Advice on Lower Control Arm damage & repair

[VX KAT]

Had my guy do a quicky assessment today on the lower control arm damage from Moab.
Said piece that connects to LCA is also tweaked/bent (circled).
Told me to get:

The frame piece from A-arm forward. He'll cut the brackets on the frame. And a new ($300 new or replacement) LCA.

1) What is part # in schematic for piece above LCA? Is it #1, STEERING KNUCKLE? ($568 NEW ) (Schematic at bottom of post)

2) Searching salvage yards shows 96-97 Rodeos/Passport are same/will fit. ANYBODY KNOW? Obviously there's plenty of them locally I can get.

3) Think a salvage yard will PULL the LCA and the other part for me?

4) If so, how much would be fairly reasonable for them to pull it?

5) Took more pics showing different angles - input/comments on what you see?

6) Thoughts/opinions on this repair/replace plan?



DIFFERENT ANGLES ON DAMAGE











LOOKING STRAIGHT UP




UNDAMAGED SIDE FOR COMPARISON

[Knigh7s]

If you are referring to the green circle as #1 in your schematic, thats doesn't look like the part. That would be the one that is right behind the rotor cover. Would it be whatever is connected to #25 bushing that you are looking for? TBH, I can't even find that piece in the parts catalog either.

PG 3C-12 and 3C?19 in the Workshop Manual

No part number anywhere. Is it welded to the frame? Or is it bolted? Hard to tell from your pictures.

[VX KAT]

It's the part outlined here, I think he said it's the frame. I'm not quite sure if it's the entire part in green, or if he wants just red part, but I think it's welded to the green.
This part is bolted to the lower control arm with purple bolt/nut.

I remember him saying something like he needs the frame in front of the steering box (or something like that). Does that make any sense? (Obviously I need to talk to him again and get it clarified).

Sounds like he's saying he needs to chop a piece of the frame out here out of mine, including the vertical piece (green) that's tweeked, and get the same chunk from a donor and he'll weld it into place, and then bolt it to a new A-arm.
I'm way outta my league here, so I have no idea.

Sounds like it's gonna cost a fortune - - -

I need to check with the VXers that have spare part trucks, see if they can "cut" this piece out for me - - - anybody have Rent-a-torch handy? etfren, Jo, vxfocus ??

[Knigh7s]

Ouch... Murphy's Law... All that protection under there and you get hit where it hurts...

So it is that piece I circled in my pic. Hopefully it's a bit easier that having to cut a section out... If it's not to hot out tomorrow, I'm gonna try swapping out my front rotors, I'll take a closer look at that section.

[VX KAT]

Ouch... Murphy's Law... All that protection under there and you get hit where it hurts...

So it is that piece I circled in my pic. Hopefully it's a bit easier that having to cut a section out... If it's not to hot out tomorrow, I'm gonna try swapping out my front rotors, I'll take a closer look at that section.

Thanks Adam-Lee! (I forget which name you go by ).
Appreciate the input/info!

yeah, tell me about Murphy's law

[bigblock8396375]

What about a good front end/ frame shop? Get a good LCA and they could heat and pull that bracket back to specs. Then do the alignment .

[Y33TREKker]

What about a good front end/ frame shop? Get a good LCA and they could heat and pull that bracket back to specs. Then do the alignment .

I'm with bigblock. If that section of the frame is actually bent/tweaked, you shouldn't have any problem finding a shop with frame straightening equipment that could un-tweak that one small section. You own repair guys could then replace the bolt on parts, although if your own guys don't have the equipment to do the alignment, you might be better off (save yourself some time and running back and forth) just having the frame shop do everything.

That must have been a good sized pebble is all I can say.

[VX KAT]

I'm with bigblock. If that section of the frame is actually bent/tweaked, you shouldn't have any problem finding a shop with frame straightening equipment that could un-tweak that one small section. You own repair guys could then replace the bolt on parts, although if your own guys don't have the equipment to do the alignment, you might be better off (save yourself some time and running back and forth) just having the frame shop do everything.

That must have been a good sized pebble is all I can say.

My shop does alignments, but don't think they do frame work. I'm thinking I should start by making appt, give him some time to assess it, instead of the quicky look yesterday.
I'll also start checking around for a frame place.

I think it happened when I came off a ledge and couldn't/didn't see the large drop, and landed on a "pebble" (). The dent does look pretty much like a round type shape.

[JoFotoz]

Hiya Sue

Sent you an e-mail.

Jo

[ND92]

Hey Sue,
I'm in exactly the same conundrum as you! Plus more
I bent my lower arm and it wrapped the metal around that mounting point. Not sure yet what the full extent of the damage is but I have an appointment on Tuesday to get it looked at.
Disclaimer: DON'T DO KANE CREEK STOCK.....

[Gizmo42]

I find it hard to believe that it bent that piece. The damage to the LCA should be much worse to bend that thick of steel. Frame straightening can be expensive but usually not as difficult as finding the right part of a frame from salvage then cutting and welding. The alignment shop probably wont know much about the way it should be. I would look for a frame shop and have someone that knows frames really well look at it to make sure exactly where you stand and what options you have.

The front LCA mount is part of the frame so no separate parts available. Have to either straighten it or cut and weld from a donor. LCA shouldnt be too difficult to come by but can be a PITA to remove because of the rear mounting bolt. They dont like to come out sometimes.

[Triathlete]

Sue, these guys are nearby and could build you some nuclear bomb proof control arms!

[ZEUS]

Noboy said "SAS"?! Seriously?! HAHA - I would suggest replacing the LCA, getting an alignment & letting it ride! If it is too bad to get the LCA back on... heat & hammer time! Heck of a hit, Sue - STOP IT! :P

[Makocross]

Sue, I have to go with Zeus's comments. You drove all the way back home and your lower control arm did not fall off demonstrating the reserve capacity of the arm. The arm is cracked and that has to be addressed, if you can't find a new one beat the old one in shape and weld a section over the distressed section. If you take out part of the frame and weld in a new piece you will have a patched(weaker) frame that will lower the resale and originality plus have a good place for rust to start on the inside of the frame. Just use a stock lower control arm, if you get a beefed up one the next time the frame or something else will break. If the new arm doesn't line up, that is where the frame shop will come in.

Mike

[VX KAT]

THANKS for all the input gang!
I cleaned up both sides and took more pics at slightly different angles and views.
I really couldn't detect any difference in angle or anything on the LCA vertical frame mount piece.

I'm NOT real keen on chopping up my frame now that reality of this has sunk in!

I think I agree with you guys, so I'm hoping my guy Dale can heat/hammer/BFH/weld a patch, align it, and send me on my way.

I'll replace the LCA if needed.
*** BOTH "CAR-PART" AND "MYPARTSHOP" SAY LCA IN '96-'97 RODEO IS THE SAME.
DAVE DO YOU KNOW??
THERE'S DOZENS IN PHOENIX, CAN FIND A NICE CLEAN RUST-FREE ONE***

Anybody see anything in these pics??

1 -



2-



3 -



4 -




5 -



6 -PASSENGER SIDE FOR COMPARISON




7 -




8 -




9 -





10 - LOOKING STRAIGHT UP FROM GROUND AT DAMAGED A-ARM.
CAN SEE HOW BENT INWARD IT IS - GOOD HIT FOR SURE!