Lower control arm shaft caps

[gopokes]

I am in the process of rebuilding the front end, the front cap will tighten all the way down but the back one still has a small gap. Do you think that it could be bound up somehow? The control arm still moves freely so I didn't think that was it. It is really starting to frusterate me. Hopefully someone can help, Thanks!

Front.



Back.

[texastrendz]

yes the caps should seat like the first pic. the only shaft that i found that would work correctly when i did mine was by the moog company. all the others would bind on the way in. yes i did make sure the caps threaded in all the way before i put the shaft in. you need to see if it is the cap or the shaft that is the problem. this is why i have no converted to the 73-87 arms. i feel your pain.

[gopokes]

Originally Posted by texastrendz

yes the caps should seat like the first pic. the only shaft that i found that would work correctly when i did mine was by the moog company. all the others would bind on the way in. yes i did make sure the caps threaded in all the way before i put the shaft in. you need to see if it is the cap or the shaft that is the problem. this is why i have no converted to the 73-87 arms. i feel your pain.

So you had this happen with multiple shafts? Has anyone else had this problem?

[dwcsr]

This happens when they are not centered in the arm as per the GM manual.

[Wrenchbender Ret]

I think DW hit on it. Try turning the shaft towards the front cap. I,ve put many of these on 1 ton trucks & have never had that problem.

[gopokes]

By "turn the shaft" you mean maybe with a pipe wrench? I was beginning to think I should loosen the rear cap and tighten the front one down more. Would that help? Thanks for the help guys.

[Wrenchbender Ret]

The shaft needs to be centered in the arm. Measure the distance from the bolt holes to the edge of the arm. It should turn fair ly easily with a bar in one of the holes. You will have to back the rear cap back a little as it is probably binding on the shaft. The shaft has threads like the caps so it should move when turned.

[dwcsr]

loosen the ubolts and turn the shaft toward the seated nut. You should be able to run the nuts all the way in, it may take a pipe wrench to turn the shaft but not a lot of force. The assembly should move freely.

[gopokes]

Ok, so I will try backing off the rear cap, hopefully that will help.

[texastrendz]

i counted the turns on each side once they caught the thread, i did half turns until they bottomed out. i dont know if they are supposed to be centered or not. this is how i did mine and the alignment shop had no problems.

[gopokes]

Originally Posted by texastrendz

i counted the turns on each side once they caught the thread, i did half turns until they bottomed out. i dont know if they are supposed to be centered or not. this is how i did mine and the alignment shop had no problems.

I tightened them one turn each back and forth until the back one stopped. Then I tightened the front one down just to see if it would seat all the way down, it did, the back one was so damn tight I gave up and came to ask the experts! I have a cookout tomorrow for mom's day so I don't think I will get a chance to work on it. Hopefully I can get it squared away.

[gopokes]

So I took the lca off and turned the shaft toward the seated cap, then I tried to tighten the cap that was stuck. No luck, so then I tried to get the cap loose, no luck. It is completely stuck. Won't go either way. I'm thinking I am going to have to leave it the way it is. I got the shaft centered but that cap is not moving. I'm out of options, what do you guys think?

[texastrendz]

don't leave it, fix it. you do not want it to back out. if you got it in, you can get it out. take some time and it will eventually come out.