Adjusting A-arm bushings w/ ride height change
07-13-2004, 01:39 AM
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Le Mans Master
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Adjusting A-arm bushings w/ ride height change
Still working with Eric from Speed Direct to figure out the creak noise I have. But although it did not solve the problem he did make a good point that if you adjust your ride height your A-arm bushings tension need to be reset. Think about it it's set at the factory specs at about 27.5-28" and you drop the car 2" now all the bushings have constant torque on them. I loosened all the 8 bolts till the washer was loose, got my ride height with the car's weight on the tires and retigtened the A-arm bolts to 35ft/lbs upper and 50ft/lbs. lower. Suggest you guys contimplate the logic of this. Time spent 17 minutes, plus 2 beer breaks.
07-13-2004, 02:24 AM
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Melting Slicks
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I can second that suggestion.
The front suspension on my '79 had been torqued with the car in the air. When I was disassembling the car to install a mono spring it was impossible to move the lower A-arms from the fully lowered position by hand.
The front suspension on my '79 had been torqued with the car in the air. When I was disassembling the car to install a mono spring it was impossible to move the lower A-arms from the fully lowered position by hand.
07-13-2004, 10:04 AM
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I know they say to tighten the end bolt with the car on the ground but after doing many with the poly bushings I just put the cross shaft in the vise, install the bushings and A arms and torque to specs. I then move the A arm up and down checking for binding and find they move freely.
Why are the bushings being used as dampers? To me the poly bushings at least should not but put under a stress and as the suspension moves up and down the bushings get twisted. That doesn't seem right to me.
Any bushing that is torqued in place and then is not free to move will get torn to pieces under normal use.
We start with the cross shaft then slide a piece of steel pipe over this, then a bushing is slide over the pipe and over the bushing a metal sleeve that is pressed in the A arm.
Everything to my way of thinking should move freely, no binding and no slop.
I have not worked with rubber but here again if the bushing is torqued and then is not free to move how can the rubber survive the cycling of the A arm in daily use????
I know this is not what the manufacturer tells you but common sense tells me they are bushings and as such should move freely. I count on the shocks to dampen my suspension not the bushings.
Mine don't squeak.
Why are the bushings being used as dampers? To me the poly bushings at least should not but put under a stress and as the suspension moves up and down the bushings get twisted. That doesn't seem right to me.
Any bushing that is torqued in place and then is not free to move will get torn to pieces under normal use.
We start with the cross shaft then slide a piece of steel pipe over this, then a bushing is slide over the pipe and over the bushing a metal sleeve that is pressed in the A arm.
Everything to my way of thinking should move freely, no binding and no slop.
I have not worked with rubber but here again if the bushing is torqued and then is not free to move how can the rubber survive the cycling of the A arm in daily use????
I know this is not what the manufacturer tells you but common sense tells me they are bushings and as such should move freely. I count on the shocks to dampen my suspension not the bushings.
Mine don't squeak.
