Would lowering the DMC stress the Lower Control Arms?

[Chris Burns]

Just curious.

I have noticed some Deloreans with lower control arm failures. Rare, but it can happen.

[Delorean Industries]

Not rare. Happens all the time. There is an additional load on the rear bushing when the suspension angles are changed. It is within the operating tolerances of the factory configuration. When you add in age and over all degradation that is where the majority of failures occur.

[JohnZ]

So that means that replacing the springs with lowering ones involves the replacement / upgrade / reinforcement of LCAs? Or at least, is it recommended?

:)

[Delorean Industries]

Yes because the component is designed to work within a window of operation. Normal operation is x amount of force constantly applied in normal conditions plus Y increased forces created during the jounce and rebound process of the suspension movement. Meaning that the components see the extra stress intermittently. By lowering the car and adding pre load to the component it is always working within that additional stress. It is designed to take it in intervals but technically not constantly. Coupled with the fact that most LCA's are in poor conditioning with owners defaulting to "my car only has this many miles" and completely ignoring age and other conditions and this is the end result. Its not even all about the fatigue of the component either. Bad inner control arm bushings allowing for excessive movement outside of the normal travel can cause issues as well. There are a lot of variables to keep in mind.

[JohnZ]

Yes because the component is designed to work within a window of operation. Normal operation is x amount of force constantly applied in normal conditions plus Y increased forces created during the jounce and rebound process of the suspension movement. Meaning that the components see the extra stress intermittently. By lowering the car and adding pre load to the component it is always working within that additional stress. It is designed to take it in intervals but technically not constantly. Coupled with the fact that most LCA's are in poor conditioning with owners defaulting to "my car only has this many miles" and completely ignoring age and other conditions and this is the end result. Its not even all about the fatigue of the component either. Bad inner control arm bushings allowing for excessive movement outside of the normal travel can cause issues as well. There are a lot of variables to keep in mind.

Thanks Josh. As a side note, I'm glad that my own way of working matches the way a job should be performed, for safety reasons mainly. In other words, if I'll ever lower my car (that is likely) I'll do a full and complete suspensions overhaul!

[Dangermouse]

Just happened to an owner out in Cali

http://scontent-a.cdninstagram.com/hphotos-xfa1/t51.2885-15/e15/10950563_1391759924468423_583293273_n.jpg

before

http://scontent-b.cdninstagram.com/hphotos-xfp1/t51.2885-15/e15/10616725_289296877924821_1027383910_n.jpg


from @ryanigram (http://iconosquare.com/viewer.php#/user/187269529/) account on IG

[nimaside]

Just happened to an owner out in Cali

http://scontent-a.cdninstagram.com/hphotos-xfa1/t51.2885-15/e15/10950563_1391759924468423_583293273_n.jpg

before

http://scontent-b.cdninstagram.com/hphotos-xfp1/t51.2885-15/e15/10616725_289296877924821_1027383910_n.jpg


from @ryanigram (http://iconosquare.com/viewer.php#/user/187269529/) account on IG

I thought the last picture was a mirror image because of the backward writing, but DMC is shown correctly.?:dunno:

[dn010]

I too was curious about that...

[DL4567]

I thought the last picture was a mirror image because of the backward writing, but DMC is shown correctly.?:dunno:


I too was curious about that...

You guys are kidding, right?

Right?

[Domi]

Hopefully, he didn't damage the front panel.

[nimaside]

You guys are kidding, right?

Right?

LMAO! You have to admit the DMC can throw you off.:deviltail:

[Mark D]

Side note: I think that combination of side skirt with black stripe and black wheels looks pretty awesome. I can't say I've ever seen one like that before.

[dn010]

Obviously DMC can't be backwards, but I was curious why everything else is...


You guys are kidding, right?

Right?

[Tillsy]

You guys are kidding, right?

Right?

Awesome post, don't think I've ever laughed so hard, you win the Internet sir :)

[JohnZ]

Try and wear a DMC t-shirt and whatch yourself in the mirror... you'll be astonished!

:D

[Jason]

This happened to me a few years ago.
33118
All of the sudden the steering got wonky.

This was after using the car for 20 years / 130,000 miles as a daily driver. With maybe half of that with the suspension lowered. It had 28,000 or so miles when I bought it.

[hmcelraft]

I'm sure you examined it when you took it off - it looks like the area around the weld may have been cracked for some time based on the rusty appearance. Any theory on the cause?

[DMCMW Dave]

I'm sure you examined it when you took it off - it looks like the area around the weld may have been cracked for some time based on the rusty appearance. Any theory on the cause?

"130,000 miles as a daily driver" I've seen/heard of actually very few failures, seems to be mostly cars north of 100K miles.

[Delorean Industries]

Most of the failures recently have been due to retarded towing procedures. You can destroy just about anything with a guy smoking using a winch.

[Farrar]

There seem to be two schools of thought regarding LCA failure.

1. "pretty rare"
2. "happens all the time"

I'm confused.

[Rich]

This happened to me a few years ago.
33118
All of the sudden the steering got wonky.

This was after using the car for 20 years / 130,000 miles as a daily driver. With maybe half of that with the suspension lowered. It had 28,000 or so miles when I bought it.

Setting aside whether this particular one is considered a normal failure or not, it looks like the result of a few too many potholes for the wheel on that side.

The sway bar is the primary longitudinal link on the front end. When an impact such that from a pothole - or hitting a curb at speed - drives the front wheel suddenly rearward that load goes mostly through the LCA to the sway bar on its way to the front bushing where the frame takes it up. Whatever can bend in that load circuit will do so. The cracks we see look like compression failures from the LCA moving rearward as the sway bar restrains it. Not much LCA corrosion and no sign that the LCA was made wrong.

Ride height likely played little or no role.

Best way to avoid damage like this is to stick to the smoothest pavement you can manage as the miles pile up. Or drive less, but what's the point in that?

Nice to hear that in this case the driver got a signal about it - wonky steering - instead of something much worse. Will guess the steering was especially wonky under braking...

Thanks for sharing the photo and the story.