rothlane'68

Hi everyone,

I've been going through a front end rebuild on my 68 442 with a CSM, some youtube videos, and Rob's front end rebuild thread as guides (Thanks Rob!), and I'm ready for reassembly!

So could someone settle the following for me:

Should the outside surfaces of the Lower Control Arm bushings, i.e. the surfaces that make contact with the mounts in the frame when the arm is mounted be greased or left completely dry?

If I do need grease, what type will be safe? I have a tub of this in the garage:


While were all here, should the inner surfaces of the sway bar bushings be greased, or again, left dry?

I am using all Moog bushings, I have read, repeatedly, that rubber should not be greased, but I've seen folks say that you should grease these areas. Please settle this for me once and for all, I just want to put this thing back together!

joe_padavano

These surfaces are not normally greased with stock rubber bushings. The only grease you should use on rubber is silicone grease. Petroleum-based grease will attach the rubber. Polyurethane bushings DO require grease per the manufacturer's instructions.

oldcutlass

I've always installed them dry if they are stock rubber with steel sleeves.

My442

I apply Never Seeze to the bolts and shafts.


That way if you have to disassemble, the parts won't be rusted together.

rothlane'68

Thanks for the quick responses!

Got the arms on the car, minus any grease.I did grease the threads on the bolts though for any future disassembly needs.

Now to get the springs in...

Fun71

Be aware that the vehicle weight needs to be compressing the suspension (car needs to be at ride height) when you tighten the control arm bolts.

jaunty75

To what?

joe_padavano

You say "attack", I say "attach"...

ELY442

x2

rothlane'68

Thanks for the advice, all very helpful

So I installed my springs today without a compressor using the "floor jack and prayers" method. Since I am using an aftermarket set of LCA's, and staying pretty close to the CSM, I located the lower end of the spring close to where the drain hole would have been in the original control arm. The LCA's are very close to the original stamping but have two drain holes around where the original would have been.

I went aftermarket because I wanted:
-something resembling a stock arm
-a set with 0 miles on them
-round busing holes as per my originals.

The best set I could find online were manufactured by Speedway Motors and apart from a couple things. I was very satisfied with the quality at least compared to the set I ordered from Tamaraz's and then sent back!

I assumed that the end of the spring would migrate into the deepest part of the spring pocket as I compressed the spring, but this was not the case. The ends of the springs are still about a 1/4 to 1/2 inch away from the second hole in the control arm, which marks the deepest point on these control arms' spring pocket,

Question is this, is this close enough, or do I need to go back and move the ends deeper into the spring pocket?

Pictures attacked (see what I did there) for reference.

oldcutlass

If they are both about the same distance, I'd not worry about it.