I purchased new lower control arms for my '71 maverick. The issue is that the arms came with washers and no instructions but the lower arm that I removed did not have washers on it. Should I put the washers on or leave them off? they would just go right on the outside of the bushings correct?
You're talking about where it bolts to the frame right? You do have a washer on the bolt right? I don't remember having washers there against the bushings though. Check and see how tightly it slides in to place, I don't think there is room for any washers there.
yea, it had small washers on the bolts but no big washers against the bushings. it's pretty tight, was just confused that it came with them if I wasn't supposed to use them. It came with those umbrella shaped washers if that makes sense.
Sounds like washers for the sway bar bushings. Maybe where it links to the control arm? It would have been nice if they mentioned this though, where did you buy them? Also, the washers for the bolt connecting the lower arm to the frame are rather large and oddly shaped. I reused the original bolt and wahers for that because it did not come with it. Make sure you got the right hardware there, i'll get a pic for you if you're not sure.
I put it back in there without the "umbrella washers" that came with it. I got them from rockauto, it's a moog control arm. I got the sway bar link end bushing kit in a seperate box and yes it came with washers that were similar shape. I re-used the the bolt and those large wierd looking washers that go on the outside. There was also a little lock-washer that was on behind the nut so I put that back in place too... I wouldn't worry about a pic too much if what I did makes sense, but thanx just the same. Now I'm onto the problem of having rubber replacement bushings for an upper arm that had steel bushings on it to begin with haha. oh boy, what a day. I couldn't get my strut rod adjusting nut off either today so those bushings are staying on until I get back to my college's metal shop. I need a bourbon lol. You don't happen to know if steel bushings on an upper control arm ever need to be replaced or if they could just be greased do you? I bought the rubber ones thinking that all my rubber would have to be replaced...and then it wasn't rubber.
Ok, I'm going to try and return those upper arm bushings and ball joints and just buy whole new arms. I think that would be alot simpler and produce less questions from me.
No problem on the questions dude. I reused my upper control arm and replaced the ball joint, and I think I replaced the steel bushings your talking about too because I had everything apart and the old ones didn't have grease fittings.
