Datsun Roadster Forum-311s.org

I have my front end apart with the shock off. The two lower A arm links are hanging (independently) from the spindle. Both links have a little slop with respect to their bushing when I move them back and forth - while holding onto the end of the link where the lower ball joint attaches. Is a small amount of play acceptable?
I've heard that the top A arm bushings wear first but they're tight, so I wonder if the lower bushings/spindle are OK?
Before I started, when I first got the car off the ground, I looked for any movement by grasping the tire and pushing/pulling the tire both top and bottom and front/aft and felt no slop.
Can anyone give me some guidance on whether or not I need to replace my lower spindle and/or bushings? She's a 1969 SRL with about 130,000 miles.

As an interim measure, you might try reversing the bushings. If they contact the spindles in a different location they will probably be tighter and the slop will go away. At least for a while.

How did the steering feel when you drove it?
A little sloppy and vague I would think. [I've been there too so it is not unusual!]
My advice would be to overhaul all the bushes/ball joints/spindles as well as checking the steering box and idler box for excessive wear.
If you haven't regularly greased the spindle bushes, even more reason to check, especially at the mileage you mentioned
You can adjust free play on the steering box but only to a point, then the box will start to bind up at full L and R lock.

Thanks for the input. I looked at it some more today and decided that I'm going to replace the lower spindle and bushings (if I can separate them from the links). I put the bushing into a vice and, with an extension pipe that fit right into the A arm link channel, tried to rotate the A arm link around the bushing. I pushed it until I thought I might bent the link and quite. I guess I'll try adding some heat tomorrow. Any other tricks for getting this done? Thanks again.

Those bushings are a known struggle. Right or wrong, I ended up using an air impact gun. Hard to get off, hard to get on.