 1/2 inch or so
 
Ok, install the strut in the k mem then the lower arm/bolt/pin into hole on the k membr, then stab the torsion bar into the lower.

Now stick the strut rod into the lower arm and get a nut on the lower bolt and strut rod [the bushing end] and tighten evenly bringing the arm,strut bar,torsion bar forward. then once it's all forward then remove lower arm nut, put washer back on, replace nut again and torque. install strut rod nut behind lower arm and torque/adjust the outter nut at the strut bushing.

Good luck, I hope you can understand what I'm trying to translate through this keyboard.lol
 
I think my main concern is with the extra lenght in the bushing my t bar will be pushed rearward and not be able to install the retaing clip
 
If you look at how far the poly bushing presses on the the king pin you'll see the thickness is compensated for, it's the strut thats a lil thicker to no issue though.
 
I guess that this may not help you because my bushing pressed into the arm much further at least 2". Did you press out the old bushing that is between the shaft and the arm? In your picture it looks like you have what is left of the old bushing. Yours looks like one of the bushings that goes on the strut rods (I think that is what it is called). I hope I am right.

Dart lower arm.jpg


Dart lower arm2.jpg
 
Yes all old bushing out (rubber) had to keep the metal sleeves for installation of the poly bushings.By looking at your pic Badart it looks like you have the same set up.Do you remember if that bushing had a crown or mushroom like end on it
 
It has been a while and I can't remember for sure. I am sorry. Hopefully someone else can chime in.
 
since you put them in how does it drive? do you like them?
 
I still need to have it aligned, but it drives great. Nice and tight with no noise at all. I have power steering by the way.
 
I had the same issue on a 72 Swinger.
the new poly bushings were MUCH thicker.
I did what Pauley v.100 shows in his link.. only I sanded them down on a belt sander to make it work.
 
idrift said:
Hey guys, so I have this all torn apart, cleaned up, new PST bushings
in the lower arms, new pst strut rod bushings on and woaaa I am way off
from getting this together. What gives? I can't believe the torsion bar
can drive this that much forward. Do I need to lift the frame? Are the
PST strut rod bushigns too thick? Even at that is seems like a stretch.

Thoughts and help would be much appreciated!
Click to expand...


You are off by a mile. More than 3/16" shaved off a strut rod bushing will help.

How far is the back of the torsion bar end from groove where the clip goes in the torsion bar anchor? To me you haven't hammered in the back of the torsion bar far enough.
 
If it looks like this its to far in.But polly bushings could be dirrerent.The last idot that pressed it like this should of got a punch in the head.I had to buy new rubber bushing and have it done again.

100_1777.jpg
 
Snake said:
If it looks like this its to far in.But polly bushings could be dirrerent.The last idot that pressed it like this should of got a punch in the head.I had to buy new rubber bushing and have it done again.
Click to expand...

Poly bushings are different.

The LCA pin in the center of the below picture cannot be used with poly bushings. The outer and inner shells of the old rubber bushings must be left in the LCA and LCA pin respectively. The remaining inner shell left on the LCA pin makes a flush surface for the wider poly LCA bushing to ride on.

LwrBshStrt.jpg
 
Yes,

I pressed the pin out and left the shell in the lca and on the shaft.

I just took the other side off and the rubber is obviously much thinner
than the poly. It did kick back the lca shaft to about 1/2" once the strut
nut was removed. I would imagine the poly will not compress like that though.
Also, the steel spacer in the center of the poly bushings is about 1/2" shorter
than the overall of the bushings and that is not including the frame thickness.
Whats the best thing to do here? Should I just use rubber bushings or
cut down the poly until I get a good compression on them? I was trying
to eliminate my death trap, not make a new one!
 
Before I removed the original it looked just like the picture you posted snake.Thats why I thought with the newer poly bushing sticking out further I was going to run into trouble somewhere and autox you were the one that responded a while back to the question I posted.I have the same bushing and the proper pin,so I guess there probably isn't really problem?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top