Hello

I am freshening up the parts off my '73 drum brake setup to go on my '72. I got the 6 pack tools from just suspension for a hundred bucks- wow even cheaper than fabricating them myself if you figure in time! Anyway I started pressing the UCA bushings out to put new ones in and got a little surprise.

On one side of each arm on the inside (inside 'v' of arm not inside the diameter) of the bushing hole there is a piece of tubing that fits snugly around the bushing. I don't remember if it was there when I replaced the UCAs on the '73 with used ones. I cannot find it in my '73 FSM. This collar does not want to slide down flush with the inside of the control arm. I don't remember if the other ones I've worked with had them or not, or if they were welded to the arm or what?

So, does anyone know what I'm talking about? Do I need these? Do I need to press them all the way down on the new bushings? Would it be smart to deburr them and lightly sand them until they slide on the bushing more easily, or do they need to be a press fit? Or maybe they are supposed to stay with the control arm and I got unlucky that they popped off?

Thanks if anybody has any input!

radar in philly

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madam im adam

radar,

I'll try this one. I just changed the bushings on my 74 Dart upper control arms. The left side I beat the old bushings out. Took a lot of beating. On the right side I put the UCA in a vise and pressed the old bushings out. The bushings are metal surrounding rubber. Are you trying to replace the entire bushing or just the rubber?

You have to press the old bushing out from the inside of the v, and then press the new bushing in from the outside of the v to the inside. The new bushing will not fit flush in the bushing hole, but you will know when it has gone in as far as it will go. The 73 and 74 UCA should be the same. My 73 factory service manual doesn't say anything about a burr that would need sanding.

When reattaching my UCA, it didn't fit as easy as before I changed the bushings, so I "adjusted it" with a sledge hammer. Now it fits.

The sleeves that go over the OD of the upper control arm bushings are meant to provide more secure bushing retention in the control arm. Chances are the bushings have been replaced before and just maybe someone thought the new bushings pushed into the control arm too easy and wanted the extra security.

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Joshua

Typical of Chrysler Corp. Some cars had them,, some didn't. I have found them mostly on B-bodys. Again they were for more support but I dont see how as they attach to the bushing sleve and not the control arm. I guess that if pressed all the way on they could keep some flex out of the bushing.

The sleeves came on cars with the HD suspension. Cop cars, taxi package, stuff like that.

I got scared no one would know what I meant because I didn't see the sleeves on my '73 swinger, but the 198cid drum brake car was not exactly a rocket ship. Thanks for the info. Good stuff.

rdr

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madam im adam