I am trying to rebuild the front suspension on my 40 Plymouth business coupe and can't seem to get it together. Do I need to spread the upper and lower control arms to install the threaded pivot points? They seem to bottom out on the tube nuts before seating on the control arms. Please help.

they are a pain. I tried to keep from messing up the inner seals (looked like chunks of hose), and eventually just jammed them up and worked the shafts into the arms. There is a specfic way it all fits together, but I can't remember now. Just align all the parts and they make more sense one way....
After they are in, then screw on the pivots.
The upper arms do swivel some at the point where the pin the shock bolts to goes through. This allows the exccentric to work.

I also ran the pivots in and out of the shafts a few times to make sure they wouldn't bind.

intresting topic,,i may have to take mine apart not sure yet,, to do the dropped up rights from fat man ,,and new coil springs