Trailing arm Rot

[raptorWagon]

So on my return trip back to Va from SC, it seems that where the left rear shock mounts to the trailing arm/hub bent downward and also bent the shock as well. My question is will a 1g AWD trailing arm work? I'm not trying to go 5 lug and finding parts off a dsm around here is going to be easier than off a galant. The only 6g that's at the local pick n' pull is a 89' LS and I don't think that would work. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

 

[14u2nV]

They have a slight bend down to them already, are you sure that's not it? That's a pretty stout part, and if you really bent it, how did you not fubar your wheel?

The dsm rearend is the same, except for the 5lug, so you'd have to swap it, but it will work. I've got a vr4 one I'll sell you if you need it. It's been cleaned up and primed, but no more. Bearings and hubs are all still intact.

 

[gtluke]

I would find it hard to believe that you bent that, unless something actually contacted that point and not the wheel.
But if you really did, just make sure you get an trailing arm from one with ABS

 

[raptorWagon]

I'm pulling the wheel off as soon as I get off work. Did inspect what I could see and the shock is rubbing against the axle with the pivot joint at a more extreme downward angle than the right side

 

[raptorWagon]

Wheel is not Fubar'd but the shock is, the axle cup has already rubbed a groove into it (Can't see the groove in this pic)

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/uhh.gif


So how much you want for that trailing arm?

 

[turbowop]

Did you back into a curb?

 

[raptorWagon]

no, I was just cruising on the highway when I started feeling/hearing a vibration from that area. It's weird, just glad it's getting taken care of before I head to WA.

 

[raptorWagon]

Here's how the strut looks after I got it off,

notice the groove? that's from resting against the axle cup.

Besides working on replacing the trailing arm now, I have to get new tires as well, because the the inner most side of that tire rubbed up against the wheel well taking it all the way down to the cord

 

[raptorWagon]

Now that I've finally had time to work steadily on the galant, here's how the the trailing looks compared to the new one I have.

All I have left is mounting the new rotor, caliper and new shock up and it will be mobile again.

 

[NateCrisman]

Wow, I have never ever in all my years with mitsubishi cars, seen a trailing arm tear apart. It surely is quite an impressive failure though! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/applause.gif

 

[gtluke]

wow same here. I've NEVER seen that happen, or even heard about it. WTF?

 

[turbowop]

I still don't understand this. From the way it came apart, it looks like you backed into something? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[cspetros]

Alright. Man up and tell us what really happened /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif.

 

[toybreaker]

Your car been towed recently?

I've seen carnage kind of like that come from a tow truck mook cinching a car down on a flat bed with a j-hook between the strut and rear knuckle.

When the car gets shook around, during trabnsit, all different force vectors could be fed into that point, and I could see how it would get bent around all funky like...

Other than that, I got's nothing. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

It is an impressive failure, indeed.

 

[raptorWagon]

I know I didn't back up into anything, the metal was so brittle it didn't take much effort to pick away at the metal around the mount. In any case it's being replaced now.

 

Quoting raptorreed:
I know I didn't back up into anything, the metal was so brittle it didn't take much effort to pick away at the metal around the mount. In any case it's being replaced now.



Sounds/looks like rust to me if the metal is brittle around the point of failure...

 

[iceman69510]

Had to be rusted. That area of the control arm is so strong I can't imagine it being displaced short of falling off a cliff.

 

[raptorWagon]

it was rust and now it is replaced, along with the rotor, caliper and shock. everything minus the shock came off as one piece. The caliper was rusted - bleeder valve didn't resemble a bleeder valve anymore just a rusted spike ontop, the ebrake spring actuator thinga-ma-jig was the same (non functioning). New parts look so much better now.
New ball joints too, so glad the hobby shop had a ball joint press kit, but even better a regular press to use. One popped only the ball joint out, leaving the collar still in the arm, the other popped completely out.

All that's left is getting a set of new tires, an alignment, and I should be on my way to the PNW. Yes I'm leaving this weekend.


one tire got eaten up in the result of this catastrophic failure of the shock mount you could say. Shock mount fails = bushing mount on shock bends, breaking off welds on shock = shock then begins to lean and rest on axle cup = as axle rotates, creates groove/digs into side of shock absorber = as car moves and hits any dips or bumps, tire hits top of wheelwell causing inner most edge to rub each time, eventually wearing the edge down to cord = %$&*@^&*#@$*@# and more !*@#*&^$&*^$(*)_#(*(@ and then JSB.