When Lower Control Arms Go Bad.....
05-06-2008, 09:15 PM
#1
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When Lower Control Arms Go Bad.....
Wish I had a pic of the broken part, but I tossed it as far as I could into the surrounding desert Saturday evening. We has just started the "fun race" when the shaft protruding from the ball joint sheared at the end of the straightaway as I jumped on the brakes at 130 MPH +-. This was the left front wheel which moved backwards and tore up the fender and rocker panel. I was already on the brakes so I added the clutch and hung on for the ride. Steering inputs were fruitless but remarkably the car veered to the right away from the walls and slowed to a stop in the desert infield. To add insult to injury, the flatbed driver who picked the car up forgot to tie it down in the rear. When he stopped in the pits the car went flying forward and destroyed the front bumper cover but luckily not my new radiators.
Kent Moore, the owner of Premier Motorcar Service and formally Flying Lizards chief mechanic, had the parts in his rig and graciously offered to do the repairs overnight so I could race in the morning. They replaced the control arm and toe link, patched up the body work with red duct tape to match, and I arrived at 7AM to find my Cup ready to rock-n-roll. I took one quick warm up session to test my nerves and off we went racing. The car handled perfectly and I was in 2nd. place leading the 5- 996 cups in the race when I was black flagged for passing under a Yellow. It never happened as witnessed by my video, but I did win the class (3rd overall) in the second sprint race.
If you're cup is several years old it's probably a good idea to replace them along with the toe links every few years. I got lucky, my next race is at Cal Speedway in 2 weeks and that could have been a real disaster....
Kent Moore, the owner of Premier Motorcar Service and formally Flying Lizards chief mechanic, had the parts in his rig and graciously offered to do the repairs overnight so I could race in the morning. They replaced the control arm and toe link, patched up the body work with red duct tape to match, and I arrived at 7AM to find my Cup ready to rock-n-roll. I took one quick warm up session to test my nerves and off we went racing. The car handled perfectly and I was in 2nd. place leading the 5- 996 cups in the race when I was black flagged for passing under a Yellow. It never happened as witnessed by my video, but I did win the class (3rd overall) in the second sprint race.
If you're cup is several years old it's probably a good idea to replace them along with the toe links every few years. I got lucky, my next race is at Cal Speedway in 2 weeks and that could have been a real disaster....
05-06-2008, 10:24 PM
#3
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FWIW, the right side was replaced 2 years ago when I got whacked so we left that side alone.
05-06-2008, 11:09 PM
#4
Burning Brakes
That is odd JR. I will add it to the list of things to double check. Havent noticed anything on the 04 car or the 00 car but will start watching more closely.
Thanks for the heads up sorry you had to find out this way though.
Thanks for the heads up sorry you had to find out this way though.
05-06-2008, 11:40 PM
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JR,
Was this on your boxster? I broke two of them on my old 996 race car. Both times I got lucky and only had body damage. That's why I proposed allowing cup car control arms on stock 996s.
Jim
Was this on your boxster? I broke two of them on my old 996 race car. Both times I got lucky and only had body damage. That's why I proposed allowing cup car control arms on stock 996s.
Jim
05-07-2008, 08:01 AM
#6
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If your arms are more than 2-3 seasons old REPLACE them..!! They have a very short service life. Most of the time when it sheers at the ball joint, it's been over TQ'd. Also we just did a $40K repair to an 03 cup that had the small 8mm bolt break that holds the two halves together. They are almost always over TQ'd. they only require like 18ft/lbs. Everyone puts the 13mm wrench on it and cranks away. So, replace the inners as well as the outers every other season, and throw the old ones away....Don't sell em on EBAY..!!!
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05-07-2008, 11:02 AM
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05-21-2008, 07:43 PM
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JR,
You might ask the tech who had replaced the lower control arm
if he had carefully checked the taper on the steering knuckle. If
the taper is out of round from a past impact, this can cause a ball
joint failure. You don't need to have this problem to repeat itself.
I will tell the guys to pass you on the right!
You might ask the tech who had replaced the lower control arm
if he had carefully checked the taper on the steering knuckle. If
the taper is out of round from a past impact, this can cause a ball
joint failure. You don't need to have this problem to repeat itself.
I will tell the guys to pass you on the right!
05-26-2008, 03:57 AM
#10
We has just started the "fun race" when the shaft protruding from the ball joint sheared at the end of the straightaway as I jumped on the brakes at 130 MPH +-. This was the left front wheel which moved backwards and tore up the fender and rocker panel. I was already on the brakes so I added the clutch and hung on for the ride. Steering inputs were fruitless but remarkably the car veered to the right away from the walls and slowed to a stop in the desert infield.
05-27-2008, 06:01 PM
#13
Three Wheelin'
Luckily no, it happened in a braking zone so I was running fairly straight. Slid to a stop in a straight line with the tire up inside the fender. 2 laps from the end of an enduro
05-27-2008, 06:26 PM
#14
05-27-2008, 09:18 PM
#15
Three Wheelin'
