Poly Lower A-Arm Bushings - One easy question as I am confused

[jjs64bj8]

Yes I know most say stay with rubber on the front lower a-arms but I have the poly ones and are going with them for now.

I have done all the searches on the subject and cannot find this question answered definitively.

How tight do you tighten the fulcrum pin?

When using the original rubber bushings with the metal inner sleeve insert (assuming they are the right size) you tighten the special fulcrum pins until the special fulcrum washer bottoms into their respective slots on the frame brackets. This should also coincide with the two rubber bushings mating each other in the center of the a-arm. At this point the nut should be tight.

With poly bushing there is no center steel sleeve. So one could keep tightening the nut squeezing the two frame brackets together even more as now there is nothing to stop from doing this until you hit the shoulder of the fulcrum pin. Also this would continue to squeeze the flange lips of the bushings into possible deformation.

So when does one stop tightening? I did read that when using the poly bushings the trick is to not over tighten them.

Can I assume that the correct tightness is when the special washer is seated into its slot and then just snug the nut and install cotter pin? Or does one need to tighten until the washers bottoms on the shoulder of the fulcrum pin. I tested this on the bench and that is really tight.

Thanks....Help!

jjs64bj8
Jeff

 

[steveg]

I'm running the poly bushings from Cape. As I recall there is a center sleeve, which rotates on the fulcrum pin. Therefore some anti-seize is indicated. I think you're just snugging the nuts up, making sure the special bolt head is seated properly, and setting the cotter pin.

A few years down the road mine are groaning a little until they warm up.

Next time - rubber bushings.