is this control arm buggered?
 

heres my drivers side control arm. i pulled it off to check the bushings, but it looks like its bent or something. check it out does this look right?

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads/armb.jpg
this one looks like it pinched.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads/Arma.jpg
this one looks like there is a weld thats cracked.

Looks like someone tried to pry it apart at one point in time. The front sure looks to be in bad shape. I would really consider replacing it while its off! No since taking a chance.

Any accident damage (ripples) in the font end, inside? Can/was your car aligned spot on?

John

Hard to tell from the closeup, but the top picture (rear of control arem) looks seriously buggered!

It appears the outer mount in not co-linear with control arm tube - the tube is bent! Maybe it's just an illusion in the picture? It would take some serious impact to bend that tube, and the torsion bar would definitely be rubbing on the inside.

the car show no signs of accident damage, trunk sheet metal is straight and no signs of welds or the like. the torsion seal was missing so the t-bar is a rusted pos. i never had an alignment on it, only drove for 6 months until i tore it apart.

the arms dont appear to be bent, my camera doesnt take good pictures further tha 12".
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads/armc.jpg

i took off the pass. side just now. the flanges that bushing meet were both pinched as well. both arms have the pinched parts on the bottom, car probably bottomed out and screwed up these i guess. time for new bushings and some more cleanup work.

chuck- i just looked at your elephant site, saw a great picture with the bushings now i see how a good one should look. thanks.

In the pulled back shot, it does not appear the arms are bent. That little bit of bending on the sheet metal flange is no big deal. Just bend it back.

Rusted torsion bars usually mean the tbar was rubbing on the inside of the control arm, removing the protective paint and allowing the rust demons to get in. The reason the tbar rubs is because the bushings are shot - deformed.

The sponge seal really isn't the culprit, it doesn't keep water out anyway.