Solid suspension bushings

[ReQ]

I am replacing all my factory control arm bushings with solid steel bushings, on the front at least

the upper control arm bushings went on fairly easy, bolts are tight and they move freely up and down, when we installed the lower bushings they move with less effort than the stock rubber bushings but still feel too tight, i assumed they would move just as free or maybe more so than the top, the top are one solid piece while the lowers have a sleeve in the center that the bolt runs through, just so everyone knows what im working with

when we first installed the top, we did it a bit wrong and managed to bind the bushings up on the control arm and once tight, they would not move, we then pressed the bushings into the control arm first and everything went smooth, so i am thinking maybe we made a mistake on the lowers too?

another thing about the top bushings, it was suggested that we weld the bushing to the control arm so it cannot move, is this needed or not ? and what about the bottom?

 

[JimmyP70]

Have you solved this issue?

I am going to use needle bearing steel bushings front and rear, and would like to know what you had trouble with and what works.

Thanks,
Jim P.