Little problem

[The exploder]

So i came home from camping the other day and i hit a bump.....we have road construction and they forgot a bump sign.....and well ill post pics.... if anyone can help please do...

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/ind...dID=51469027&albumID=2574144&imageID=40145056



So i posted a few more pics on my myspace website link above.......

 

[TedJ]

Whoops... interesting that the radius arm bracket failed?!?... It looks like the bolts snapped off?

First off, if it was a public road I think you can submit to the town or state (make sure you know who owns the road) and make a claim for the repairs cost. You only have a short amount of time to do it though like 30 or 90 days.

Second, If the bolts did snap off then I wonder if somebody removed the rivets to replace the bushings, and then replaced them with non-hardened bolts. I have seen pictures of the actual arms bent, but the brackets never snapped off, so it seems strange that you hit a big bump and the bracket snapped off the frame.

Doesn't look to hard to fix, just replace the bracket... And if the bolts are not hardened, then you should replace them with hardened ones on the other side as well. They should have pinched nuts too. Usually when you get the brackets they come with hardware.

 

[The exploder]

What is really weird is that the bolts are still there, although i think one on the side broke maybe its hard to tell.Butt mostly all the bolts are still in it broke on the other side of it.......

 

[TedJ]

You have to remove the huge nut at the end of the arm, and then you can take the bracket and bushing off, and replace it. Looks like maybe you had one bolt fail and then the bracket started to flex and eventually snapped off from the stress. If they are all bolts then the bracket was taken off previously to replace the bushings (they are riveted at the factory), and like I said before the correct type of bolts were probably not used, causing it to fail. Make sure it is fixed with the proper parts, not those hardware grade bolts from the bolt aisle at your local home store.

 

[The exploder]

Thanks for all of your help.....

 

[The exploder]

hmmmm went out side and guess what now leaking green.......errrr

 

[The exploder]

So that rivet that you are talking about i found it its still on there....

 

[Sams01XplrSprt]

that blows bout ur explorer man

 

[James909]

Wow, looking at the pictures that you added it looks like the bracket itself broke. I have never seen that happen. That must of been a very serious bump, I would definitely bring this up with the town. Does the old bracket look very rusty? It's hard to tell from the photos. I think you will have to get a replacement bracket from a junkyard. Then you need to drill out the rivets and install the replacement bracket with grade 8 bolts. As far as the coolant leak I think you will have to look for any damage that may have occurred to the cooling system to determine what needs replacing. It looks like the whole wheel moved forward quite a bit so it's possible that something damaged the radiator.

 

[The exploder]

Yea, So the mechanics are makeing a house call to give me a estmate......so i can give it to the towens insureance.....

 

[TedJ]

I think you will have to get a replacement bracket from a junkyard.

Any parts store should have them, they always get messed up when the radius arm bushings get too worn out and the arm starts grinding on the bracket, so they're a common replacement part. It's not worth the considerable effort in removing the rivets to get it from a junker... (and it comes with the right bolts too)

 

[The exploder]

Well thanks for all of your help guys......i think that i have enough evedence that the city will pay the 300 bucks for a new one

 

[TedJ]

Nice... gotta love it when you can get someone else to pay for it

 

[OldRedB2_84]

Wow thats crazy, hope they pay for it!