Need Help, A-arm bushings and cross shafts

[chevy_mike]

Hi guys,

So I finally got my A-arms put on last night.



I replaced all of the bushings and cross shafts as the original ones had too much play in them.

Problem I am having is, the pass. side rotate up and down easily, as I would expect them to. The driver side, the arms are very stiff to move. I am assuming this is due to the bushings being a little too tight and causing a slight bind.

Would this be a correct assumption and would backing off the bushings slightly solve this? Any other ideas or tricks?

I have replaced bushings before, just not this style before. Thanks!

[Longhorn Man]

a bump to the top...
I also wonder what exactly is the correct way of doing the cross shafts... since the caps thread onto both the shaft, and the arm, how is it done and the right preload achieved? Should the arm flop up and down... or be stiff?

[chevy_mike]

*tap, tap... is this thing on?*

Anyone have an answer? I want to finish installing my springs and spindles and don't want to do so until I get this solved, in case I have to pull the arms off.

Someone has to have an idea.

The pass. side seems right, not floppy but no real drag. Drivers side takes much more effort to move.

Help!

[mclairmo]

I would probably back off those bushings a bit, make sure all is lubed properly and see if that helps. Only problem is that the bushings may then not be up to factory torque settings and may back off over time and/or hog out the holes in the A-arms. Hopefully, someone else here has run into this issue.

[Richard H.]

This is in the archives somewhere... but from what I remember from mine is used caps torque was 90lb and new was 125lb. So I went to 100 lbs and figure the alignment guy can make the final call.

[PartyPooper]

I'm reluctant to reply because I'm just learning so take it for what it's worth.

I had the same problem with my 70 GMC. The driver's side was tight (hard to push up or down - almost binding) while the passenger side would move freely (not loose but not tight).

I noticed as I was incrementally increasing the torque, the spacing between the arm/shaft/bushing was noticeably different on both sides. It seem like I'd hit 50lbs and there would be 1/2" space remaining on one side while the other had an 1/8" or so, one bushing had 2 lines of thread while one had 4 or 5 showing etc. When I'd continue to tighten one side would go flush while the other still had space remaining even though they both 'clicked' at torque. This happened repeatedly.

I ended up removing the bushings and centered the arm on the cross shaft. I then hand tightened the bushings with the arm centered. I'd move up through the torque increments but what I was most concerned about was keeping equal spacing between the bushings (amount of thread showing), cross shafts and control arms (space between). Sometimes I would hit a 'click' on one side but not on the other, if I'd continue to tighten it would have thrown off the equal spacing. Instead I'd increase the torque setting and continue back on the side that had clicked. Once the bushings/cross shafts/control arms were flush on both sides the torque settings started equalizing and would require the same amount of wrench movement. I don't have my assembly manual here but 125lbs rings a bell. The arm moves just like the passenger side.

Again, I don't know if it's right or wrong but at least it's consistent.

[chevy_mike]

Okay, glad I wasn't the only one with this problem.

PartyPooper, thanks for the info. I'll check things out. I am fairly sure they are centered but the drivers side arms might have gotten tightened a little too far.

In all honesty, for as much as I am a stickler for torque settings, I never even thought these had a value. I thought as long as they are centered and the bushing edge was flush with the edge of the A arm, all was good. Guess I better check my manual.

Thanks again!