[DeTomaso] Help needed with lower a-arm shaft kit installation

[Charles McCall]

Hi all,
 
I've had off-line conversations with several people but am currently stumped
and would like to know who else has done this task looking for other ideas. 
 
I'm told that one of the most overlooked maintenance tasks on the Pantera is
the lubrication of the lower shaft of the rear suspension - the shaft that
supports the hub carrier through the lower a-arms. 
 
So I decided to lubricate this part before it was too late and it rusted in
place. 
 
It was too late. It was rusted in place. 
 
So I ordered a kit with all the parts - all the washers, spacers, sleeves,
shims, o-rings, the works. And I began cutting stuff apart - cutting between
the hub carrier and the a-arm to remove the old shaft in three parts. 
 
Long story, horrible task, but it's done. 
 
Turns out that it had only really frozen in one side of the a-arm, and
moderate pounding removed the offending part. 
 
I am now in the stage of installing the replacements. 

The first step is to install two brass bearings in the hub carrier. (I think
they are brass - they are brass colored and soft metal). 
 
That is done. 
 
The next step is to install the sleeve, through the bearings, and in the hub
carrier. That's my problem. 
 
Before installing these parts, the clearance between the bearings and the
sleeve is approximately 1 thousandth of a micron. Installing the bearing in
the hub carrier compresses it ever so slightly, making it impossible to fit
the sleeve in the bearing. 
 
I've chamfered the leading edge of the bearing just to insure that it didn't
get a lip when I pressed it in. 
 
Does anyone else have first-hand experience with this installation? Did they
have a similar problem? 
 
If you did NOT have a problem, who did you purchase your kit from? The parts
are all machined to what appears to be a very high tolerance, but it allows
very little room for error. 
 
If you DID have a problem, how did you solve it? If I just beat the hell out
of it to get it in, then I've pretty much defeated the purpose of installing
bearings and lubricating so that everything rotates smoothly. 
 
If you have NOT looked at your lower shaft recently, do so and grease it
before it is too late. This task is NOT fun. 
 
Thanks!
 
Charles McCall
1985 DeTomaso Pantera GT5-S #9375
"Raising Pantera Awareness across Europe"
http://members.aol.com/PanteraGT5S1985/