'73-'87 Control Arms are Tight - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Spun Bearing · 04-12-2020, 12:02 AM

I bought pre-assembled '73 - '87 control arms for my '64 . They are very tight, I can't get them to move with all of my body weight. Will this be okay once I have this back on the ground? Seems wayyyyy to stiff to me. If I need to correct this, how?

SkinnyG · 04-12-2020, 10:43 AM

Probably fine.

I imagine you weight far less than the 1300lbs that are going to sit on that control arm.

The bushings are rubber, only about 1/4" thick or so, and often glued to the arm and sleeve inside. That doesn't allow for much flex. I say run it!

Wrenchbender Ret · 04-12-2020, 04:09 PM

Don't tighten the end nuts up until you have the arm in the center of the travel.
George

'65 chevy lover · 04-12-2020, 11:54 PM

Run it, it's fine

SCOTI · 04-13-2020, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wrenchbender Ret

Don't tighten the end nuts up until you have the arm in the center of the travel.
George

x2.

The A-arm shaft hardware @ the bushings is not supposed to be torqued to spec until there is full weight on the suspension. It still binds.... It is just closer to where everything should be.

04-12-2020, 12:02 AM	#1
Spun Bearing Registered User Join Date: Nov 2018 Location: Farmington Hills, MI Posts: 27	'73-'87 Control Arms are Tight I bought pre-assembled '73 - '87 control arms for my '64 . They are very tight, I can't get them to move with all of my body weight. Will this be okay once I have this back on the ground? Seems wayyyyy to stiff to me. If I need to correct this, how?

04-12-2020, 10:43 AM	#2
SkinnyG Registered User Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Beautiful BC, Canada, eh?! Posts: 2,280	Re: '73-'87 Control Arms are Tight Probably fine. I imagine you weight far less than the 1300lbs that are going to sit on that control arm. The bushings are rubber, only about 1/4" thick or so, and often glued to the arm and sleeve inside. That doesn't allow for much flex. I say run it! __________________ 1961 Apache: "Grabber Orange" Shortboxed, pancake, step-notch, air-ride, turbo, LS 1977 Silverado: Shortboxed & dropped, potato-potato V8 Pontiac Firefly (Chevy Sprint): The ultimate engine swap: 5.7L in a 1.0L bag Lotus Super 7 Replica: Scratch-built street-legal rollerskate

04-12-2020, 04:09 PM	#3
Wrenchbender Ret Registered User Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Overland Park, Ks. Posts: 5,229	Re: '73-'87 Control Arms are Tight Don't tighten the end nuts up until you have the arm in the center of the travel. George

04-12-2020, 11:54 PM	#4
'65 chevy lover Registered User Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Ft. Worth, Tx Posts: 536	Re: '73-'87 Control Arms are Tight Run it, it's fine



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