Lower control arm shaft issues (also: calling VB&P)
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,623
Likes: 29
From: The Netherlands
Lower control arm shaft issues (also: calling VB&P)
Busy on my 'While I'm at it' front end project and I ran into a snag reassembling the lower control arms.
Parts were blasted and powder coated; shaft ends were blasted too, but not coated. Currently installing the VB&P full poly kit, which includes the 31024 and 31028 poly bushing sets with new inner sleeves.
First off a question: who uses loctite on the retaining bolts?
Secondly: I have two issues
I sent VB&P tech an e-mail for their opinion on the matter yesterday, but of course I'm way to impatient to wait for their answer. Monday is looming already, so I decided to throw out a line to the trusty forum as well 
1) A small crack in the tip of the shaft end.
My first thought was to simply file it down; thoughts?
2) Two of the new sleeves don't reach the shoulder completely.
This seems like I can just sand down with some fine grit paper. Correct?
Or were these pressed on in the factory? The AIM does not share very much information on the matter. After bolting things down the sleeves aren't supposed to move anyway, right?
Thanks in advance guys!
Parts were blasted and powder coated; shaft ends were blasted too, but not coated. Currently installing the VB&P full poly kit, which includes the 31024 and 31028 poly bushing sets with new inner sleeves.
First off a question: who uses loctite on the retaining bolts?
Secondly: I have two issues
I sent VB&P tech an e-mail for their opinion on the matter yesterday, but of course I'm way to impatient to wait for their answer. Monday is looming already, so I decided to throw out a line to the trusty forum as well 1) A small crack in the tip of the shaft end.
My first thought was to simply file it down; thoughts?
2) Two of the new sleeves don't reach the shoulder completely.
This seems like I can just sand down with some fine grit paper. Correct?
Or were these pressed on in the factory? The AIM does not share very much information on the matter. After bolting things down the sleeves aren't supposed to move anyway, right?
Thanks in advance guys!
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 11,183
Likes: 3,335
From: North of Toronto - Ontario
I'd tighten in a bolt into that shaft and have a real good look to see if it is actually cracked and just closed up and not visible. Likely your fine, especially since it's all trapped inside the bushing even if it way but JIC. I only say that since it looks sharp like a crack rather than a dent.
As for the bushings. The originals had teeth on the ends of the inner sleeve that locked into the face of the arms there to prevent them from rotating and the rubber twists during use. Hence the "tighten with the suspension loaded" bit.
The poly will slide on the shaft/sleeve even after tightening so the sleeve doesn't lock in. I would expect that sleeve to slide all the way on past that little ridge onto the shoulder once you tighten the bolt.
Just my $.02
M
As for the bushings. The originals had teeth on the ends of the inner sleeve that locked into the face of the arms there to prevent them from rotating and the rubber twists during use. Hence the "tighten with the suspension loaded" bit.
The poly will slide on the shaft/sleeve even after tightening so the sleeve doesn't lock in. I would expect that sleeve to slide all the way on past that little ridge onto the shoulder once you tighten the bolt.
Just my $.02
M
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 9,432
Likes: 124
I'd tighten in a bolt into that shaft and have a real good look to see if it is actually cracked and just closed up and not visible. Likely your fine, especially since it's all trapped inside the bushing even if it way but JIC. I only say that since it looks sharp like a crack rather than a dent.
As for the bushings. The originals had teeth on the ends of the inner sleeve that locked into the face of the arms there to prevent them from rotating and the rubber twists during use. Hence the "tighten with the suspension loaded" bit.
The poly will slide on the shaft/sleeve even after tightening so the sleeve doesn't lock in. I would expect that sleeve to slide all the way on past that little ridge onto the shoulder once you tighten the bolt.
Just my $.02
M
As for the bushings. The originals had teeth on the ends of the inner sleeve that locked into the face of the arms there to prevent them from rotating and the rubber twists during use. Hence the "tighten with the suspension loaded" bit.
The poly will slide on the shaft/sleeve even after tightening so the sleeve doesn't lock in. I would expect that sleeve to slide all the way on past that little ridge onto the shoulder once you tighten the bolt.
Just my $.02
M
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,623
Likes: 29
From: The Netherlands
I'd tighten in a bolt into that shaft and have a real good look to see if it is actually cracked and just closed up and not visible. Likely your fine, especially since it's all trapped inside the bushing even if it way but JIC. I only say that since it looks sharp like a crack rather than a dent.
M
M
Yes, well... I'm sort of a "why keep it simple, if it can be made complicated" kind of guy. Hence this whole 'while I'm at it project' I got myself into
But thanks!
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,356
Likes: 1,592
From: Western NY
My $0.02 worth, regarding Loctite....
I used the VB&P bushings on a C-3 about 20 years ago. I didn't initially use Loctite on the retaining bolts, and one backed out. Fortunately I caught it before anything serious happened. Therefore, I strongly recommend using Loctite on those bolts.....red Loctite.
I used the VB&P bushings on a C-3 about 20 years ago. I didn't initially use Loctite on the retaining bolts, and one backed out. Fortunately I caught it before anything serious happened. Therefore, I strongly recommend using Loctite on those bolts.....red Loctite.
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