Suspension gave out resting on wheel w/pics

[BostonGST]

Last few days when driving i heard a clunking from the front left when slowing to a stop. Today I was driving and all of a sudden I heard a noise and my steering was off. Pulled into a gas station and jacked the front left up and tried moving the wheel side to side, felt sturdy but when i turned the steering wheel the wheel dropped to the ground. Jacked it up more and it dropped more.

Decided to park it somewhere where i wouldn't get towed to have time to figure it out and drove real slowly about a half block away just as i park it completely gave out and literally is resting on the wheel. I took a couple pictures is it the ball joint? I don't know anything about suspension, trying to research this as much as possible. Before i left i put the side on jackstands so its not resting on the wheel

First pic is as I parked it, it's resting on the wheel. Second pic is after I put it on jackstands

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[yhype]

Lower ball probably your culprit

 

[303_2G]

Mine has done the same thing on the same wheel, except mine just stop, dropped and opened up shop on a turn at a intersection and was immobilized.
Your upper control arm is still attached and ball seems to be there. My problem was the lower lateral control arm. There is 2 lower control arms, (1) straight and (1) curved. The STRAIGHT cotrol arm had its threads sheared off at the ball joint nearest the wheel and Bam!! Dropped just like that and wrecked a bran new fender. Get a pic of underneath you car near the wheel if you have anymore questions. Good Luck

 

[BostonGST]

thanks for the quick replies, so to help figure it out i should get under the car and take pictures? What about taking the wheel off would that help?

 

[303_2G]

So id suggest that you just get a new control arm with the ball in place. From most auto stores they are $45 for the straight one and about $105 for the curved. My guess is that it is the straight lateral arm.

 

[303_2G]

Yes taking the wheel off will help and will need to be off for the fix. Take some good pics.

 

[BostonGST]

Thanks man I appreciate the help! It's dark now, i'll take some new pictures tomorrow morning

 

[BostonGST]

Also seeing that the lower control arm was recalled, any chance I could get the dealer to fix it or no shot?

 

[303_2G]

I had no idea they where recalled. I hate dealing with the dealer cause they don't know a damn thing in relation to a DSM but they like to act like they do when over 50% of the true members on this site know more than the people that engineered the 4G63 and the cars they went into.
But enough of my ranting, just call or go there and see what they say. Have your vin # ready.

 

[jmackisback]

Wowzer, when was the recall put out?

 

[BostonGST]

Just looked it up, End of 2000. I'm going to push for it under the recall why not

 

[BostonGST]

Yes taking the wheel off will help and will need to be off for the fix. Take some good pics.

Looked under the car and 303_2G you were right, the straight lower control arm separated. The rubber on the CV Joint got thrashed when everything dropped must have rubbed through. Can I just replace to lower control arm now? It's only 2 bolts and i have them soaking in pb right now, then move the car about a mile, it's on the street with street cleaning tomorrow. Then before i drive it again replace the CV joint?

**Threads look okay, could I potentially reconnect it, put a bolt on the threads to drive it a mile then replace the arm and cv joint at the same time?

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[miliman13]

Same happened to me, alot of these fails are caused by the nylon nut and not the actual arm. Mechanics or who-ever do not replace the nylon nut Which is a one time use part only, and it starts to back out on its own causing this failure. New arms come with new nuts. But for future reference, buy replacement nuts so they can be swapped out next time you do any work under the car and remove those arms.

 

[303_2G]

well getting it back on would be a pain in itself. I don't remember exactly what has to be done but I think I had to undo where the shock pushes down the lower control arm, you won't be able to just raise the vehicle and put it back on. there had to be a reason it fell, the ball joint is still there, it looks like it sheared the threads like mine.
I would just get a new lateral LCA, install it to be able to move it. You can drive it (for a while realistically) if you had to but with the boot torn it will get debris into the moving parts and over time wear it out. You can get a new boot and repair it yourself but it really is a pain in the ass.
When you buy a new LCA it will come with a new nut with a nylon "locker" on the tip. I put a dab of red Locktite just to be sure and have had no problems yet.
you will need a big hammer and a small jack to get that job done. I used the jack for the shock base that connects to the straight LCA to realign when new is installed. Good Luck.

 

[BostonGST]

got a bolt that fits and the trheads are okay, however when I lift the tire up and try to tilt the bottom to go over the control arm it wont move in. Also my alignment is whack, when right tire is straight, left one is turned a lot to the left. Was the CV joint ripped out a little?

Also I had a tire replaced with an alignment. Do they mess with the control arms at all when they do that?

 

[303_2G]

No they wouldn't mess with the control arms during and alignment. You can tell if the axle was pulled out of a place near the transmission (non-AWD) but most likely it's just that it's just the LCA not being attached cause that's how my tire smashed my fender near between the door.
To get that to line up without taking everything apart will take using that small jack for leverage on the suspension and a big hammer for forcing that LCA back into its holding place.

 

[BostonGST]

CV Joint was out and had to push it back in to fit everything but think I have it figured out! Thanks everyone for the help, would have been so lost without it. Also I found and used this video was so helpful, anyone trying to replace the lower straight control arm check it out

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/n2ODdH12xqM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[2slow4now]

Order a knuckle kit from one of the oem parts suppliers that support this site. Mr325009 mr325010 if I remember right but don't remember which is left and right. I don't remember because I always order both sides and replace both at the same time. I've ordered several kits and if you ask them they will just send the control arms and not the knuckle so the shipping is cheaper. That is if you didn't damage your knuckle.

 

[jmackisback]

Glad to hear all worked out BostonGST

 

[303_2G]

Knuckle kit? Would be hard to damage a knuckle and that's not what the problem was. His lateral LCA ball joints top retaining nut with the nylon keeper, backed out and dropped the body on the wheel. A new lateral LCA is $44 from o'reilly.