Lower Control Arm Joint Frame Bent

[Silver-Bolt]

This is what I was thinking I would probably need to do. Heat it with a torch and bend it back into place.

Don't heat heat it. You will anneal and soften the metal. Jack your rig up and let the suspension go to full droop. See if it is limiting your travel at all. From the photos it doesn't look like it will limit the travel.

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[swooshdave]

we all did the same. I emailed foutz a while back and got them to fab up the reinforcements. There are slotted stock style and non slotted.

https://www.foutzmotorsports.com/products/2021-up-bronco-lower-arm-pivot-gusset-kit

Instead of supports that need to be welded in would it be better to have a skid plate so things just slide under the mounting area?

 

[B22-2023]

Instead of supports that need to be welded in would it be better to have a skid plate so things just slide under the mounting area?

Because of trail damage in the same area (pic at full droop attached)
https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/atta...689616/?hash=a3b4e7fcf2b10efad67f8734e574defa

https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/atta...689641/?hash=693145eb20e8cf2f98a54bfbab9f7896

I’m going with the Foutz slotted, non-weld - will install the next alignment. In my case I think the arms are plenty beefy and they rarely make contact even in boulder fields, so not doing skids. https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/atta...689616/?hash=a3b4e7fcf2b10efad67f8734e574defa

This particular hit on the bracket was slipping off a line at Wolf Caves, where this rig didn’t belong in the first place (35s, light lift) turned out. A freak hit on a weak spot.

There is a little contact with the arm, potential binding - they guys at the shop are going to try to open it a tiny bit with the arm installed, then at alignment time will bend it straight (no heat).

 

[mpeugeot]

I heard that 35's with a light lift weren't really enough to do Wolf Caves. I see you proved that.

 

[B22-2023]

I heard that 35's with a light lift weren't really enough to do Wolf Caves. I see you proved that.

Yeah it was an oops. Based on inaccurate info from a friend who had wheeled there as a guest. But great camping and facilities.

The main thing is, beating on a truck as tough as this modified Wildtrak was not fun but it could make it through that and worse. There are other, differently serious challenges around to take on that don’t break things as fast. Add armor, push the envelope, and just hope I still have it as a daily driver when I get home.

 

[mpeugeot]

One thing about bending that metal back. It's true that heating it too much will anneal the metal, but not heating will work harden it and make it brittle. You want to soften it up without annealing it.

 

[BigMeatsBronco]

I've ordered some doddads from these guys....fair prices and nice parts.

https://barnes4wd.com/products/bronco-front-lower-a-arm-pivot-gussets?_pos=27&_sid=3cf3adb4a&_ss=r

 

[B22-2023]

One thing about bending that metal back. It's true that heating it too much will anneal the metal, but not heating will work harden it and make it brittle. You want to soften it up without annealing it.

Great point, I hadn’t thought of it that way. Monday we’ll hit it with an industrial heat gun, tap it out a mm or two. Do the same when everything is opened up for full repair during alignment. New question though for everyone, shade tree front end work:

Can I pull those bolts, one at a time for each of 8 brackets, to pop the gussets on - and not mess up the current alignment? If everything is supported. In the old days on other trucks I would without thinking about it, but this short wheelbase and IFS I don’t know

 

[mpeugeot]

You would be pretty close, but you will still want to confirm the alignment when all is done. Making witness marks on everything will help you keep everything in approximately the same alignment, but when you are down to tenths of a degree, it doesn't take much.

 

[B22-2023]

You would be pretty close, but you will still want to confirm the alignment when all is done. Making witness marks on everything will help you keep everything in approximately the same alignment, but when you are down to tenths of a degree, it doesn't take much.

Great advice, I’ll leave the bolts alone - thanks. I’ll wait at this point - got a 2000 mile road trip coming up for Big Bend and Palo Duro - not an enough risk to these brackets vs an off-alignment. My guys charge a couple hundred bucks to align over an hour or so to do it right, and I’m not ready for it yet.

 

[Tricky Mike]

I've ordered some doddads from these guys....fair prices and nice parts.

https://barnes4wd.com/products/bronco-front-lower-a-arm-pivot-gussets?_pos=27&_sid=3cf3adb4a&_ss=r

I love Barnes. They have a LCA gusset set and they're doing 15% off this week. I put in an order a couple days ago for parts to rear 4 link my 66.

 

[B22-2023]

I love Barnes. They have a LCA gusset set and they're doing 15% off this week. I put in an order a couple days ago for parts to rear 4 link my 66.

I wanted those but they were out of stock last week and not taking orders. That’s how I ended up with Foutz - you got a heck of a deal, Barnes is great.

 

[Tricky Mike]

I wanted those but they were out of stock last week and not taking orders. That’s how I ended up with Foutz - you got a heck of a deal, Barnes is great.

I think there's some lingering effects from the hurricane, a lot of stuff keeps going in and out of stock and there were a few things I wasn't able to get this round.

 

[Fordified1]

Because of trail damage in the same area (pic at full droop attached)
https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/atta...689616/?hash=a3b4e7fcf2b10efad67f8734e574defa

https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/atta...689641/?hash=693145eb20e8cf2f98a54bfbab9f7896

I’m going with the Foutz slotted, non-weld - will install the next alignment. In my case I think the arms are plenty beefy and they rarely make contact even in boulder fields, so not doing skids. https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/atta...689616/?hash=a3b4e7fcf2b10efad67f8734e574defa

This particular hit on the bracket was slipping off a line at Wolf Caves, where this rig didn’t belong in the first place (35s, light lift) turned out. A freak hit on a weak spot.

There is a little contact with the arm, potential binding - they guys at the shop are going to try to open it a tiny bit with the arm installed, then at alignment time will bend it straight (no heat).

The only thing I would do before heading out for your trip is check all those nuts for tightness. Looks like the control arm is still clearing the tab ok.
Yea wolf caves is rough, as I mentioned before, my neighbor breaks something every time he goes there.

 

[SierraBronco]

I've ordered some doddads from these guys....fair prices and nice parts.

https://barnes4wd.com/products/bronco-front-lower-a-arm-pivot-gussets?_pos=27&_sid=3cf3adb4a&_ss=r

These are what we went with. Seemed to fit in there just fine.

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