The Top Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 Resource

Join the best E39A 1991-1992 Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 community and document your GVR4 journey.

  • Software Upgraded - Reset Your Password to Login
    In order to log in after the forum software change, you need to reset your password. If you don't have access to the email address you used to register your GVR4.org account, you won't be able to reset your password. In that case, follow the instructions here to regain access to the forum.

Front control arms

AWDPower

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 28, 2011
Messages
107
Location
Vacaville, CA
I had a ball joint pop out of the control arm on the freeway. Not a fun experience. I haven't had a chance to inspect the arm yet, but I assume it's damaged. Is our arm only on the GVR4 and GGSX? The FWD arms are different, due to the swaybar mount, correct? I can use AWD DSM arms, but I have to change both because they are slightly different, correct? I had changed the ball joints a couple months ago. The new ones from Autozone appeared to be the same as the ones that came out. The old ones came out pretty easily, but the new ones were a pain to install. They were pressed in all of the way, and the retaining clip was fully seated in the groove. Just prior to the ball joint popping out, I had gone to a gas station on a hill that had a very uneven lot, enough to lift a wheel. I heard a pop. What could cause the ball joint to come out like that? Broken clip?

Thank you,
 

IncorpoRatedX

Well-known member
Joined
May 28, 2003
Messages
5,593
Location
Arizona
rock auto has them with ball joint installed for $60
 

Armitage

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 16, 2003
Messages
715
Location
Herndon, VA
I had a ball joint pop out during a rally one time. That was fun, I finished the event holding the wheel 90 degrees to the left just to go straight D:

I don't believe there are any differences between a 1G AWD lower control arm/ball joint and that of a GVR4.

I think in my case the seat in the control arm got enlarged over time and then one big shock and the whole thing just pushes right on through, circlip and all. Anyway it's not completely unheard of but do make sure if you're going to try and press a new ball joint into your control arm that it fits snugly or else you should replace the whole control arm.
 

curtis

Well-known member
Joined
May 4, 2003
Messages
11,892
Location
Clarksville TN
^ Where the hell you been anyway...... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Just looked and you've posted more this week than in years. Glad to hear your still kicking around here.
 

Armitage

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 16, 2003
Messages
715
Location
Herndon, VA
Hey curtis, I've been around but mostly just lurking in the classifieds. Overhauled the whole powertrain in 960 a few years back and the car has been problem free so I've forgotten what working on it was like and haven't had any "how do I" questions to post ;P
 

iceman69510

Turn Right Racing
Staff member
Joined
Mar 5, 2001
Messages
10,964
Location
Michigan
Quoting raptorreed:
The only difference between DSM and GVR4 arms is ~1 degree of camber.



I have refuted this before, as there is no difference in these arms except the bushing durometer. The difference in the alignments setting between the 1g and the VR4 is due to the upper strut mounting bushings.
 

EMX5636

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 28, 2008
Messages
1,631
Location
Bucks County, PA
Good to know iceman, I was ready to find me DSM lower arms. I'm swapping to the FWD spindles now, so I would have done the whole thing if they really were different.
 

vr4play

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 7, 2008
Messages
397
Location
Cincinnati, Ohio
The difference between the arms is 1 deg of caster not camber. You loose a deg of caster with the use of a 1g arm. The caster specs are the same as the 1g but the upper shock mounting point is different. The fwd galant arms are the same. I have used them in the past for a customer who had an offroad excursion and couldn't afford new.
 

jepherz

Staff member
Joined
Aug 8, 2004
Messages
7,877
Location
KC, Missouri
Did you not see Iceman's comment above?

"there is no difference in these arms except the bushing durometer. The difference in the alignments setting between the 1g and the VR4 is due to the upper strut mounting bushings."
 

4Grim

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 30, 2004
Messages
2,514
Location
Orlando FL
Bring back a old thread..but thought it would be better than creating a new thread especially if the subject is related.

I bought some Dorman LCAs for a 1g awd application several months ago. I didn't install them right away as juggling work and family late part of last year kept me from doing anything to my Galants. I finally had some time to replace the Dorman LCA's and the issue I am running into is the pivot bushing is almost 1/4 inch shorter than the original oem bushing. The LCA are identical for the exception of the the pivot bushing being shorter. Because of this..I cannot install the bracket to hold hold the arm onto the subframe.

Is this a issue with 1g lca's or maybe I just got the wrong part?
 
Support Vendors who Support the GVR-4 Community
Boosted Fabrication ECM Tuning ExtremePSI Fuel Injector Clinic Jacks Transmissions JNZ Tuning Kiggly Racing Morrison Fabrications RixRacing RockAuto RTM Racing STM Tuned

Recent Forum Posts

Top