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

[Silkie]

So i went to get some gas this morning,
After that i spotted a Cruise in at a local restaurant.
Alot of really nice cars there!
I was surrounded as soon as i found a spot to back into. Lol.
So after that i come home for a bit and my wife sends me out for errands.
So i am backing out of the driveway when i hear a POP that sounded like it came from the front of the car?
I get out look underneath nothing looks out of the ordinary.
I notice though when i am going down the road, That the steering wheel is titled to the right a little.
When the wheels are straight. And the steering just doesn't feel like it did before.

So i brought it back and parked it,
And took my other Car.
I have looked under the car again but haven't seen anything loose, hanging etc.
I did check my universal joint and it looks ok.

Any idea's?

P.S. At the Cruise in i did see another John Z. Vehicle (Firebird)


221182211922120

[Dangermouse]

Tie rod end?

Compare one side to the other.

[Silkie]

Tie rod end?

Compare one side to the other.

I will check ASAP.
It's a washout here right now.
Thank you!

[DMCMW Dave]

Have someone rock the steering wheel back and forth while you look at the rack under the center front of the car. See if the rack is moving left and right. It may have jumped out of the retainer at the right end. Which probably means the u-bolt nuts are loose or fell off.

Also take a close look at the ball joints, lift the front off the ground and check for play.

[Silkie]

Have someone rock the steering wheel back and forth while you look at the rack under the center front of the car. See if the rack is moving left and right. It may have jumped out of the retainer at the right end. Which probably means the u-bolt nuts are loose or fell off.

Also take a close look at the ball joints, lift the front off the ground and check for play.

Thanks Dave!
You have been a great help to me lately!

[Silkie]

Have someone rock the steering wheel back and forth while you look at the rack under the center front of the car. See if the rack is moving left and right. It may have jumped out of the retainer at the right end. Which probably means the u-bolt nuts are loose or fell off.

Actually i am thinking this may be it?
Because as i was backing the car down the driveway,
It made a very strange sound a couple of times.
Had me thinking it was my brakes or calipers?
Is this a common problem with the rack ????

[DMCMW Dave]

Actually i am thinking this may be it?
Because as i was backing the car down the driveway,
It made a very strange sound a couple of times.
Had me thinking it was my brakes or calipers?
Is this a common problem with the rack ????

Not common but it can happen. I've seen it twice, once a bad installation, and once a very ham-fisted tow truck operator.

Brakes won't make the wheel off center although they can certainly cause a drag.

[Silkie]

Not common but it can happen. I've seen it twice, once a bad installation, and once a very ham-fisted tow truck operator.

Brakes won't make the wheel off center although they can certainly cause a drag.

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

22137

[Jonathan]

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

22137

http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?8217-Delorean-Performance-Front-lower-control-arm-kit-in-stainless

[Dangermouse]

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.

[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?

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.

[Silkie]

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

Same here also.

[Chris 16409]

I was going to chime in sooner because the same thing happened to me. I was backing out of my garage and my passenger side lower control arm broke very similar to yours. I heard the "pop" noise as well and continued to drive my car. My steering wheel was "off" just like yours. It was not till later in the day did I inspect my suspension. My car had about 100,000 miles when it broke. I would recommend Byrne's controls arms. That's what I eventually bought. Josh didn't quite have his ready for sale when I needed some so I went with Byrne's. Defiantly check out Josh's offering though. He has a good deal going on with his. Don't mess with fixing yours, it's not worth the eventual headaches.

[Silkie]

I was going to chime in sooner because the same thing happened to me. I was backing out of my garage and my passenger side lower control arm broke very similar to yours. I heard the "pop" noise as well and continued to drive my car. My steering wheel was "off" just like yours. It was not till later in the day did I inspect my suspension. My car had about 100,000 miles when it broke. I would recommend Byrne's controls arms. That's what I eventually bought. Josh didn't quite have his ready for sale when I needed some so I went with Byrne's. Defiantly check out Josh's offering though. He has a good deal going on with his. Don't mess with fixing yours, it's not worth the eventual headaches.

Yep, That's exactly what happened to me.
My car has less than 50,000 But O' Well things happen.
I have looked at just about everyone's LCA's.
They are all made great no doubt i am sure!
But those prices are no where in my budget right now.
With the Holiday's quickly approaching,
I can just see me telling my wife i need $800/$900 for my car.
Now if these were $250 a piece? No doubt i would be putting some on this weekend!
No way would i try and have that broken one fixed!
So i guess i better get used to turning the key and letting her run a couple of times a week till next year.

[Josh]

Yep, That's exactly what happened to me.
My car has less than 50,000 But O' Well things happen.
I have looked at just about everyone's LCA's.
They are all made great no doubt i am sure!
But those prices are no where in my budget right now.
With the Holiday's quickly approaching,
I can just see me telling my wife i need $800/$900 for my car.
Now if these were $250 a piece? No doubt i would be putting some on this weekend!
No way would i try and have that broken one fixed!
So i guess i better get used to turning the key and letting her run a couple of times a week till next year.

Not to be rude, but you own a 30 year old car, expenses like this do occur.

Look around, there are people selling their stock ones. However if it were me, after seeing how yours failed, I would stay away from a stock LCA.

[Silkie]

Not to be rude, but you own a 30 year old car, expenses like this do occur.

Look around, there are people selling their stock ones. However if it were me, after seeing how yours failed, I would stay away from a stock LCA.

Not to be rude to you also,
But i just purchased the car, And that in itself was a large purchase.
I'm not complaining, Just saying i couldn't afford that much right now.
And i would keep the car parked for awhile,
Instead of being a bonehead and trying to drive it.

A fellow member has already contacted me,
And we a have deal made that is beneficial for both of us.
Trust me, I will not put anything on my car that is unsafe for me or a passenger.

Thank you so much for your concern.