Bent A Arm

[whiteman_01]

Bent A Arm... I THINK I FOUND THE PROBLEM!!!

Hello everyone, well.. i took my 92 to one of the local shops today. I have been noticing that if i give it just a little power on the road (even at 40 in 4th) iw will pull to the left and then go straight again when i let off.

Well the shop says that it might be a bent a arm or spindal (knuckel), because the front passenger tire is tilted in on the top a little. Does this sound right to anyone?? Thanks in advance for the help.


Joe

 

[JTSHO]

Id definitely check the tension strut rod bushings and the control arm balljoints first. Id find it hard to believe you bent a control arm or knuckle unless you jumped a curb or something. Ive heard Motor mounts can make it pull like that too.

 

[Shoaz]

Your SHO doesn't have A-arms, so that's out.

You do have a lower control arm and a strut rod, and bushings on both ends of the strut rod. As JTSHO mentioned, it's not too hard to make certain that these are all hunky-dorry. It could even be that the strut rod has just come loose a bit. I don't think that would affect camber too much, so there may be other problems.

 

[rangerj]

A worn inner tie rod, where it connects to the rack, will also cause the symtoms you describe.

 

[jelloslug]

Bad subframe bushings will make it pull funny also.

 

[whiteman_01]

what are the tension strut rod bushings??

 

[Shoaz]

With the wheel off you'll see the lower control arm (on which the knuckle/brake assembly sits) and a rod running from the middle of the lower control arm up into the front part of the subframe. There are compliant bushings on both ends of this rod; in the LCA and in the front portion of the subframe. If those bushings are badly worn the strut rod may move around a bit under load.

The other suggestions here are good, too: subframe bushings, tie rod end. It's a bit tough to imagine how any of this would screw up the camber on only one side so bad that it's visible. You may have other problems. Check for a broken spring on that side as well.

 

[rangerj]

The strut rod attaches to the lower control arm from the sub frame. It has rubber bushings at the attachment points.

 

[whiteman_01]

thanks for all of the repies everyone. I will not be able to really get into it i think untill this weekend, but i will let you know what i find out.

The shop i took the car to said that only the camber on the passenger wheel was off, if that helps at all. I will check for any more ideas. Thanks again.

Joe

 

[whiteman_01]

Well... I got a quick chance to look under the car and this is what i found. I haven't even had the car 3 weeks, and refused to take it out in the rain, streached its legs a little once but no hard shifts or anything on the new motor/clutch (didn't want to hurt it) but this is what i see..........

Do i have any options??????????

 

[jelloslug]

Is the subframe body mount area rusted out, or is it just a bad subframe bushing? I cannot really tell from the pic.

 

[whiteman_01]

It looks to me as though where the subframe bolts to the car itself broke out. From the bottom up it looks like it goes, subframe, bushing, meatal that used to be attached to the car, and then the top of the mount. I am not positive though.

 

[Shoaz]

Regardless of whether that's the entire problem you need to do something about that. It looks like you've got an entire corner of the subframe loose. Check the other corners closely; if you lose one more you could wind up with a real controllability problem.

 

[Dan Werling]

Subframe mounting

Correct me if i'm wrong anyone, but it looks like to me that the area shown is what was supposed to have been corrected by the subframe corrosion plate recall? Basically i'm saying, maybe this car never had that recall performed? Just a thought.

 

[SHO Continental]

looks to me like it had the recall performed...

 

[Dan Werling]

I just thought it looked like thats what ripped out of the floor, the area that was supposed to be reinforced. i dunno...?

 

[SHO_Driver]

I had a similar problem though not as bad. Same corner too. There are 2 drain holes around the subframe bolt hole. They rusted out and cracked until the metal floor holding the bolt and nut started dropping making a clunking noise on bumps. Solution was to remove the subframe, cut out the rust and weld in a replacement panel. Then I had to drill a hole for the subframe bolt. Not the most accessible area to work on. Had to do alot of metal shaping and welding upside down. Holding nicely for over a year now.

 

[whiteman_01]

thanks everyone for your help. I found out the recall for the mounting pocket had never been done. It is going in tomorrow to be fixed!!!!! Thanks again, i though i was going to loose the car already.

 

[Dan Werling]

Good to hear... Good luck

 

[whiteman_01]

well.... i took the car in and they said that they can not fix it. The pocket is too far gone to do anything. Ford told me i need to get a new pocket welded in but i do not know anyone that welds. Or, of course, they can sell me a new car