My rear left control arm is cracked, rusted. Does anyone have experience repairing these? I may just replace it, can't decide. Pictures below:
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Crack:
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It's a good thing you noticed that before hitting the autobahn!
Michael
Michael
If it was mine, I'd replace it (and the bushings, check the lower rod shaft etc.) and inspect the other side really carefully. Did you hit anything?
That needs to be PROPERLY welded. It may need some metal replacement but should at least be stripped to check for other cracks under the paint. After it's welded you may need to heat it to equalize the welds.
It may be something you would have a local weld shop; preferably one who works on race cars for two reasons. They will understand the importance of getting it right and....you can monitor it. If a crack develops again, if they did the welds they can go back and fix it.
I would have no problem doing this to my car, where I could keep an eye on it so to speak.
What ever you do do NOT BRAZE IT!
It may be something you would have a local weld shop; preferably one who works on race cars for two reasons. They will understand the importance of getting it right and....you can monitor it. If a crack develops again, if they did the welds they can go back and fix it.
I would have no problem doing this to my car, where I could keep an eye on it so to speak.
What ever you do do NOT BRAZE IT!
I had a bent one when I got my car in 2000. If you do repair it. Bring the right side to the shop as well. This should ensure that they have a correct one to measure with. But honestly, I’d replace that
A used lower arm from one of the vendors or via a wanted ad here (edit..working my way down the forum I see you already posted!) is probably not going to cost much more than you are going to spend in welding that one properly. Personally, I would not take the chance, just trash it and get a replacement.
I would use that excuse to get billet arms !!
you know you want to !!
you know you want to !!
Just replace it, the cost of repair will be close to replacement but the initial crack was caused by some sort of stresses that should not be over looked. When going down the freeway at 60 MPH and that arm fails, for those few brief seconds a couple hundred bucks will look like a bargain.
Ghostrider,
I think Mark Charlton has hit the nail on the head. Assuming you haven't hit anything, this looks like the result of lower shaft seizure. Your not even running big wheels. My car was seized on both sides when I bought it, although it had not gone as far as snapping an arm.
I think you should replace the arm because that whole area around the crack will be work hardened. It is repairable or coarse but I dont think you will have a hard time finding a replacement as quite a few people have changed to billet aluminium arms. I dont like the ally arms because they are much heavier than the steel ones.
What you need to do is buy two lower shaft rebuild kits form Steve wilkinson. This kit includes a new shaft, bronze bushes, thrust washers, end caps and seals.
The reason these things seize in the first place is because there is no way to grease them. I overcame this buy drilling and tapping the hub carrier for a grease nipple. Then (and this is the most important bit) have an engineer make a spiral cut on the inside of your bronze bush so that the grease can get to the bearing surfaces and also reach the thrust washers.
Dennis Q from Pantera Performance does a lower shaft kit that has a grease nipple in the end of the shaft and a hole in the middle to let the grease into the hub carrier. This would save you having to drill and tap your hub carrier. You would still need to have the 'spiral cut' cut into the bearings though.
Another alternative is to take the hub carriers to your local engineering shop and ask them to do the whole job for you. They can turn down your original shafts to remove the worn bit and then make the bronze bushes to that size and cut the spiral. You would still have to get the thrust washers from Wilkinson though because these are unique and have some kind of teflon surface. Make sure you use that black molybdenum grease.
The best to check for rear hub carrier wear is to jack the rear of the car off the ground, grab hold of the wheel top and bottom and feel for movement. If there is any play at all it's your axle bearings. Then grab the wheel side to side 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock, if you can feel any movement at all it's your lower shaft.
Johnny
I think Mark Charlton has hit the nail on the head. Assuming you haven't hit anything, this looks like the result of lower shaft seizure. Your not even running big wheels. My car was seized on both sides when I bought it, although it had not gone as far as snapping an arm.
I think you should replace the arm because that whole area around the crack will be work hardened. It is repairable or coarse but I dont think you will have a hard time finding a replacement as quite a few people have changed to billet aluminium arms. I dont like the ally arms because they are much heavier than the steel ones.
What you need to do is buy two lower shaft rebuild kits form Steve wilkinson. This kit includes a new shaft, bronze bushes, thrust washers, end caps and seals.
The reason these things seize in the first place is because there is no way to grease them. I overcame this buy drilling and tapping the hub carrier for a grease nipple. Then (and this is the most important bit) have an engineer make a spiral cut on the inside of your bronze bush so that the grease can get to the bearing surfaces and also reach the thrust washers.
Dennis Q from Pantera Performance does a lower shaft kit that has a grease nipple in the end of the shaft and a hole in the middle to let the grease into the hub carrier. This would save you having to drill and tap your hub carrier. You would still need to have the 'spiral cut' cut into the bearings though.
Another alternative is to take the hub carriers to your local engineering shop and ask them to do the whole job for you. They can turn down your original shafts to remove the worn bit and then make the bronze bushes to that size and cut the spiral. You would still have to get the thrust washers from Wilkinson though because these are unique and have some kind of teflon surface. Make sure you use that black molybdenum grease.
