Steering: lower outer a arm threaded bushes

[krogash]

This is my 1st time repairing a Stude front end.

I have a 65 Cruiser and one lower outer threaded "A" arm joint is tight. I suspect a PO may have over-torqued the threaded bushes in an attempt to overcome worn parts as the ears on the "A" arm and in the process has deformed the ears and causing the threaded bushes to bind on the threaded shaft. I have found that the measurement between the pads is supposed to be 2.750". I have pressed the ears out square and they are closer to 2.710" This is about the same as on another old spare arm I have. Other side arm is 2.750.

After clean up I find there is a fair amount of play between threaded bushes and shaft; but when it was assembled was tight; most likely from the distorted "A" arm ears.

On new assemblies how snug are the threaded bushes on the shaft? Is there any looseness in the threads before assembly? I am trying to work out if I have a worn unit that needs replacement and have never checked a new unit for comparison.

Ken

[JoeHall]

The end caps should be noticeably loose on the shaft, if cleaned up and assembled in your hand. The looseness allows grease to travel in between, by a grease gun. The cap actually floats on the shaft on a film of grease. If it fit tightly, like a nut on a bolt, a grease gun would not be able to push the grease through, and it would ride metal to metal. Be sure to clean the old parts up real good, and dig all the old grease out of the threads inside the caps and on the shafts. Follow the shop manual for reassembly; its pretty straight forward, plus there are several threads on this NG about the tricky areas.
Hope this helps.

[52hawk]

Sounds like they didn't use a spreader tool when installing the bushings. Proper install requires the ends of the control arm to be spread 15 thousandths while the bushings are tightened.This allows the bushings to be tightened without pulling the ends of the control arm in,and allows for free movement of the shaft when the spreader is released.

[jackb]

Is the spreader used down there on the outside ? I'd guess lack of grease caused your tight situation there and honestly, I don't remember buying a car that had all 4 bushings take grease....GL

[krogash]

Thank you gentlemen. As a collective you have answered all my questions.

Everything on this vehicle has been butchered and nothing done correctly. It seems that the caps have been screwed in without using the spacer and the ears crushed in at an angle. Small ram in the porta power has straightened the ears up nice and square. After cleanup the trunnion and caps screw together smoothly without any lube but with the looseness that JoeHall mentions.

Now to strip the other 3 arms and set all up correctly with new inner rubbers.

Ken

[showbizkid]

Keep going, Ken! You're doing great!