torque specification upper arm bushing?

[machmeter1]

Hi

I do have the complete car shop manual and some other specific literature but either I am blind or the torque specification for the upper control arm bushing is nowhere listed.

quote manual:

12) With the spacer positioned in the arm torque the bushings to specification. Move the arm on the shaft to be sure that no bindings exists...

Please let me know if anyone of you has more information regarding this subject

 

[marks73]

Hi

I do have the complete car shop manual and some other specific literature but either I am blind or the specification for the upper control arm bushing is nowhere listed.

quote manual:

12) With the spacer positioned in the arm torque the bushings to specification. Move the arm on the shaft to be sure that no bindings exists...

Please let me know if anyone of you has more information regarding this subject

Here is a picture of the upper control arm



The "spacer" is the bar with the 2 studs. The bushings are in the wide part of the arm where it pivots with the largest nuts that have the grease fittings just outside the 2 studs. The outside nuts hold the bushings in place. The 2 studs connect the arm to the shock tower. Much easier to buy the new arm complete than to try to replace just the bushings. They run from $60-$80 each.

 

[machmeter1]

Hi marks

I guess I expressed my question bit wrong. I have new NOS upper arms I just want to know the torque specifications for the two bushings as its not mentioned in the shop manual everything else is pretty much clear for me.

Wolfgang

 

[marks73]

Hi marks

I guess I expressed my question bit wrong. I have new NOS upper arms I just want to know the torque specifications for the two bushings as its not mentioned in the shop manual everything else is pretty much clear for me.

Wolfgang

Wow! your right nobody seems to nail that spec down (even my service manual) All I can find is "don't tighten caps to point it won't pivot."

 

[73mach1]

I don't know if there are any specs on them.On mine I tighten them a little bit at a time on each side to keep the shaft centered till it started getting tight, then backed it off where the shaft rotated freely.

 

[Bill73Ragtop]

Make sure you check them now and then. I rebuilt mine back in the 90's. Since I only put 1,000 miles or less on the car annually I didn't think too much about checking them. A few years ago I was greasing the front end and noticed the grease fitting was not pointing out where I typically set them.

I discovered the bushing caps had loosened and were within a couple threads of falling off the shaft. Scary!

I dribbled some permanent Lok-Tite on the threads and re-tightened same as Jay did. I have also heard of some folks who spot weld the cap to the threads.

In any event, I check them every spring as I prep the car for the new season.

 

[machmeter1]

Hi

Lok Tite might be a good solution to secure them, definitely more professional solution than a spot weld. Anyway if someone of you has an idea about the torque specification - please let me know.

Best regards

Wolfgang

 

[71_resurrection]

I just installed Dynacorn's uppers control arms on Saturday along with all new components for the front suspension. Anyway, the fit was perfect and when it came to the bolts that hold them in place, mine had a lock washer behind the nut to keep it in place. I looked everywhere for a torque spec, but no luck...so I just tightened them down pretty hard and will check them after a hundred miles or so.

 

[user 1266]

I finally found a site for 62-65 fairlanes that indicated the torque between 150-170 lbs. So I tightened them as tight as I could. It seemed really tight until I lifted the control arm up and down a few times to loosen them up. http://www.fordsmallblock.com/PDF/Upper-Control-Arm-Bushings.pdf


my mistake It indicated 160-190lbs, this is the only article I could find on the subject

 

[marks73]

I would want the spec on a coil over upper arm. I'm going to get up with an old freind from back home who used to work at a dealership and see if he recalls anything about it.

 

[machmeter1]

I finally found a site for 62-65 fairlanes that indicated the torque between 150-170 lbs. So I tightened them as tight as I could. It seemed really tight until I lifted the control arm up and down a few times to loosen them up. http://www.fordsmallblock.com/PDF/Upper-Control-Arm-Bushings.pdf


my mistake It indicated 160-190lbs, this is the only article I could find on the subject

Intresting article, almost a sientific research... thank you for contribution. I ll test it and share my experiences with you.

Wolfgang

 

[machmeter1]

As I mentioned above, I will share my experiences concerning upper control arm installation. I purchased last year so called NOS upper control arms on ebay. As soon as I got them I started to have doubts about their originality.

They are a bit wider than my old control arms. I noticed that when I tried to install the 8 1/16 inches long spacer, described in the car shop manual – first setback.

Second setback, the threads on the bushing to control arm looked already worn out or were cut in that bad way. Anyway I installed the shaft centered on the arm and attached the left and right bushing. If I would have tightened them more than hand tight I would have ruined the threads.

To secure the bushings, I made a small spot weld on each bushing. The spot welding didn’t heat up the bushing much, so no worries about the O ring. With the procedure described above a achieved an exactly centered shaft and perfect clearance between shaft and bushings.

I definitely will keep the old upper control arms. A good lathe operator should be capable to refit them.

My conclusion - it depends very much on the hardness of the metal the control arms (aftermarket parts) are made of and the condition of the threads. Further the right clearance in the bushing to the shaft plays an important role, finding the right torque specification. In some, like my case there were not much options left, than securing the bushings with a spot weld or screw locker.

Thanks for all contributions to this subject.

 

[73mach1]

Look really good.