924 control arm pivot clamp damage

Tom928 · 08:13 PM

Hello,

Recently, I purchased a 924 that needed some work. Today while while getting the car up on jacks I discovered some significant damage to the right control arm pivor clamp. It looks like the clamp has been forced backwards and the bolts that hold the clamp to the body have bent the frame/body. Here is a picture:

My question to the forum is would most of you consider this "uncorrectable" damage either because it can't be fixed or that fixing it would weaken this important section of the suspension?

If it can be fixed, could someone suggest the best way to correct this.

Thanks for the help,
Tom928

Moneyguy1 · 11-06-2005, 08:26 PM

Looks like a probable welding of a plate with the proper weldnuts to accept the clamp bolts would be required. Could this be impact damage? It looks like this is the case, but where is the car from? Rust could also be involved.

In any case, I would purchase a replacement a-arm so whoever does the welding can have something to align with. YOurs is most likely bent at the shaft end. Remember they are different rh to lh because of the sway bar bracket. Otherwise a VW unit would do.

924RACR · 11-07-2005, 05:31 AM

I don't think rust is involved - it would've torn out anyway, but they don't rust typicall in that spot, thanks to the galvanization. I'm not sure that a-arm is even bent, though you'll definitely have to check it - the rubber may well have absorbed the entire impact. Looks like the impact force was directly applied to the mounting bracket, not the a-arm.

I suspect all you need to do is bend that metal back straight after removing the a-arm. I doubt it's necessary to replace any metal, though having extra metal would be nice. Still, that's typically a pretty strong part of the car, historically.

Did you get any explanation on how this happened?

Tom928 · 11-07-2005, 06:48 PM

Thanks for the responses.

I don't think rust is a problem. The area that I can see that is metal shines when light is on it.

The control arm is bent so I will have to replace it.

This wasn't disclosed when I purchased the car and I didn't notice this during my examination (may bad). I think it may have happened recently because it is pretty clean.

The car was delivered on a trailer so I wonder if it was damaged pushing the car onto the trailer.

How would one go about fixing this? I mean remove the control arm and put the clamp back in place and then push the assembly back into position?

Thanks,
Tom928

924RACR · 11-08-2005, 04:07 AM

Yeah, I could believe that might happen going on to a trailer, if they really mucked up loading. Think about it, that close to the tire you'd have to have one helluva break angle on the trailer to get to that mount. Were you there when the car was loaded? Was it done at-speed or with a winch?

For perspective, I've bottomed my racecar out (much lower than stock) on my trailer numerous times when loading. I've damaged the exhaust, and once the rocker panel, but never that close to the a-arm mount that I can recall.

Yes, I'd guess that at least you'd have to remove the arm, clamp the rear mount back on with the bolts, fully tightened, then get out the BFH and work out some frustration.