Does anyone have any ideas on how to fix a cracked control arm mount. I was thinking welding a reinforcing piece over the damaged area. But my other problem is I don't know what it should look like, does anyone have any pix of theirs?
Rear control arm mount damage.
- Thread starter knoll0351
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Is this the front (frame) or rear (axle) mount? I have damage to both of mine on the passenger side...
- Thread starter
- #3
Rear axle on both sides. Since they mount to the under side of the frame rails they get to be the lowest point and get the brunt of most impacts that the sliders or frame protect the underside from.
Should apply to the FJC too:
John Shotts (shottscruisers) : photos : Rear Control Arm Skid Plates- powered by SmugMug
Now, a rock or ledge hits the 3/8" steel welded to the arm mount first.
John Shotts (shottscruisers) : photos : Rear Control Arm Skid Plates- powered by SmugMug
Now, a rock or ledge hits the 3/8" steel welded to the arm mount first.
Before you spend a lot of time under the vehical with a welder, check out what All Pro Off Road has allready made. Just bolt it on.
FJ Cruiser Lower Link Skids and Lower Shock Skids
All Pro Off Road
FJ Cruiser Lower Link Skids and Lower Shock Skids
All Pro Off Road
I don't think the allpro LCA skid is going to do much good to help a cracked mount. You'll need to weld it to at least fix the mount and then you can either go with a bolt on skid or figure out some way to weld reinforcements.
True-True.
- Thread starter
- #8
There in lies my problem, not sure if the geometry matters or if it could tweak the alignment if I don't get it fixed just right... Wow this is definitely a time that I should have had the skids on from the beginning!!
do you have a picture of the damage? It is hard to tell what the damage is.
it could be something very simple and 5 min w/ a welder.
I installed beefier sway bar connects but I wonder if it's not better to have the SOFTER OEM trailing arms so if you hit them, you simply sacrafice the arm, and won't misalign/destroy the mounting points....
- Thread starter
- #13
I'll try and get a picture posted today. Does anyone have a picture they could post of what they should look like without damage?
I think you misunderstood eventhough's original question, but seems like you are talking about the front of the control arm where it mounts to the frame rail, and not the rear end of the control arm, which mounts to the axle.
The Trail Teams have done this to their rigs as well -- 9 months of wheeling every weekend will do that to a truck! I think you are on the right track of attempting to re-weld the cracked bits. I would think that reinforcing that area is a good idea too, if you don't add armor after re-welding.
The Trail Teams have done this to their rigs as well -- 9 months of wheeling every weekend will do that to a truck! I think you are on the right track of attempting to re-weld the cracked bits. I would think that reinforcing that area is a good idea too, if you don't add armor after re-welding.
- Thread starter
- #15
I did, thank you. I meant that it was damaged on the frame rail, not the axle end.
- Thread starter
- #16
Here are a couple of pix I took this morning. I didn't realize but it also looks like the passanger side may also be bent as well as smashed...maybe a big wammer can fix that?
oh that's not bad at all, no big deal. you can try to bend it back a bit if it's touching the control arm or causing binding.
a simple piece of plate metal welded on top or one of those skids linked earlier would be good to put on there otherwise, i'd just leave it be.
a simple piece of plate metal welded on top or one of those skids linked earlier would be good to put on there otherwise, i'd just leave it be.
- Thread starter
- #18
Thanks FirstToy, I won't stress so much. This is the first structual damage that I've taken and it just kinda stressed me. I'm putting the 3" Sway away full settup on tomorrow with Toy350 tomorrow, and fully armoring up over the next couple of weeks with 10 gauge plate.
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X2 I had the rear arms off of my 80 this weekend and the mounts were pretty pounded. My favorite tool for straightening them is a big crescent wrench. Adjust it to fit tightly on the metal, then work the bracket back into shape.
I have the AllPro Lower Link and Shock Skids on my FJ.
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