Re: Lower Control Arm (PDC SS option)

["d_rex_2002" <rich@xxxx>]

Front Lower Control Arms do get bent up for a number of reasons.

Concrete parking stops have probably caused a lot of damage on
both the LCA's and the front sway bar mounts of many Deloreans,
including damage to the recall update kit reinforcement plates.
These are the first point of contact on non-lowered Deloreans.

Another cause of dented LCA's is from some spring compressors,
which can cause dents on both leading and trailing edges of the
LCA's. I have assisted on many shock and spring replacements
on Delorean front suspensions and have seen this denting happen
during the spring compression process. Bending the bent areas
back in place probably leads to additional metal fatigue.

I agree with Dave that a lot of denting of the LCA's has also
been due to ham-handed tow truck operators, since I have also
seen crumple tube sections that have been severly damagaed by
hooked chains placed in (and tore open) the crumple tube area.

I second the motion that all Delorean owners should make an
effort to go to your local club tech sessions and get your car
up on a lift and inspected. If you drive your car often, then
inspect it often. Structural integrity is important to safety.

Later,
Rich W.


--- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "David Teitelbaum" <jtrealty@xxxx> 
wrote:
> On a significant # of cars that I have seen I have noticed that the
> lower control arms are bent. It seems that in many cases when a car 
is
> towed or hauled onto a carrier the operator uses recovery hooks and
> places them on the lower control arms. Since they weren't made to be
> used in that way they get damaged. On many other imported cars they
> have put warning labels on the LCA's to try and keep ham-handed tow
> truck operators from damaging undercarriage parts in this manner. 
This
> is one of the great benefits of going to a club meet and having the
> car inspected. In many cases it is the first time the car was ever
> inspected underneath. Better to find the beginnings of a problem and
> deal with it before it becomes catastophic. In this case I wonder if
> the failures of the LCA's is related to damage caused by towing. For
> the future try to make sure if the car is ever recovered that the 
tow
> operator uses the hooks on the frame and not the lower control arms 
to
> pull the car.
> David Teitelbaum
> vin 10757
>