I have a 73 Dodge Dart Sport 340. I'm trying to rebuild the front suspension. I have the left side complete. I think I have the wrong shaft for this car. Let me start by saying the front end of this thing, along with other systems have been hacked. My problem is the left side shaft looks like all the pics I see, normal. The right side does not. Instead of having a shoulder, it has a bulge between the arm and frame, now I cant get the torsion bar in, like its too long. It only goes to the edge of the rear frame and cant get the retaining clip in.
Thoughts??
WRONG LOWER CONTROL ARM SHAFT???
- Thread starter spd691
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The steel bushing left over from the old part is still on the shaft. Remove that and it’s normal again
but that bulge looks funky. Ebody maybe?!?2
but that bulge looks funky. Ebody maybe?!?2
All A body Lower Control Arm shafts interchange from the 1962-1976 cars.
The earlier years used the style ball style machining on the shaft, and the later years were round diameter.
The only other minor difference if the shaft used a castle nut, on the threaded portion of the shaft, then a hole was drilled for a cotter pin.
The one without the drilled hole is for a lock nut type of fastening nut.
You haven't removed the bushing "shell" that's left on the shaft.
Your not getting the torsion bar in, has got Nothing to do with a bushing on a lower control arm shaft.
The earlier years used the style ball style machining on the shaft, and the later years were round diameter.
The only other minor difference if the shaft used a castle nut, on the threaded portion of the shaft, then a hole was drilled for a cotter pin.
The one without the drilled hole is for a lock nut type of fastening nut.
You haven't removed the bushing "shell" that's left on the shaft.
Your not getting the torsion bar in, has got Nothing to do with a bushing on a lower control arm shaft.
Exactly!
Kinda late for it to be on a ‘73 but it could easily have been swapped on with an earlier LCA if parts have been swapped around.
Definitely not an E body. Also, the part of the pivot shaft that goes through the K frame is a different length and diameter on the E’s.
Below is info from another thread with pictures of an E body pivot shaft
Thanks 72bluNblu that’s what I was trying to get to but you put it way better then I did.
The control arms are stamped VL for A body and R.W for B/E body.
To answer that question i never really paid attention to LCA shaft designs when pulling them out of wrecking yard cars.
But the "ball" machined style are found on the early year cars, then the other style, either with the drilled hole for a castle nut, or for the lock nut style started.
But officially, who knows what year?
But, most likely what machine shop(s) had the contract with Chrysler Corp. to machine those LCA's, for Chrysler.
Last edited:
abodyjoe
Well-Known Member
i may have stock pins laying around that i just swapped out of my 70 dart.
Thanks for the response Hemi71x.
After examining many 73 thru 75 control arm shafts, they all look like the ones pictured on the left but without drilled holes and with a washer and lock nut.
Not really important, just a observation.
After examining many 73 thru 75 control arm shafts, they all look like the ones pictured on the left but without drilled holes and with a washer and lock nut.
Not really important, just a observation.
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