Re: [AMC-List] Strut rods '70 and up, probably more than you wanted to know.

[Tom Jennings <tomj@xxxxxxx>]

On Fri, 18 Aug 2006, John Elle wrote:

> I have taken a serious look at the 70+ lower control arm. It is a really
> cheesy looking design. In stripping parts cars out for donor pieces the
> lower control arms will have some creative and serious damage to them. A
> lot of the damage comes from advanced neglect. However the upper control
> arms seem to get by that o.k. 

Strut bushings failing does this. The lower arm is weak as you
say; stamped sheet arm with single bushing, but if the strut
bushing is perfect nearly no force is delivered to that lower,
inner bushing. But when the strut bushing goes bad, the inner
bushing gets LOTS of off-axis torque, eats the bushing, cracks
the arm, etc. VERY BAD!

> My gut feeling is that a significant portion of strut rod bushing
> problems is caused by excessive wear and tear of the lower control arm
> and or well intentioned  efforts to re-enforce the pivot point of the
> lower control arm causing the arm it self to bend and probably
> aggravated by the installation of polyurethane bushings.

I agree with your observations, but I think cause and effect are
reversed here (though lack of maintenance is ruinous anywhere,
esp. 40 year old suspensions!).
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