Bent rear lower control arm... how bad?!?

[stratt134]

Um don't know how my brother pulled this one off but I think I have a big problem here.

I got new tires recently, and after a 100 mile road trip the car started to whobble BADDDDDDD. Like it wore a HORRIBLE grove into the tires or something.

Went to the alignment shop and this is what I found out. Bent rear, lower, driver side control arm. BENT BAD!! Looks like it might have bent the 2 metal brackets that mount to the frame/body and the control arm. Here are pictures:

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I have the specs from the alignment shop somewhere around the house, when I find them I will post. Anyways, the alignment guy adjustted it all the way he could but the left rear tire has a LOT of toe in.... EATING up that back tire. The car whobbles SOOOO BAD... but only under acceleration. If you just cruise with hardly any load on the motor at all, you can get it to stop shaking. BTW the shaking is from 25 - 60 mph, after that you can't tell haha HORRIBLE!

ANYWAYS.... how hard is it to get a new lower control arm? I would like to replace that and take it back to the alignment shop and see what happens before I consider the car totaled....

Thanks for any and all help, I didn't find much when I searched.....

 

[drocks22]

DON'T TOTAL THE CAR?!?! I bought a used lower control arm when i curbed my car from a junk yard and it was fifty bucks. If you don't trust the junkyard you can obtain one for about 250 bucks, but i wouldn't waste the money IMO. Just do a junkyard search at http://www.car-part.com and you can find the part near your zip code. Hope it works out!

 

[dsmclipse97]

total the car for a control arm? Can i have it? thats a pretty easy fix although im not sure how you did it, those things are beefy! But really... can i have the car?

 

[stratt134]

i can tell those things are pretty thick, but the brackets look bent, etc. And you just can't put a lot of miles on a car with a tweaked suspension.....


SO anyone know any other places to look for control arms? They just opened up a new 1/4 mile track where I live and I would love to run the car before I start to tune or modify anything.....

thanks again for any help

 

[stratt134]

Here are the before and after specs on the alignment....

rear left toe before: +1.61
rear left toe after: +1.09 fully adjusted... bent lower control arm...

We set the rear right toe to +0.22 w/in spec but on the + side to try and help compinsate for the rear left toe... for now....

I have some minor camber problems but those can be fixed easily and aren't causing my tire problem...

Anyone know where I can get a diagram or something for the instal? I haven't been able to find a how-to on this yet....

 

[stratt134]

um N-E-1?

 

[cumpersgsx]

i dont have a diagram for you but try getting a camber kit. It fixed my problem like yours.

 

[wret]

i dont have a diagram for you but try getting a camber kit. It fixed my problem like yours.

That's absurd. Replace the arm. They're about $40 from an online dealer and about 30 minutes to replace, maybe an hour if the bolt is badly stuck.

 

[cumpersgsx]

when i did it i also replaced the knuckle as well as the lower control arm and another part. The dealership told me that they only sell the 3 parts as a set.

 

[stratt134]

OK cool thanks for everyone's help. I will reply with details on the fix once I get the new parts installed.

Thanks again.