While reassembling the front suspension on my Duster, I've measured the driver's strut rod at about 1/2" shorter than the passenger side.

Background: My Duster appears to have been hit in the right front at some time in its life. It had a JY LCA, and the strut rod on that side is different from the driver's. The pass side has a fine thread on the front, where the driver's is a coarse thread.

The pass side rod was very bent when I started working on it, and I straightened it out a lot, exascerbating the problem, I'm sure.

The net result of this is the pass side suspension is in a bind, the torsion bar adjuster doesn't want to be in the middle, the LCA is 1/2" behind the location of the driver's side.

My question is: what's the correct length of the strut rod meaured from the innermost dimension from washer to washer? I measure about 16 1/8" on driver's side and 16 1/2" on pass side.

The driver's side is going together well and aligning correctly, so I'm assuming that's the proper dimension.

_________________
It's a Slant thing. Even I don't understand.

1974 Duster, EFI /6 soon to be turbo...

Get that Monkay! Get that nasty thing!!

Never mind. I modified the long one to fit. I ground off the front shoulder, and welded a new one further down. I used a thick washer.

The dimension I used was 16 3/16" which was a close as I could measure the other one.

Seemed to make everything fit up better. That side's still a little back though. I can't tell why.

Maybe the K member.

_________________
It's a Slant thing. Even I don't understand.

1974 Duster, EFI /6 soon to be turbo...

Get that Monkay! Get that nasty thing!!

The rearward positioning could be from a "spread" LCA (bent is a better word)
The was these are welded together lets the sections spread apart it they take a hard hit.
I like to weld a strap across the rear of these to help prevent this.
DD

Yeah, I just this minute got back from the alignment shop. Not good on that side, couldn't pull in enough positive caster even with the offset Moog bushings in the UCA. Took me a while (I'm slow) but I realized the LCA being back would take caster out.

It's back home now for 'adjustment.' Sigh. Gates open at Firebird in 1 hour.

_________________
It's a Slant thing. Even I don't understand.

1974 Duster, EFI /6 soon to be turbo...

Get that Monkay! Get that nasty thing!!

I finally got the right side to match the left today. Took some more grining and welding, but it's exactly the same on both sides.

When I was done, my first measurement with my caster/camber gauge showed I had 6 degrees positive camber on the right side! Shouldn't be a problem pulling in the 3 degrees I want now.

Back to the alignment shop in the morning.

_________________
It's a Slant thing. Even I don't understand.

1974 Duster, EFI /6 soon to be turbo...

Get that Monkay! Get that nasty thing!!