Strut rod bushing question

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75slant6

75slant6

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Ok folks, just last week I installed the front suspension, engine and trans back in my car and torqued everything but the pivot shafts down.

Well when I redid my frontend I swapped to BBP discs and used PST's 73+ kit.

Today I read that the pre 73 and 73+ strut rods and bushings are different and don't interchange... Well my luck, I have 72 strut rods and 73+ bushing and everything is installed and torqued.... So I have 2 questions....

Question 1. Can I trim the 73+ bushing down a little to work with the 72 rods, therefore not needing to tear the frontend apart?

Or 2. Can I slide the LCAs back far enough without busting the lower BJs loose, to get the strut rods out so I can change the bushings?

Thanks all
 
On my 65 valiant I was able to slide the Lca out to replace the strut rod bushings without breaking apart the bj. You could put the right ones in. Remember it will affect your caster. During rebuild did you use offset uca bushings. That will help get you more caster.
 
Yea I used moog offset UCA bushings. I ordered new 72 strut rod bushings today and I also discovered I have the strut rod washers cupped the wrong way so I'll try to get the strut rods slid out without taking anything else apart again.
 
On my 67 fish with the offset bushings I was able to get +3 degrees caster with - 1 degree camber on drivers and -.08 degree on passengers.
 
early and late strut rods are different but i would think the bushings are the same.
...just torque them to correct spec?
 
I see you already ordered new ones but I was gonna say just get a set of adjustable strut rods...

Anyway you may still have to mess around with the bushings to get the strut rods far enough back though, I had a problem where the PST ones in the kit I bought about 7 years back were too thick and I replaced them about 3 years ago with a set of Moogs which are specific to those years of A-bodies.

Then I put poly LCA bushings and new greasable pivot shafts in about a year ago and realized I pretty much need adjustable strut rods; the damn thing still pulls to the left a tad when I brake hard and the driver side LCA has a little over 1/16" gap between the end of the bushing and the shoulder on the pivot shaft while the passenger side doesn't.

Maybe I should just buy a new K-member LOL
 
Forgot to reply to this. I actually thought about getting adjustable strut rods and being done with it but we've been slightly strapped the past 2 months so $15 for bushings vs $200+ for adjustable strut rods decided that for me. lol.

I did get the bushings swapped out tonight, bout sweat to death but it could've been worse.
 
MOPEkidD-3 said:
I see you already ordered new ones but I was gonna say just get a set of adjustable strut rods...
Anyway you may still have to mess around with the bushings to get the strut rods far enough back though, I had a problem where the PST ones in the kit I bought about 7 years back were too thick and I replaced them about 3 years ago with a set of Moogs which are specific to those years of A-bodies.
Then I put poly LCA bushings and new greasable pivot shafts in about a year ago and realized I pretty much need adjustable strut rods; the damn thing still pulls to the left a tad when I brake hard and the driver side LCA has a little over 1/16" gap between the end of the bushing and the shoulder on the pivot shaft while the passenger side doesn't.
Maybe I should just buy a new K-member LOL
Click to expand...

Mine are like that Too. But the exact placement of the inner pivot of the LCA,in the for/aft plane, made Zero difference on the alignment rack. And it makes no pull on my car either.But if your camber split changes or the toe-in changes,during heavy braking, that would cause a pull. This is usually caused by a bump-steer condition. The Moog offsets created a large bump-steer on my S at around +3* caster/-.5* camber. It took me the better part of a day to dial it out.
 
Well I actually figured out that the pulling had nothing to do with the front end, I vacuum-bled my brakes (the best way IMO for drum brakes esp.) and I guess my right rear brake was not working as it doesn't pull anymore, the car stops nice and straight. At one point the bleed screw on that brake came loose and was leaking, I tightened it up but didn't think it would have leaked air back inside.

Caleb I misread your post I thought you said you bought new replacement strut rods not just bushings my bad... I agree big difference in price.

Since this problem isn't really what I thought it was anymore I might put that money towards a set of sway bars or at least a front bar, my car came from the factory with none! I also think the clunk sound I have is due to the LCA on that side being "loose" I remember the plates having a lot of play when I put it back in last time. I know some guys through the local car club with welding equipment I might hit them up to help me make some stiffener plates. Heck now I remember I should do frame connectors as well, and my car still needs re-gearing... so many things I can spend money on
 
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