Hit the worst pothole in my life....help..

[jscott]

it the worst pothole in my life (driving for 52 years) on the passenger side front. Drive home car handled fine but lots of metal noise. Jacking it up today the only thing I can see is an apparently bent lower control arm. These are the best pics I can get in the tight quarters. You can see where the control arm is rubbing on the housing it sits in. The drivers side is dead on straight but the passenger side, with these rub marks is the problem, the only one I hope. Looking into the channel the control arm sits you can see the control arm bent forward and those rub marks confirm it. Is this a part that is bolt off, bolt on or do I need a shop to do it (with my limited skills)? The part, like the NPD one below, does that contain all I need for replacement? First pic shows control arm with the rub area where it hits the housing. Second is inside of housing where the control arm is rubbing/hitting it. Last is the best I can do looking down the length of the arm to show how it is bent forward, thus creating those rub areas. https://www.npdlink.com/product/lower-control-arm/170042/202808

...and if it is a part I can replace myself, looking at Rockauto, best prices, is one better then the other? https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog...51cid+v8,1132861,suspension,control+arm,10401

 

[detritusmaximus]

Lower control is relatively easy to replace. There is a brace tool that is placed between the upper control arm and the frame to keep it from rotating down too far and damaging its bushings.
Have a look at your strut rod and bushings/forward crossmember for damage as well.

You will need an alignment after repair. You can replace the control arm yourself, but get a quote, might be cheaper than you think.

 

[jscott]

thanks, looking at this video it seems pretty simple for me to do. Strut rods and forward crossmember look fine, they are new. having the crossmember replaced in April.

Lower control is relatively easy to replace. There is a brace tool that is placed between the upper control arm and the frame to keep it from rotating down too far and damaging its bushings.
Have a look at your strut rod and bushings/forward crossmember for damage as well.

You will need an alignment after repair. You can replace the control arm yourself, but get a quote, might be cheaper than you think.

Instead of a tool could you not just support the hub, or rotor to keep in the same position as it is before you remove the old lower control arm and install the new?

 

[Don C]

thanks, looking at this video it seems pretty simple for me to do. Strut rods and forward crossmember look fine, they are new. having the crossmember replaced in April.


Instead of a tool could you not just support the hub, or rotor to keep in the same position as it is before you remove the old lower control arm and install the new?

NO!!! When the lower ball joint is removed there would be nothing to keep the spindle from moving out and up, releasing the spring when the upper control arm came down. This could be a real widow-maker if not done correctly.

 

[jscott]

where would I find this brace tool?

so it is not as simple as this video shows??

 

[detritusmaximus]

The tool can be made. It's really just a steel plate with another piece welded to it. There are plans/drawings floating around.

 

[jpaz]

A simple piece of 2 x 4 about 7-8” long works as well. Lay it under the control arm from front to back.

 

[Aus73Mach1]

Just replaced one of mine. A brand new Scott Drake item !!!. The outer steel casing on the inner bush came loose in the control arm causing similar issues you had. Is this what happened to yours rather than actually bending? Replacement was pretty much same as the video and no major hassle. Let the suspension hang, block under the top control arm if needed and as Don said, don't support the rotor/spindle. One point, mark the cam washers on the inner bolt to the frame so they go back in roughly the same spot. Can save save a bit of tyre scrubbing until you get it re-aligned

 

[detritusmaximus]

where would I find this brace tool?

so it is not as simple as this video shows??

Yes. And no...

First...what Don said above.

The big question is how crusty is your car? If is old enough and see enough salt and moisture, the lower control arm to frame bolt can seize into the lower control arm bushing. It becomes a bear to remove the bolt. Just turning the bolt round and round doesn't tell you if it's seized to the inner sleeve of the bushing. The bushing sleeve can separate from the rubber so it all turns. If it's been serviced at some point in it's life, like the car in the video, it should come out just fine...but I noticed they didn't show him pulling the bolt out.

Also, the swaybar endlinks might not be agreeable. Most replacements do not have the same corrosion protection and the nuts could be seized onto the bolts. They could break. I'd have new endlink kits on hand...just in case.

From your pics, everything looks nice and newer. Should be a breeze.

