Reinforcing LCA, should I do it while they are out? (Spoiler alert, I did it!) (1 Viewer)

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In my case, no. They were unmolested radius arms in good shape, not rusty or ground down or anything. Slid off my line wheeling in the wet and got a little wedged up in the rocks. I wasn't hammering it or doing anything particularly stupid, but it was a bad line.

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Doh, that's a good one.

Mine wasn't bent nearly that bad...how did you fix it? New arm, I'd imagine...
 
Yeah, I got new used arms from a MUDder as I was planning on replacing the bushings anyway. I've heard they're pretty easy to straighten out in the press, but I would be worried about them being weakened having bent once already.
 
Yeah, I got new used arms from a MUDder as I was planning on replacing the bushings anyway. I've heard they're pretty easy to straighten out in the press, but I would be worried about them being weakened having bent once already.
Copy - ya, I'd have done the same...pretty significant bend there.

@80t0ylc, I completely spaced your question. Yes, I ground-off the forge parting line and a small bit of material below it in an attempt to fix tie rod interference following install of 5° caster plates. Kept the grinding very smooth and rounded, as I was not thrilled to be doing it in the first place. This mostly fixed the interference. Have since removed the caster plates and gone with @eimkeith drop brackets (2" lower & 30mm forward)...no more tie rod interference.

I don't know if the arm was bent pre or post grinding - noticed it by accident when installing new bushings last year. Does seem to be a not-uncommon occurrence.
 
Damn, I thought that LCA in @Heckraiser 's pic was normal. Then I just saw @NorCal97 's post and looked at mine. (Could've swore that was a natural bendo_O) Anyway, what caused me to ask was how they were talking about grinding the arms for tie rod clearance in this thread: Tie rod/Arm Clearance Options and the OP asked in post #6 if the arms were compromised by taking chunks out. I thought of the discussion here about strength of the front LCAs and how a couple of ya have experienced bent arms. Just thought I'd share.
 
Damn, I thought that LCA in @Heckraiser 's pic was normal. Then I just saw @NorCal97 's post and looked at mine. (Could've swore that was a natural bendo_O) Anyway, what caused me to ask was how they were talking about grinding the arms for tie rod clearance in this thread: Tie rod/Arm Clearance Options and the OP asked in post #6 if the arms were compromised by taking chunks out. I thought of the discussion here about strength of the front LCAs and how a couple of ya have experienced bent arms. Just thought I'd share.
Ha! Timely posts. Yessir, and I'd venture to say that it would be crazy to assume grinding the arms does not, in at least some small way, compromise the arm's integrity (varies by degree of grindage). I'd also venture to say that plenty of folks have bent arms that are completely stock and unmolested. :meh:
 
Steel arrived today. Good start so far.
 
Tomorrow I'll press in the bushings and reassemble my rig.
I've missed my "little one". She's been down for two weeks.
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Fully sealed, even the points.
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They were stitch welded to avoid distortion. I joined all the stitches though to hermetically seal the cavity between the LCA and the angle iron. No salt water incursion allowed.
 
Good on ya!

I like the angle iron / knife edge compared to tound tube, and if you wanted to go a little linger a pipe slug welded in closer to the body mount & then going for angle facing down ia going to make for some real world strength.

Not like we’re doing sports car mentality & shaving sprung/unsprung weight, so heavy guage angle iron is primo upgrade IMO.
 

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