[FlatBlack]

I bent another FR LCA.

Just wondering if any of you guys had a spare LCA laying around.

Anything from a first or second gen Legacy [third gens might work as well?], 93-01 Impreza, or first gen Forester.

Thanks.

Located in Arkansas, by the way.

- Mat

 

[RichardM]

You're using rally terms that are new to this rookie. I assume FR means front right but what is an LCA? There are several Subaru parts laying around the DFW area.

 

[RichardM]

Go post your search for a Front Right Lower Control Arm on the Texas Region NASIOC page and if there is one here reasonably close, I can bring it to 100 AW.

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=29

 

[FlatBlack]

Sorry, Richard!

But yeah, you got it. Front right lower control arm. I got one up in a junkyard, I had it re-installed about 12 hours after crushing the 'old' one. That was also after working for 8 hours in between.

I'm interested in spares, seeing as I tend to overdrive this car. Might take you up on that!

A friend told me that the GD STi aluminium arms take a bit of work to fit into the GC/GF chassis. So, I was wondering if having some "gussets" welded to brace against the buckling that occurs at the rear of the arm would work. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Carnage pics:

 

[RichardM]

Good on left and bad on right? Looks like it to me any way. I think a flat plate welded on both the top and bottom would reinforce the piece.

 

[RichardM]

Go to this forum: http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=22

Ask how to keep photo 1 from turning into photo 2.

 

[FlatBlack]

Yeah, the one on the right is the bent one. It should be flat like the one on the right.

Go to this forum: http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=22

Ask how to keep photo 1 from turning into photo 2.

I try to stay away from Nasioc as much as possible, I will do some searching there, though. I would figure the answer will probably be 'convert to STi LCAs.'

FWIW, this is what they look like:

I was thinking that running a metal bar along the 'seam' of the steel LCA, as well as a plate top and bottom. This would obviously increase unsprung weight, but I wonder if it would do the trick.

This happened due to me sliding into a curb at less than 20 MPH. It did not de-bead the tire or damage the wheel at all [besides rashing], I would prefer the LCAs to stand up to small 'incidents' like this.

 

[RichardM]

The aluminum ones won't bend. But they will shatter.

And yes, NASIOC does have its moments. So if you do post there, say that the LCA bent when you were on a rally and slid into a stump at about 60.

 

[jimmy]

Remember, if you don't bend/break the LCA, the force goes someplace else, and you will bend/break that something else (the next weak point).

In this case, the LCA is the sacrificial (and comparitively cheap) part.

When you hit something, something has to give.......................

ymmv

press on,

 

[carl]

The aluminum ones won't bend. But they will shatter.

And yes, NASIOC does have its moments. So if you do post there, say that the LCA bent when you were on a rally and slid into a stump at about 60.

everyone says that the aluminum ones will crack/break instead of bending. I, however, have first hand experience with smashing the Al STI arms into stuff. The bend. a lot. I've bent 3 of them from full on horseshoe down to banana. None of them have cracked, they've all bent.

example

 

[Jard]

Remember, if you don't bend/break the LCA, the force goes someplace else, and you will bend/break that something else (the next weak point).

In this case, the LCA is the sacrificial (and comparitively cheap) part.

When you hit something, something has to give.......................

ymmv

press on,

Yep, that.

The Suspension sub-forum is one of the good ones on NASIOC.

 

[FlatBlack]

everyone says that the aluminum ones will crack/break instead of bending. I, however, have first hand experience with smashing the Al STI arms into stuff. The bend. a lot. I've bent 3 of them from full on horseshoe down to banana. None of them have cracked, they've all bent.

I actually saw this last night...

I drove through the local Subaru dealer last night, and saw a 07 STi facing the service department. The front left wheel was pushed up against the fender, just like my car had done.

Looked under the car and the LCA was bent, the BBS was scratched but seemed alright. The tire was fine as well.

Maybe the solution is just not hitting anything with the front wheels?

Carl, did any of those LCAs bend in a way to let you finish the stage or get back to service? My "off" was such a light tap that I was really surprised that I bent my steel one.

 

[Jard]

If you bend it back so the wheel is rubbing on the back of the fender/wheel well, you can always try to hook a tow strap up to a tree and yank it forward enough to get back to service. Not pretty, but does work sometimes (at least with the stock stamped steel arms).

But in general, try not to hit stuff.

 

[carl]

Carl, did any of those LCAs bend in a way to let you finish the stage or get back to service? My "off" was such a light tap that I was really surprised that I bent my steel one.

the first one was Ojibwe 2009 - we hit a rock or something while pulling over to let a car pass (this was the open light version of the car - both the car and I were very slow). We were able to drive the rest of the stage, the next stage and the final transit. It ate the fender and tire but was drivable.

the next one was LSPR 2010, we hit a rock exposed by a washout and broke the wheel, tie rod, ball joint, control arm, and severely damaged the wheel bearing. But the control arm itself wouldn't have prevented the car from being driven - this was the hardest impact of the 3 but resulted in the least amount of damage to the arm.

The last one was Sno*Drift 2011, went into a ditch, didn't feel any hard impact but the arm was bent (nothing else damaged, tie rod and ball joint ok). Was able to flat tow car off the stage (would have drove it but too much mud in the engine bay to risk overheating).

so yes, all 3 times the arm would still allow for the car to be driven although the tire was typically contacting the back of the wheel well to some degree.