The best to check for rear hub carrier wear is to jack the rear of the car off the ground, grab hold of the wheel top and bottom and feel for movement. If there is any play at all it's your axle bearings. Then grab the wheel side to side 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock, if you can feel any movement at all it's your lower shaft.
Johnny
My car came with two zerks in each carrier for lubing the shafts, but sometimes it's tough to get them to take grease.
So each winter while she's up on stands with the wheels off I back off one of the two big 22mm nuts on the ends of the shaft until it's almost off. Then I put my ratchet on the other end of the shaft and turn that nut in a tightening direction until the shaft spins in the carrier while I pump in the grease. Next I reverse the operation and loosen the nut I just tightened and tighten the one I first loosened until the shaft spins again and grease it some more. Finally I adjust the shaft with the nuts until I see an equal projection on each side and snug them both down again.
This moves each shaft longitudinally in the carrier about a quarter inch or so and spinning them seems to help it take grease. When the nuts are loose the shafts seem to spin quite easily.
Even without grease fittings this procedure on a regular basis should keep your shafts from freezing in the carrier. Doesn't take long.
So each winter while she's up on stands with the wheels off I back off one of the two big 22mm nuts on the ends of the shaft until it's almost off. Then I put my ratchet on the other end of the shaft and turn that nut in a tightening direction until the shaft spins in the carrier while I pump in the grease. Next I reverse the operation and loosen the nut I just tightened and tighten the one I first loosened until the shaft spins again and grease it some more. Finally I adjust the shaft with the nuts until I see an equal projection on each side and snug them both down again.
This moves each shaft longitudinally in the carrier about a quarter inch or so and spinning them seems to help it take grease. When the nuts are loose the shafts seem to spin quite easily.
Even without grease fittings this procedure on a regular basis should keep your shafts from freezing in the carrier. Doesn't take long.
The mechanic reported no problems other than this rusty crack. I specifically asked about any frozen pieces and he said everything was moving freely.
GhostRidr,
I will add my voice to the chorus ...
I would not repair the lower A-arm. It is a primary structural part of the car. REPLACE IT !! Besides, you do not know the condition of the A-arms inside the A-arm tubes. Looking at your photo I would be very suspect.
There is one other possible cause for the failure. If there is any way moisture can enter your lower A-Arm it will run down to the area where it attaches to your upright. There it sits because it has no-where else to go and it corrodes from the inside - to a point where the structural strength has been reduced and it starts cracking. Your photo appears to indicate that failure mode.
The Hall screw-on aluminum A-arm covers were not a good idea because of the possibility of introducing a moisture path to the inside of the A-arm. I have those very same Hall A-arm covers. I took extra care to seal the screw holes as best I could. I also inspected the A-arms for any voids that could cause moisture ingress. The clip-on A-arm covers are a better idea. I also have the PPC (Denis Q.) greasable lower upright shafts and would recommend those as well.
B.G.
I will add my voice to the chorus ...
I would not repair the lower A-arm. It is a primary structural part of the car. REPLACE IT !! Besides, you do not know the condition of the A-arms inside the A-arm tubes. Looking at your photo I would be very suspect.
There is one other possible cause for the failure. If there is any way moisture can enter your lower A-Arm it will run down to the area where it attaches to your upright. There it sits because it has no-where else to go and it corrodes from the inside - to a point where the structural strength has been reduced and it starts cracking. Your photo appears to indicate that failure mode.
The Hall screw-on aluminum A-arm covers were not a good idea because of the possibility of introducing a moisture path to the inside of the A-arm. I have those very same Hall A-arm covers. I took extra care to seal the screw holes as best I could. I also inspected the A-arms for any voids that could cause moisture ingress. The clip-on A-arm covers are a better idea. I also have the PPC (Denis Q.) greasable lower upright shafts and would recommend those as well.
B.G.
quote:Originally posted by larryw:
My car came with two zerks in each carrier for lubing the shafts, but sometimes it's tough to get them to take grease.
So each winter while she's up on stands with the wheels off I back off one of the two big 22mm nuts on the ends of the shaft until it's almost off. Then I put my ratchet on the other end of the shaft and turn that nut in a tightening direction until the shaft spins in the carrier while I pump in the grease. Next I reverse the operation and loosen the nut I just tightened and tighten the one I first loosened until the shaft spins again and grease it some more. Finally I adjust the shaft with the nuts until I see an equal projection on each side and snug them both down again.
This moves each shaft longitudinally in the carrier about a quarter inch or so and spinning them seems to help it take grease. When the nuts are loose the shafts seem to spin quite easily.
Even without grease fittings this procedure on a regular basis should keep your shafts from freezing in the carrier. Doesn't take long.
Couldn’t tell from your post, but the upright does not rotate on the shaft you see from the outside. There is a sleeve that the shaft goes through that is locked to the A arm by the shaft. The upright rotates on the sleeve. If the upright is rotating on the shaft then the sleeve is stuck to the upright bushings and that is a common problem. The bad part is you really can’t tell if the sleeve is stuck to the upright without taking it apart. The lower part of the upright is more complex than it looks from the outside.
Mike