Lower Control Arm Help!!

[joepizuro]

Well the whole reason I broke a bolt changing the control arms was the fact that I had wrecked my truck and bent the control arms (amongst other things i fixed) now I cant get the bottom control arm to align in correctly. I'm sure the right side of the front axle is pushed back about 2-3 inches. So atm I was so frustrated I just put the control arm on w/o letting the cam bolt set inside the housing. It's kinda goofy looking but the truck drives pretty good.

How can I get the axle to move forward? I bent the bumper back out with a telephone pole and i was thinking of doing that too. I already tried putting a brick behind the right tire and going backwards but it wouldnt budge

 

[Stangshcky12]

I don't really understand what you mean but none of it sounds safe

 

[05singlecabHEMI]

^^^ what he said... take it to a repair shop and have them work on it before you hurt someone...

 

[WhiteExpress]

I am guessing this is a 4x4.

I am wondering if you bent your axle assembly.

 

[joepizuro]

It's a 4wd.



It fit fine when the other end of the LCA wasn't bolted on. I had to do it this way though or the other end wouldn't go in.

 

[Okiespaniel]

I'd have your axle checked by an aligment shop.

 

[joepizuro]

Btw. All of this is the result of a Power Steering Box sheering off at the pitman arm causing me to lose my steering and took it into a telephone pole...

Was coasting 35mph one night through town and my truck had a 4-5" play in the wheel and it started coasting to the right and i corrected...Nothing...Brakes...POLE.

Done all this work so far. Including unbending the frame beside the radiator.

 

[Stangshcky12]

Looks like if you rotated the cam bolt it would seat then the caster could be adjusted

 

[joepizuro]

Ordering a new washer from LMC truck. It seems this bolt has a different groove in it then the old one. Because in that picture the cam bolt is lined up perfectly on the other side (still too far forward though). Going to get the new one and see if I can use a comealong to pull my axle forward 1".

 

[Okiespaniel]

Sir...I hate to tell you this...but you're screwed.

Everyone should look CLOSELY at the pic the OP posted. Right above the control arm bolt you can clearly see that the control arm mount has a "V" kink in it pointing outward and the other side is the same. The impact has probably bent his axle and the mount absorbed the blow. That metal should be straight up and down without kinks.

I thought that looked suspicious and just walked out and looked at my truck.

With the PROPER rack and tools you may be able to straighten the metal, but it will be weakend. My guess is that your axle is still bent.

 

[Merc225hp]

I know I am new here and don't want to ruffel any feathers, but that's the way they are. See pix below. I have never been in any type of accident with my truck.

Pass side


Drivers side



What I would like to know is what's this bar?

 

[Okiespaniel]

You're not ruffling any feathers...all thoughts are welcome!

The mystery rod...Probably a ratchet handle or breaker bar. I still believe the lower mounts are bent more than stock. The damage appears to be just below the kink.

 

[joepizuro]

I think it was a ratchet bar I had forgot to remove lmao.

 

[Merc225hp]

Thanks for clearing that up for me, I thought somehow you had a bar going from one control-arm to the other. Did you get the cam bolt in right?

 

[joepizuro]

Waiting on the new washer to come. The old washer was groved different from the new bolt so maybe with the new one it will seat closer.

 

[joepizuro]

Just letting everyone know. The new washer came and since the grove was different it slid right on (into the bracket). Tightened it up and I'm good to go.