Lower Control Arms - Bent???
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
From: Forest VA
Lower Control Arms - Bent???
Removed bushings from control arms - when putting arms back to back one side has less gap than the other. Is this okay? I do not want to have arms blasted and powder coated to find they are bent. How can I tell if they are bent? Also - the inner bushing sleeve froze on the cross shafts. After removing the inner sleeve the bushing surface is fairly rusted / scored on cross shaft - can they just be cleaned up or should they be replaced?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 845
Likes: 1
From: Columbus Indiana
The only time I've seen one pinched together like that was when the feller driving the old bushing out didn't support the open space between the two sides and tapped a little too hard with the 'ol hand sledge. If I remember right, he found a piece of pipe 'bout the same size as the normal gap and just drove it into the pinched area. It opened up just fine.
The rough looking shaft ends are how they came from the factory. They're fine.
John
The rough looking shaft ends are how they came from the factory. They're fine.
John
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,145
Likes: 5
From: South of London, Engerland
It's more than just the gap. In this picture, the flared-out flange of the arm looks deeper in the left-hand arm compared with the right. (I mean the bit that bends towards the camera and then down to the bottom of the picture away from the gap, if you see what I mean.)
Maybe different manufacturers for the arms?
Maybe different manufacturers for the arms?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,336
Likes: 1
From: North Bellmore Ny
St. Jude Donor '09
Look at any right and left on any c3 suspension part and the are not the same due to engine rotation, driverside and so on these parts were made with that in mind. no 2 parts will be the same (except racing replacements) These look very fine
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 805
Likes: 5
From: Naperville Illinois
SO--to be clear--even though the gap between the walls has been compressed, the arms are okay to use? I did mine this weekend, with exactly the same results--these could be pictures of my lower arms...
I figured that if the steel wasn't buckled and the outside dimensions are unchanged, I should be okay; I could widen the gap but I'm afraid I'll misalign the holes...
I figured that if the steel wasn't buckled and the outside dimensions are unchanged, I should be okay; I could widen the gap but I'm afraid I'll misalign the holes...
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,532
Likes: 14
From: Dallas-Fort Worth TX
I am in the middle of this very job right now. I did not think to compare them like you did, but I will for the sake of doing so when I get them back from the blaster guy.
Mine were original bushings, and were pushed out with a air hammer and chisel. The inner sleeves were rusted to the shafts, but they came out in one piece. The ball joints were riveted in telling me they were original factory. Were your ball joints riveted or nut and bolts held them in? May tell ya if anybody has messed with them before. Unless your are the original owner. Good luck with your build.
Mine were original bushings, and were pushed out with a air hammer and chisel. The inner sleeves were rusted to the shafts, but they came out in one piece. The ball joints were riveted in telling me they were original factory. Were your ball joints riveted or nut and bolts held them in? May tell ya if anybody has messed with them before. Unless your are the original owner. Good luck with your build.
