Hello all,

I'm trying to convert my '71 Charger SE from manual drum brakes to manual disc brakes. My dad, who owns a '71 R/T that had power disc brakes gave me the rotors, calipers, spindles, upper ball joints, and upper control arms all in an intact unit. The unit has new upper ball joints but not upper control arm bushings. I replaced the upper control arm bushings, properly seating them until the shoulder seated against the control arm. When I got ready to install the upper control arm, I noticed that it was too narrow. After some measurements, I realized that the control arms off the R/T are 1/4 inch more narrow than the control arms off my S/E. I'm certain that the control arms on the S/E are original, but I dont know where the ones from the R/T came from before they were on dad's car.

1) Is this to be expected? I was under the impression that they would be exactly the same, am I wrong?

2) Are the control arms from the R/T from a different car? I noticed that the bushings from the R/T weren't seated all the way when I pulled them off, which would allow them to fit in a '71 Charger mount.

3) If I push the bushings out just a tad to allow the control arm to fit in (like 1/8 of an inch on each side) will that cause serious issues.

Thanks,

NASCAR_Imperial

All B boby upper control arms from 1962-72 are all the same thing. Also the same, are the 70-74 E body upper control arms.
If your UCA's are physically "narrower" that you are trying to install, then you must have 73-76 A body UCA's.
Which i have no idea how you would get them to work properly.

I think your just going to have to bite the bullit and rebuild the UCA's off your Charger with new bushings, and ball joints.

are you measuring the bushings or the actual arm?
sounds like the bushings.

see if the arm portions match up without the bushings.
I agree, they should be exactly the same.

How did you install the bushings? I've seen arms bent in from "beating" the bushings in... Had a shade-tree mechanic ruin one of mine that way... was off by 1/4" or more. I bent it back, but figured it wasnt to safe to use it anymore and replaced it.

are you measuring the bushings or the actual arm?
sounds like the bushings.

see if the arm portions match up without the bushings.
I agree, they should be exactly the same.

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....the arms will be the same,...the 71 B body upper arm (66-72B body and 70-4 E body are the same arm)...the arm should measure approx 11" over all width bushing flange to flange (outer flange of the arm bushing),....the arm length will be measured from the center of the bushing hole, to the center of the ball joint 8 1/2",...I can confirm these measurements as I have a pair of arms to measure off of currently,.....your problem may be that the arm was collasped when the bushings were installed?......wrong bushings,....generally in a new install the assembled arm is a fight to install because the bushings are slightly oversized, being new,...if your arm/bushing distance is 1/4" short, as I stated perhaps the bushings were installed improperly, resulting in the arms being tweaked?,...or wrong bushings? ....hope this helps

Mike

I'm measuring the control arm its self, from the outermost part of each side (the place where the bushing shoulder is supposed to seat) on the R/T's control arm it is 10 3/4", and on the S/E control arm it is 11".

I know I didnt bend them when I installed them because I installed the bushings one at a time, placing one end in the vice, then the other, so that it could not be pinched. Also, both control arms from the R/T are the exact same width. Perhaps Joe mechanic who installed the bushings in the R/T before we got it pinched them?

I know I didnt bend them when I installed them because I installed the bushings one at a time, placing one end in the vice, then the other, so that it could not be pinched. Also, both control arms from the R/T are the exact same width. Perhaps Joe mechanic who installed the bushings in the R/T before we got it pinched them?

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That's a possibility?, that they were "massaged" by the last installer,...I wouldn't fret that the arms may be somewhat "out of shape", as they are very fragile in their design, it's very easy to twist and alter their shape,...they can be "massaged" back into shape with a plastic/rubber mallet on a block of wood,...as long as there are no stress cracks, and the arms are well within shape, and the bushing centerline is fine,....IMHO I'd use them.....

I replaced my Charger's UCAs with tubular ones. PM me if you need a set with poly bushings already installed.