Need Advice - Lower Control Arm Bushing Issues

[TexasPettey]

I've been having problems with the car holding the front alignment. The driver's front lower control arm was shifting quite a bit across the mount point. I removed the lower control arm to find out what is going on. Here's what I found. There is an indentation in the mount point and the bushing wear appears abnormal. Is there normally a small indentation in the lower control arm mount point where the metal cam bolt sleeve is? Any ideas on what could be causting this? I'm wondering if the bushings were incorrectly sized. This is on a '95.

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

I took a look at my spare upper control arms (everyone has some, right?) and the inner sleeve of the OEM bushing has a serrated end, like teeth, that would embed in the frame mounted ears where you have the sliding wear. Your bushing inner sleeve looks like a harder metal, so it was smushing the softer ears mounted on the frame? Since your bushing inner sleeve doesn't have teeth, it was, as you've experienced, sliding. I can take pictures if the description doesn't make sense.

One of those ears looks like it's significantly worn. Might be time to weld on a new piece.

 

[TexasPettey]

Thanks, Tom. If you've got a pic of the stock bushing with the serrated end, I'd love to see it. I don't know if I can salvage these bushings or if I need to get a new set. These have certainly been a real PITA to deal with.

So that I'm clear, your frame mount points are flat and don't have a built in groov, correct? I'm assuming mine is wear, but I'd like to make sure. I hate the idea of having to cut and weld a new piece on.

 

[FrankBarba]

if u need stock bushings i have some from my gen 1 days

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

Thanks, Tom. If you've got a pic of the stock bushing with the serrated end, I'd love to see it. I don't know if I can salvage these bushings or if I need to get a new set. These have certainly been a real PITA to deal with.

So that I'm clear, your frame mount points are flat and don't have a built in groov, correct? I'm assuming mine is wear, but I'd like to make sure. I hate the idea of having to cut and weld a new piece on.

I'll get pix today.

I haven't looked at the frame mount tabs, but it makes sense that they are flat with no groove. Conversely, I think your current bushings (seems like the inner metal tube is OK) are OK.

The reason I have the parts and have not looked is because I have plans someday to put lighter Gen 2 arms on my Gen 1. Someday.

 

[ViperGeorge]

Is that a crack to the upper right of the arrow in the top pic? I don't have a Gen 1/2 but that area doesn't seem to look normal.

 

[TexasPettey]

Is that a crack to the upper right of the arrow in the top pic? I don't have a Gen 1/2 but that area doesn't seem to look normal.

Thanks for pointing that out. I went and checked, but it's just the lighting in the picture and all the dirt built up there.

 

[TexasPettey]

I'll get pix today.

I haven't looked at the frame mount tabs, but it makes sense that they are flat with no groove. Conversely, I think your current bushings (seems like the inner metal tube is OK) are OK.

The reason I have the parts and have not looked is because I have plans someday to put lighter Gen 2 arms on my Gen 1. Someday.

I'm wondering if the inner tube it a bit too long and if that is what it causing it to wear. I can't think of anything else that would cause it to wear through the steel tabs.

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

The Gen 2 bushing from upper control arm shows the many small teeth. Second picture shows how they embed in the washer. I was mistaken, the lower control arm also has "teeth" but not like the upper bushings. However, the contact surface with the body-mounted tabs is much larger than the inner tube of your system. Looks like you need a larger area to spread the pressure over.

If they stay in order, from left to right:
Upper arm, outer end of bushing
upper arm washer
lower arm, outer end of bushing
lower arm, inner end of bushing.

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

Perhaps you can slightly shorten the inner metal sleeve, which cleans up the ends, enough to include a washer on each side.

The length removed from inner sleeve = thickness of washer X 2.

 

[GTS Dean]

As Tom's pics clearly show, you are missing a knurled bearing washer that is necessary to hold alignment and spread the stress. You need to repair that ear and shorten the inner pivot tubes enough for more even stress distribution. The stock tube and washers are designed so that the bushings are primarily controling torsional loads.

 

[TexasPettey]

if u need stock bushings i have some from my gen 1 days

Thanks. I'd like to take you up on that. I sent you a PM.

 

[TexasPettey]

Thanks. There have always been gaps between the bushing that contacts the control arm and the ears. I assumed that there had to be some spacing there because the control arm has to pivot. I wonder if the bushings are poorly designed for spreading the load against the ear mount points.

 

[GTS Dean]

Most all of the delrin bushings I've seen have a stepped shoulder for bearing. You have approximately .25" and .5" room on each side of the bushing on a Gen2, I assume the Gen1s are pretty close, if not identical. Another thing that most delrin setups require is a grease zerk in the control arm so the bushings don't gall in the control arm bores. If you don't want to drill and tap yours, at least slather them up with never-sieze before assembly.

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

Thanks. There have always been gaps between the bushing that contacts the control arm and the ears. I assumed that there had to be some spacing there because the control arm has to pivot. I wonder if the bushings are poorly designed for spreading the load against the ear mount points.

Sorry if I'm telling you something you already know, but the inner sleeve should be fixed and not rotate when the cam bolt is tight. It should be stationary relative to the attaching tab, which is attached to the frame. You need the washers to spread the clamping load and take up the slack, since there should be no gap at all.

The pivoting (rotationally sliding) action is on the delrin bushing. Hence the need for a grease fitting, so you can get lubricant on the inner diameter of the delrin where it slides on the small inner sleeve, and get lubricant on the outer diameter of the delrin so it can slide on the outer large sleeve. The outer sleeve is attached to the control arm.

The OEM bushings are inner sleeve-rubber-outer sleeve and the rotation of the control arm distorts the rubber. In fact, they act like torsion springs, which is why it's important to get them loosened when you do the alignment.

 

[got one]

definately a bookmark for this one...this type of Gen 1 informaiton is hard to come by these days...