A pop sound and then steering wheel is a little right when wheels are straight

[Silkie]

Search on here and you should find many opinions on LCAs.

As well as Josh's, Byrne Heninger sells a different design. I think Spittybug was selling a boxed in one too.

I have used neither, so these are not recommendations, just info.

Thanks bro!

[Josh]

Lower Control Arm. I have already read these are scarce and $$$$
Any recommendations?

Attachment 22137

holy shit!

[john 05141]

Wow that looks very scary. Serious accidents may happen that way.

I have some play in my steering. Very weird becasue over the last 2 years I have replaced about everything in the steering system incl a new sttering rack. all other parts like the lower arm controll was powder coated just last year. Still I can move the steering wheel about an inch without the front tires reacting.
My only question s if there is any danger? Is it possible I could loose steering at all while driving?
Sorry to hack the thread, but that picure scared me a bit. I will look at those today, but still there are lots of other parts down there.
I had the power steering installed 2 years ago too. I always turn the weheel slowly so the motor would not casue any damage.

Jan

[Silkie]

Wow that looks very scary. Serious accidents may happen that way.

I have some play in my steering. Very weird becasue over the last 2 years I have replaced about everything in the steering system incl a new sttering rack. all other parts like the lower arm controll was powder coated just last year. Still I can move the steering wheel about an inch without the front tires reacting.
My only question s if there is any danger? Is it possible I could loose steering at all while driving?
Sorry to hack the thread, but that picure scared me a bit. I will look at those today, but still there are lots of other parts down there.
I had the power steering installed 2 years ago too. I always turn the weheel slowly so the motor would not casue any damage.

Jan

This happened in my driveway while i was backing out.
I turned the wheel and heard a loud pop!
So if you hear any kind of pop?
I would stop right then and check.
I didn't lose steering, The car still steers fine.
Just the wheel is turned to the right a bit.

[Jonathan]

I agree the picture is a bit scary. Not like we didn't have enough topics to instill fear in us driving our cars (fires, TABs, LCAs).

Would anyone care to comment on how this sort of failure occurs? Or what might be the cause leading up to it? Like John, not trying to hijack the thread, but learn from it. Are there warning signs to look for in an inspection underneath? Or while driving if it has gotten that far already? Does rust factor in to this as the starting point? Or would it be more likely that it got banged or knicked and that initiated it? I know materials (TABs for example) are more prone to failure if there is a point on them that got compromised, etched, etc. My LCAs are not perfect or course, the underside looks like it is not the true original shape, either from being banged or the forces from the suspension while driving that have fatigued it. Not practical to replace every component on the car that is slightly old or altered. LCAs, fuel lines, TABs though... the list is getting longer.

[David T]

I agree the picture is a bit scary. Not like we didn't have enough topics to instill fear in us driving our cars (fires, TABs, LCAs).

Would anyone care to comment on how this sort of failure occurs? Or what might be the cause leading up to it? Like John, not trying to hijack the thread, but learn from it. Are there warning signs to look for in an inspection underneath? Or while driving if it has gotten that far already? Does rust factor in to this as the starting point? Or would it be more likely that it got banged or knicked and that initiated it? I know materials (TABs for example) are more prone to failure if there is a point on them that got compromised, etched, etc. My LCAs are not perfect or course, the underside looks like it is not the true original shape, either from being banged or the forces from the suspension while driving that have fatigued it. Not practical to replace every component on the car that is slightly old or altered. LCAs, fuel lines, TABs though... the list is getting longer.

Hard to tell without further investigation but one possability is damage caused by a tow truck operator using the LCA to pull the car by using recovery hooks on them. Another is that the Ball Joints were replaced and the LCA was damaged during the process. Others include improper jacking, hitting a speed bump or a curb, etc. The LCA' s do not break on their own, there has to be an initiating process. If you look closely at the picture there is damage to the front lip in several spots. Any one of which could be the stress riser that a crack can begin from.

[DMCMW Dave]

Would anyone care to comment on how this sort of failure occurs? Or what might be the cause leading up to it? Like John, not trying to hijack the thread, but learn from it. .

--High Mileage (typically higher than 100K but can easily be lower if the car is driven on bad roads a lot)
--Rust
--Sloppy tow truck operators

[Mark D]

Wow that is some scary shit.

Good thing you caught it before the LCA tore the rest of the way off!

[delornut]

I agree the picture is a bit scary. Not like we didn't have enough topics to instill fear in us driving our cars (fires, TABs, LCAs).

Would anyone care to comment on how this sort of failure occurs? Or what might be the cause leading up to it? Like John, not trying to hijack the thread, but learn from it. Are there warning signs to look for in an inspection underneath? Or while driving if it has gotten that far already? Does rust factor in to this as the starting point? Or would it be more likely that it got banged or knicked and that initiated it? I know materials (TABs for example) are more prone to failure if there is a point on them that got compromised, etched, etc. My LCAs are not perfect or course, the underside looks like it is not the true original shape, either from being banged or the forces from the suspension while driving that have fatigued it. Not practical to replace every component on the car that is slightly old or altered. LCAs, fuel lines, TABs though... the list is getting longer.

It looks like the weld around the pocket for the sway bar bushing may have played a role. The break follows the weld. Maybe a manufacturing flaw?


Bruce Benson

[SS Spoiler]

When mine let go, the tire rubbed on the fender.