Lower Control Arms

[kens65fb]

Just started to bolt on the suspension back on after 2 years.
Upper control arms no problem, when I tried to put on the lower arms there is a LOT of side play. 
The illustration manual shows (3) large washers (part 3054) installed between the front bolt and control arm, and none on the cross member side . 
I don't remember taking any washers or spacers off when I dis-assembled the suspension.
It seems that I have about a 1/2 inch play on either side. 
Anyone know what I'm talking about.
Thanks

[shopratwoody]

You don't want any play there. Follow the illustration

[kens65fb]

The illustration shows 3 spacers or washers on the front side only, I have a lot more space than that, do I need to fill up the space on both sides with washers, to snug up the control arm?

[RICH MUISE]

I don't remember any washers in mine either, and since you don't remember any in yours, is there any chance the control arm could have been distorted when pressing in new bushings? how were the bushings pressed in? If they were put in a hydraulic press with nothing in between the flanges , they could have been bent in. If you need to compare what the width of the control arm is at the bushings to someone else's, I can measure mine tomorrow night, and also check to see if I do have washers I'm not remembering.   Rich

[RICH MUISE]

I'm just thinking outloud here, but something is not making sense to me.I agree obviously you don't want any slop there, but the bigger question is how you can even get slop if you wanted it. If you have all the right components in place, the design of the assembly would almost make it imposible for there to be slop.Can you post a pic of where the slop is?  If the bolts that screw into the shaft ends are tight, that should eliminate any slop. The two shafts oppose each other so if everything is tight, I don't see how anything could move in and out. Don't forget the arm has to rotate on the shafts, so the bushings/ control arm won't be pulling up  tight against the frame anyway.  The only washers I have on mine are under the bolt heads (against the bushing flange).  If the slop you're talking about is alot of space between the non flanged end of the bushings and the frame, I would check to make sure you have the right bushings. It's been a while since I did mine but I remember there being a difference between the upper and lower conntrol arm bushings, and I am thinking the lowers were the longer of the two...so maybe you have the uppers installed on the lower arm?  As I said, just thinking outloud here of posibilities.  Rich

[glen b henderson]

Sounds as if the bushings have been pressed into the a frame too far. There are small dimples or bumps on the bushings that hold them off the a frame a bit, also when pressing them in if each side of the a frame is not supported, the a frame can be distorted.

[RICH MUISE]

A few pics of what mine look like...I had a hard time holding tape measure and camera, but where the tape is reads about 14 5/16. pic of bushing is a little out of focus, but you can see the raised bumps Glen was talking about.

[Edsel58]

Are the bushings pressed in from the inside of the control arm? If you do it from the outside, the wrong way (its easy to forget things when a long time has passed since dissasembly) this play would appear.

Johan

[RICH MUISE]

That's exactly what he told me had happened, and has corrected the problem. Rich

[shopratwoody]

I had mine apart before I had a dig camera. I used a chalkboard to
make notes of the spacers etc...mine had 3 washers (spacers)
on each side so I put them back after paint etc.
Ron

[Meteorman]

I believe the washers or spacers are there as a way the caster/ camber is adjusted that would explain why they are all different

[shopratwoody]

BINGO! Gotta be Caster