How tight should the upper control arms be.

[RobsRR]

I just rebuilt an upper control arm. I replaced a ball joint and had standard Moog rubber bushings pressed in. In the process of installing them I noticed if I tighten the cam bolt to the recommended 65 foot pounds the control arm will barely move. If I loosen the cam bolt a little the end caps turn as the arm moves. If the end caps move it is metal on metal? Something doesn't seem right. I did not put the ball joint into the spindle yet. I also saw somewhere that I should not tighten the cam bolt until the suspension is loaded. Any thoughts?

 

[Chilsam]

u mov'n it by hand ?

 

[RobsRR]

u mov'n it by hand ?

yes

 

[Chilsam]

yes

Tighten it to spec...people are weak creatures and once the cars full weight is on it it will move with no issue

 

[RobsRR]

Tighten it to spec...people are weak creatures and once the cars full weight is on it it will move with no issue

I guess I am just trying to figure out what should rotate. The new rubber bushings seam to be bonded /attached to the sleeve. The old ones were not. I also wouldn't think the end caps should not move, they would just wear. I also painted the cam bolt with epoxy primer. Maybe that was a mistake. I forgot to coat with anti sieze.

 

[Mike67]

Are you tightening it unloaded or the suspension loaded? I wouldn't tighten anything until its loaded...

 

[threewood]

DO NOT TIGHTEN UNTIL FULL WEIGHT IS ON FRONT END!!!

At ride height the rubber is neutral and will move up and down with the LCA just fine.

 

[RobsRR]

DO NOT TIGHTEN UNTIL FULL WEIGHT IS ON FRONT END!!!

At ride height the rubber is neutral and will move up and down with the LCA just fine.

ok I will tighten at ride hieght loaded. Just curious to what part of the bushing if any moves with the travel in the arm.

 

[threewood]

ok I will tighten at ride hieght loaded. Just curious to what part of the bushing if any moves with the travel in the arm.

It's the rubber that flexes. So once you tighten the bolts down you have limited up and down movement which is fine at ride height. You can see how tightening them at full extension would have ill effects as it would be made to stretch the rubber 2x as far as normal.

 

[RobsRR]

It's the rubber that flexes. So once you tighten the bolts down you have limited up and down movement which is fine at ride height. You can see how tightening them at full extension would have ill effects as it would be made to stretch the rubber 2x as far as normal.

Ok that makes sense. Thank you.