Rear control arm mount damage.

[BMThiker]

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.

Yeah, no biggie there. I thought you meant that the bracket itself had separated from the frame. (That's what happened to one of the "retired" Trail Team rigs, but they weren't running any skids on that bracket.)

You can bend that back out as described above. Drop that end of the control arm and put a crescent wrench or flat jawed vise grips over the bent areas and twist them back into place. Sometimes a pry bar will work too.

Then get yourself some skids like the ones posted above and never worry about it again.

 

[Blues Dawg]

I mangled mine too, but we simply bent them back and welded some 1/4 steel pieces into a ramp over it as reinforcement and rock contact surface. Works great, but I recommend either getting the HD lower arms or reinforcing the stcok ones- the stockers bend pretty easy.

 

[NYCTRD]

Are those solid (trailing arm tubes)? Looks like a good set up...I've scraped mine up, but no visible bends (yet).

Those and skids are my next weekend project. Those Rastas seem nice, but SOOO $$$. And I could see one good "thmp" cracking them...

[/quote]

 

[CaliChaos]

of course I ~should~ have had armor.. but I didn't.

This happened back in January... should I be overly concerned?

I don't want my FJ getting all wild and crazy while transporting the family around town.. nor do I want any surprises out on the trail.

What would be the best course of action for my damage at this point?

 

[FirstToy]

nothing. don't worry about it Calichaos. maybe just bend it out of the way near the control arm mount if it is rubbing

 

[knoll0351]

Thank you guy's I feel much better now. I guess I was just being a bit paranoid over something relatively little. I'll bend it out this weekend and I've already bought the 3/16 chunk ready to cut and weld over. If all goes well I'll be able to get the pix of that "build up" or Repair rather on the board by Monday. As far as CaliCaos it sounds to me like you're in about the same boat as me. Just bend em back and weld up a bit of reinforcement.

 

[ShottsUZJ100]

You guys need to do my $50 mod and not worry any longer! I thought Cruiser mounts were vulnerable!

 

[Tools R Us]

Ruff Stuff makes stout replacement brackets;

Ramped Rear Link Brackets - $36.00

 

[FirstToy]

thanks for the link Tools R Us

 

[CaliChaos]

Ruff Stuff makes stout replacement brackets;
Ramped Rear Link Brackets - $36.00

Thanks for the link.

I'm guessing you cut the old ones off and weld those?
What about the All-Pro solution?

from here:
All Pro Off Road

$75.00

 

[PhilC64]

Thanks for the link.

I'm guessing you cut the old ones off and weld those?
What about the All-Pro solution?

from here:
All Pro Off Road

$75.00

The All Pro's just cover the existing mounts. You do not use them to replace the damaged part. Just pull the control arm bolt, place the All Pro OVER the existing mount, then bolt it back up. Have a couple of ratchet straps on hand just in case the axle moves a little on you. If you already damaged the mount, start thinking about beefing up the LCA's as well! Mine had the snot bent out of them from just a mild rock crawling session.

 

[CaliChaos]

I guess I should have worded my question better.

1) the first linked solution
Ramped Rear Link Brackets - $36.00
looks like you detach the factory and REPLACE them with the solution

2) the second linked solution
All Pro Off Road
is indeed a COVER over the factory mounts.

my question is... does my bracket look like it needs to be replaced or covered or simply left alone at this time?

This is my daily driver, and I wheel it when the opportunity comes about. I am most time cautious.. but not afraid to try the difficult line now and then.

 

[BMThiker]

It doesn't look bad enough to replace. If the link is binding on the bent parts then bend them back and cover them with the AP covers or weld your own thicker piece of steel overlapping the bracket in a similar fashion. I got no welding skilz, so I bought the AP covers.

At the very least, scuff the rust off and spraypaint them black again to prevent rust from affecting the integrity.

I guess I should have worded my question better.

my question is... does my bracket look like it needs to be replaced or covered or simply left alone at this time?

This is my daily driver, and I wheel it when the opportunity comes about. I am most time cautious.. but not afraid to try the difficult line now and then.

 

[FirstToy]

calichaos,
it's not a safety issue. you are fine leaving it as is forever.

 

[PhilC64]

X3! The body will go bad before those mounts will.

 

[knoll0351]

Here is my "temp fix" for my rear control arms. My welder was acting up, I think I was over using the duty cycle finishing my skid plates. Yet again I digress, here is a picture of my new "light" armor for the driver side control arm mount.

 

[FirstToy]

those booger welds are about as good as mine!

that's all you need knoll, nice work.

 

[knoll0351]

Thanks, there is plenty of penetration so they are solid they just look like heck. I'm not too fond of using a buz box, especially when I'm under what I'm welding.