This might be useful for others trying to figure out how to spread a lower control arm. I used my old upper shaft and bushings. One end has the grease fitting through the hole in the control arm, and the other has the bushing (grease fitting removed) jammed in the corner next to the shaft. I put a socket underneath to block it from sliding downward. Then, I used one wrench to hold the shaft still, and another to loosen the bushing (with the grease fitting) to lengthen the shaft and spread the arm. Worked great and stayed "put" while tightening the 2nd bushing.
Love the improvisation and ingenuity.
Ones gotta do what ones gotta do.
Bruce. >:D
Thanks, Bruce
I was discussing elsewhere the purpose of spreading the arms in the first place. My thought was that it is to properly line up the threads of the shaft with the threads of the control arm so there is enough space for the shaft to sit and rotate, but someone else suggested the purpose is to prevent bending the control arm when tightening down the bushings. What do you think?
Initially, the real purpose of the spreader is to stop the arm from losing its' production shape, and thereby maintaining the correct alignment and position of the pivot.
In the case of the press-in bushings, it is there to stop the person applying pressure to totally distort the arm with undue press pressure when pressing in the bushings.
I haven't done any of the greasing type replacements for a long time, but I never found the need to stop the arms from collapsing, as one is simply screwing in the bushings.
Bruce. >:D