[BBBluey]

Can someone please explain to me why the Nova 2d gen Lower control arm bolts have a Mandatory direction from the inside of the arm to the out? The camaro is Mandatory direction from the outside to the in. Of course I didn't learn this until after I already put everything back together.

Can someone with stock bushings in the arms please post a pic of what they look like installed? I got new bushings installed in my arms and now also wondering if they were done in reverse.

Thanks.

FYI- The pics are from a 72+Nova manual but my car is a 70... not sure there's really any difference.

 

[CEW]

My 70 Assembly Manual shows the bolt heads facing each other like your Nova picture. But there is no "mandatory" note about direction, only a picture.

Unless there is a clearance issue or a hole size/washer orientation difference, I see no reason for a mandatory install direction. Also, the Camaro and Nova essentially share the same subframe so it's odd that they would have different "mandatory" install requirements.

My guess is that two different engineers were used for each model and both had differing opinions about which direction was the most advantageous. Maybe the Camaro engineer had some aviation background as, in aviation, it's standard practice to install bolts with heads either forward or up. Or maybe the Nova engineer knew it is undesirable to torque the bolt (possibly damaging the bolt shank while turning the bolt) and designed it, due to the limited access inside the control arm, where the nut would be easier to access for applying torque. I don't know...just guessing.

 

[firebird69racer]

In all the years I have been doing this I never knew there was a mandatory install direction for the bolts, I have installed them the way they look the cleanest.

Also these years of Novas are considered 3rd gens 68-74.

As far as the bushings go, the holes are different sizes, so they can only go in one way

This is a pic of the way I installed them on my son's 72 Nova