A method is provided for assembling an 
actuator assembly of a disk drive. The method includes providing an 
actuator arm, providing a suspension arm, fixing a swage plate to the suspension arm, the swage plate including a swage boss extending therefrom, depositing a film 
lubricant upon at least an outer surface of the swage boss, and attaching the suspension arm to the 
actuator arm by 
swaging. A method is also provided for reducing torque out retention values between the actuator arm and the suspension arm when the actuator arm and suspension arm must be separated in a subsequent de-
swaging process. This method includes providing an outer surface of the swage boss, and applying a 
lubricant film coating to the outer surface of the swage boss. A preferred thin film 
lubricant may be applied by emersion and draining, localized spraying, or various deposition processes. Application of the lubricant has also shown to improve 
gram load uniformity and to reduce adverse 
distortion to the actuator 
assembly which otherwise occurs during 
swaging.