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Lower control arm pivot bolt flange mishap - still useable?
https://slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=68635		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Reed [ Fri May 08, 2026 10:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Lower control arm pivot bolt flange mishap - still useable?
Question for people more knowledgeable about front suspension design and construction than I am.

I was pressing the lower control arm pivot bushing into the driver's side LCA on my 76 D100 and had a slight mishap.
Attachment:
CONTROL ARM SMALL.jpg
CONTROL ARM SMALL.jpg [ 150 KiB | Viewed 386 times ]
As you can see, the arm got a bit squeezed and is no longer square on the bushing. Is this OK to run or do I need to either find a way to repair this arm or replace it?
Author:  Rick Covalt [ Sat May 09, 2026 5:45 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Lower control arm pivot bolt flange mishap - still useable?
I'm sure that has been done many times. You can try to drive a wedge down in there but that is pretty heavy material and it is tight on the bushing too. I would not be afraid to run it personally I'd probably try an air hammer and see if that would work.
Author:  Reed [ Sat May 09, 2026 10:59 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Lower control arm pivot bolt flange mishap - still useable?
Thanks, Rick. I thought about it last night and couldn't see a way that kind of deformation would affect the performance of the arm in a daily driver. The stress is all on the pivot bolt and the flanges on the frame. As long as the bushing is captured securely in the contorl arm, I don't see how that small amount of deflection would afeect anything. I might try and figureout a mthod of using my press to bend it back square, or maybe not. At least I know I can use it as-is.
Author:  volaredon [ Mon May 11, 2026 8:17 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Lower control arm pivot bolt flange mishap - still useable?
I've had that happen to me before I. All kinds of cars on the upper control arms where the bushings ride. I've just straightened them out and put them back on, never had anyone ever come back with it as a problem
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