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thumpity thump

1K views 6 replies 5 participants last post by  schlicky13 
#1 ·
hey folks, quest question and hope I'm wrong. recently replaced all front end bits with Moog PS and all is well except for the wanting to erase the memories of fighting the bushing install. Did all the steering links too, and sway, and links.

probably have maybe 500 miles since and maybe didn't notice it as much before but have a clunk at an abrupt stop. like a slop somewhere until it hits clunk. not very metal to metal either.

anyway, checked for missing shims and nope. new frame mount bolts tacked in with the nuts very tight.

I recall the upper bushing being a pain to install. remember seeing the arm bow from the amount of force being applied to tighten/press the tool/bushing in. so i tightened as far as my impact would go without binding up the arm even though the bushing wasn't fully inserted, i think. stuff you do when tired and hot and frustrated.

anyway, heres the gap, back of bushing tack weld to shaft is about 5/16". I dknt see movement marks but it's also greased pretty good, watcha think:

Imp Bush Gap https://imgur.com/a/lSSByR3
 

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#2 ·
#4 ·
You need a specific tool for the upper arm bushings. It must go around the shaft. There should also be a spacer between the two flanges when installing the bushings.

It could also be an incorrectly positioned spring, or missing isolator. One of your anti-roll bar end links may be loose/missing.
 
#5 ·
Loose caliper bolt(s) will give that thunk. As mentioned, look at everything you may have touched. And even stuff you didn't. Good idea to get a passenger to weigh in on location which may sound like coming from different source than from where you think.
 
#6 ·
ok. good stuff, I'll keep checkin. was going to do a roll n stop with my son to see if I can see the arm shift.
I remember using the ball joint t tool to put them on, worked well for the first but not so much for the end with the shaft in. not even sure what I did for the 2nd.

IIRC, might have out put in in the press and pushed down until I noticed the arm bowing because the bushing would only go in so much.

at any rate, i really dont think shaft for/aft movement is really possible once bolted down unless the arm itself flexes on it.

will report back, the spring is a def possibility, with lowering springs I just used a long bar and these guns to pop it in. probably not exactly on the spring perch.

thx.
 
#7 ·
They do have a specific tool kit for control arm bushings, most parts stores that rent tools should have it. I've rented them before to do bushings myself to try and save a few bucks. I've had mixed but mostly good results, but at the time I also had access to a 60 ton press, a car lift, and a fully stocked machine shop if I needed to modify the tool (had to extend the working length of one once beyond what the kit allowed) or if I messed anything up. Control arm bushings aren't really a DIY kind of thing, it can be done, but it's easy to do it wrong so for most people it's probably better to just get new control arms. I don't know that I'd go with the cheapest available control arms though, Moog usually makes them for everything and then you've also already got the Moog components (bushings and ball joints) installed on them, as opposed to some other cheaper chinesium stuff.
 
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