Control Arm Crossbar
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 124
Likes: 1
From: Warner Robins GA
Control Arm Crossbar
I am rebuilding the front control arms. Here is a pic of one of the crossbars. They all have these grooves that run around the end where the bushing goes. I haven't seen a new one to know. Are these just machine marks or is this wear from grit getting inside of the bushing that warrants replacement?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,093
Likes: 297
From: Midlothian VA
I am rebuilding the front control arms. Here is a pic of one of the crossbars. They all have these grooves that run around the end where the bushing goes. I haven't seen a new one to know. Are these just machine marks or is this wear from grit getting inside of the bushing that warrants replacement?
Pretty uniform marks to be caused by "random" grit.
Looks intentional but can't think why someone would do that - perhaps the previous owner installed poly bushings?
Good news is - the original rubber bushings don't move on the bar when properly installed (they're clamped in place by the end bolt and the bushing teeth bite into the shoulder). So, unless you get alot of slop between the bushing ID and crossbar OD you should be good to go.
Last edited by Hammerhead Fred; Apr 15, 2015 at 07:42 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 11,183
Likes: 3,334
From: North of Toronto - Ontario
Factory are pretty rough machined but I've never seen any that coarse.
There's not enough rotation to have any "grit" create lines all around.
I knurl mine to improve the fit but that gives diamond or horizontal marks.
Check the measurement, should be somewhere handy to
Upper shafts .670-.676
Lower shafts .738-.742
Intermediate
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
From: Frisco Texas
The final machining was very coarse. Rust is about 8 times larger than steel, so the grooves are accentuated. Mine looked like that on my 77. A little bit of time on a wire wheel made a world of difference.
