a arm support sleave • The Dodge Challenger Message Board

by **gregvega** » 28 Jan 2008 2:43

I'm doing my 70 front end, car has been apart for 2 years.(for getting too much) The new a arm bushings are poly bushings with the gold color shells. Looking in the book i have shows no bushing support sleave. I find out after the a arms are on that we seem to have them when we took them off. My book says only the dart cars had them, one on each side front or back i'm not sure. It also said it onlly uses them if it has 10" brakes on the dart. My set up is after market disck brakes. Do I need these with the new bushings? Would they go front or back? Also looked at center link and it has a slight u shape maybe for oil pan clearance, motor not in car. Does that make sence?

by **dave-r** » 28 Jan 2008 9:15

Yes. Press the complete bushing into each side of the UCA. It should be obvious which way they press in. From the outside-in. Use the metal sleeves. If the old sleeves are still in place remove them.

Make sure you put no stress on the UCA as they bend easily.

The center steering link does have a slight drop to it I think??

by **dave-r** » 28 Jan 2008 11:44

I just thought. Did you mean a sleeve between the two bushes?

No Challengers do not need that. They are supported at each end.

by **christer** » 28 Jan 2008 13:41

dave-r wrote:I just thought. Did you mean a sleeve between the two bushes?

Originally one of the two bushings has a thin sleeve on the inside of the a-arm (pressed onto the bushing). The materil thickness of this sleeve is about 1 mm and it is not more than 10 mm long. I think it is this small sleeve he is talking about. (I know that Mr Atkins has written about this. I will get the scanner going when I get home.)

by **gregvega** » 28 Jan 2008 16:36

Yes the small sleave that goes over the outside of just 1 bushing after there pressed in and 1 goes on each side, front or back bushing I'm not sure. Also dont know if I still need it. I think it had 11" drum brakes and I'm putting on SSB disk brake kit. So the center link with the slight u shape should go forward for pan clearance?

by **dave-r** » 28 Jan 2008 17:29

The center link drops down and back.

Not sure if you can see from these photos I just took for you or not but they might help.

by **gregvega** » 28 Jan 2008 19:31

Yep pics showed what I thought,good job! thanks

by **christer** » 28 Jan 2008 21:30

gregvega wrote:Yes the small sleave that goes over the outside of just 1 bushing after there pressed in and 1 goes on each side, front or back bushing I'm not sure. Also dont know if I still need it. I think it had 11" drum brakes and I'm putting on SSB disk brake kit.

No, I can´t find anything in Mr Atkins book. It must have been an article from Mopar Action then. I think they used one spot weld to keep the sleeve from moving. I will let you know if I find the article. I would keep it if I were you. It does not take much effort to install it and it won´t do no harm when installed.

The scan is from the service manual. (See fig 16) It is assambled on the rear bushing, isn´t it? ( A "fwd"-arrow like in fig 17 would have been handy).

I do not think they are "Dart-only"-bushings because I have them on my car. It probably is a drum-brake-only-bushing!? (Notice the difference between fig 16 and fig 17)

by **dave-r** » 29 Jan 2008 9:15

That is the first time I have saw that sleeve.

Of course my car came with 11-inch brakes so it never had it. Can't remember seeing it on any other car I have worked on either?
But I have not worked on the front suspension of an E or B-body (should be the same) with 10 inch drums before that I can think of.

by **christer** » 02 Mar 2008 11:00

Here are some more information about the sleeve (from Mopar Action).

by **Chris** » 06 Mar 2008 19:18

I just put new bushings on my 71. It had 11" drum brakes and it did come with those sleeves on the back bushing on both sides. A mechanic told me they were for added support. He said they weren't necessary but we put them back on anyway.

by **dave-r** » 06 Mar 2008 19:29

It must be something they added after my '70 was built because for sure there were non on mine.
My car was built Sept/Oct '69.

by **Eddie** » 06 Mar 2008 22:26

I dont think my car has em either Dave. Arent those installed on Police/taxi as standard equipment?