Front Upper Arms

[ralliartvr47]

Hey guys,

So about 2 months ago i started hearing a light rattle in the front of my car. i thought it was the disk pad shims so i didn't worry about it. A few weeks passed and then i realized when my foot was on the brake pedal it was still making noise. An evening after work i removed the wheel and started checking but i couldn't find anything that was wrong. Everything look as it should.

As time went by the noise became louder and more irritating so as usual i began to worry. 3 days ago i noticed when i turned the steering from side to side while the engine was running i heard it but not when the engine was off. I told my dad to look under the Wheel well to see and/or feel if anything was wrong while i turned the steering. He heard the noise and spotted as soon as the suspension started moving.

I took off the wheel & the upper cradle and this is what i saw...699696996869967699666996569964
:annoyed:

I Was Shocked! :shocked: I never thought that this would happen. I'm so glad this didn't completely break out while i was on the highway. I just finished changed them.

BTW those were OEM arms. I just had a camber kit and polyurethane bushings on them. I really hope this never happen to me again.

[Nick Mann]

That is something I have never seen before and like you I hope I never see it again. Well spotted!

[John TheAntique]

That made me go cold reading that. Thank goodness you discovered it in time.

[menno3x8g]

Thanks, will have a check immediately!
How is this possible?

[peter thomson]

Is this failure not due to the camber adjustment balljoint being fitted rather than the arm. As I remember Gly had to trim this arm to stop it fouling the arch so if you have done the same it may have been weakened

[GalantOnly]

I guess the problem is the DIY camber kit. Things like that are not supposed to do any good to OEM parts...

[ralliartvr47]

Is this failure not due to the camber adjustment balljoint being fitted rather than the arm. As I remember Gly had to trim this arm to stop it fouling the arch so if you have done the same it may have been weakened

the camber kit you are talking about where you have to trim the the arm is the two shafts that connects to the upper arm and and bolts on next to the shock head. i had those already and it's a waste of time. I did trim the arm when i used this type but arm and camber kit were thrown away soon after.
this camber kit is just the ball joint. no trimming whatsoever on this arm.

ill keep checking it seeing that i'm very paranoid now.

[ralliartvr47]

I guess the problem is the DIY camber kit. Things like that are not supposed to do any good to OEM parts...

i really hope it's not the camber kit. if i have to stop using it, my tires won't last more than 4 months.

[ralliartvr47]

thinking about it, my car is used everyday and i go thru some horrible roads to get to work. i'm talking the kind that looks like choppy water. it makes everything in the car vibrate. maybe thats a factor but i will be a lot more cautious now.

[peter thomson]

the camber kit you are talking about where you have to trim the the arm is the two shafts that connects to the upper arm and and bolts on next to the shock head. i had those already and it's a waste of time. I did trim the arm when i used this type but arm and camber kit were thrown away soon after.
this camber kit is just the ball joint. no trimming whatsoever on this arm.

ill keep checking it seeing that i'm very paranoid now.

No it isn't as that kit requires no trimming and has been fitted to my car for over 5 years if you mean the one that bolts through the turret

[ralliartvr47]

Well i guess it depends on the amount of camber needed to adjust. Mine was about 2.5 degrees when it was touching hard. But all aside i hope this never happens to anyone. I always keep spare parts at home so it wasn't much hassle.