 

[jscott]

My problem happened hitting the pothole, immediate metal on metal noise. Guess i need to get under and look at the area you all say to block so I can understand better. Already ordered a new arm and bolts.

 

[Don C]

The details for the tool are in the Ford Shop Manual, Volume 1, section 14-03

 

[detritusmaximus]

Here is the thread about the tool. Some discussion on it's 'need' but you get the idea of what it is doing. If you use 2x4's....I'd suggest maybe a hardwood? The pine ones laying out behind the garage might not be up to snuff...

https://7173mustangs.com/threads/ford-front-suspension-support-tool-by-tommy-zees.28288/

And an article...

https://www.motortrend.com/how-to/1612-lift-classic-mustangs-and-avoid-suspension-damage/

 

[DAverkamp]

NO!!! When the lower ball joint is removed there would be nothing to keep the spindle from moving out and up, releasing the spring when the upper control arm came down. This could be a real widow-maker if not done correctly.

With authority and correctness! Nicely done Don.

 

[71ProjectJunk]

NO!!! When the lower ball joint is removed there would be nothing to keep the spindle from moving out and up, releasing the spring when the upper control arm came down. This could be a real widow-maker if not done correctly.

I don't think that the spring can come off when you remove the lower control arm. The upper control arm will hit the frame rail way before the spring can get anywhere near the point where it could come flying off, the spring perch will move to keep the spring in line with the top of the strut tower. I just did my front end like 6 months ago and had to do it 2 and half times, and I can't see that happening. The shock absorber will be inside the spring itself, so even if the spring could somehow start coming out it would immediately hit the shock absorber and stop there. The shocks will also limit the amount the the lower control arm can come down. Then again I could be wrong. If you look at that video, that guy just let the suspension hand on the shock absorber, like 95% of mechanics would do if you take the car to them. Most have probably never heard of the "brace tool"

As for the "brace tool", I bought one on eBay and I cannot use it without loosening the the sway bar and taking the end links off, it hits the sway bar end links before you can get it into place. In this case it should work fine as you have to remove the sway bar end link anyhow, but to use it just to lift the car it would be a pain to have to take off the sway bar end links each time. I would not spend the money on that tool again. I would just cut a piece of 2x4 wood and insert it in between the frame and the upper control arm to keep the upper control arm from putting all the spring tension on the shock. They are here if you are interested in buying a set:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/253175128882

 

[Aus73Mach1]

I don't think Don means the spring will come out. If the full weight of the front end is jacked up by the drum/spindle alone and the lower control arm is removed, it can pivot on the top ball joint causing the jack to slip and it will mean that drum/spindle assembly will come down fast and possibly fly out/sideways or whatever.

I didn't need to brace mine as the longer shock absorbers allow the top control arm to rest on the chassis without strain on the shock tower.

 

[jscott]

found this video also

 

[DSwan]

where would I find this brace tool?

so it is not as simple as this video shows??

This is what I do to keep the suspension from stretching out when lifting the car. It's a piece of 1" square steel tubing cut to 7". I brace it between the upper control arm bolt and the inner fender rail. Works great (don't forget to remove it after lowering, all I have to do is push on each side of the front end and the fall right out).

 

[Hemikiller]

For the amount of time the car will be suspended to replace the control arm, you should be fine without the support tool. Worst case is the upper shock bushing splits.

Definitely take a really good look at the strut rod bushings, one may have split during that impact.

 

[jscott]

will do, fortunately they are brand new.

 

[Don C]

I don't think Don means the spring will come out. If the full weight of the front end is jacked up by the drum/spindle alone and the lower control arm is removed, it can pivot on the top ball joint causing the jack to slip and it will mean that drum/spindle assembly will come down fast and possibly fly out/sideways or whatever.

I didn't need to brace mine as the longer shock absorbers allow the top control arm to rest on the chassis without strain on the shock tower.

View attachment 65538

Yes, that is correct, if the jack under the rotor slips the spindle will come down in an uncontrolled direction with full force. The spindle will be able to rotate in and on the upper ball joint. If the strut rod is loose it can rotate in any direction. The potential energy stored in the spring is enough to maim or kill, when loosed the resulting kinetic energy of the spindle and rotor adds to the damage.