oregonsharkman

Well About 3 weeks ago I finally finished the install on my brand new DeWitts Aluminum radiator package with dual spal 11" fans kit.....I have had some mild overheating problems since I put in my AR 383/440 hp stroker motor.......The radiator came mounted with the fans and a nice radiator shroud. After installing the package it really fixed my cooling problems and looked real nice in front of my new motor..........Time to go cruising.....Well to make a long story short:

I was driving home from my dads house after a productive tuning session when: grrrrrrrrr////fttttttttpptptpptp///bap.bap.bap....WTF????? luckily I was just about a block from my house, so I grimaced my way into the garage and checked it out......no leaking fluids, no weird smells, the motor didn't die..........BUT My left front wheel was real **** eyed----top was in and bottom was sticking out I lifted the hood to find that my supsension had somehow broken and slammed into my brand new radiator Broke the left fan.....Broke the shroud and all but tore the wiring apart......So my brand new Dewitts radiator set-up is all F-ed up...Sorry Tom for screwing up your fine workmanship I am so mad that the car is in semi-permanent park mode....I am done with that POS for a while...

DJ Dep

That's rough Don. What exactly broke on the suspension???

Dep

oregonsharkman

Not sure yet but the upper control arm is crammed into the radiator

grayhook

that suxs!

VETDRMS

Sorry to hear it.

CGGorman

OUCH...on so many levels.

I'd take break, too.

Lower ball joint?

MotorHead

Yea that really sucks, I hope it can be fixed without too much trouble, take a break for a while and just be glad you weren't on the highway going 100MPH

69 N.O.X. RATT

I'll bet the bolts came out. I have seen it a few times before when guys bolt in new bushings, or remove the control arms for any other reason.

kevinator80

Man I know how you feel. I had the corner of my glass top break off in my hand while putting it in the back of the car. I was sick for the rest of the day.

Jughead

But how could that happen if they were torqued down. No previous symptoms?

norvalwilhelm

That sucks and I feel for you. An expensive break.

LFZ

oh man, thats terrible....wonder how your suspension broke all of a sudden?? do any major changes latelY???

kdf1986

That is bad news. On the good side you got home, and have the car in the garage, rather than on the side of the road and had to have it towed in.

After your short break, is this something that you will try to fix yourself?

kdf

oregonsharkman

No, no major changes lately.....When I bought the car about 2 years ago it had a fresh front suspension rebuild on it. After an alignment job it has handled great for 2 years....I have probably only put 2000 miles on it since it's not a daily driver and has been down for engine swap/interior rebuild/rollbar install and stuff like that.....So who knows.........Well to look on the bright side I have been planning to lower the front of the car as the aluminum heads/radiator/intake/ and all the other lightening stuff have raised it by about 2-3"......I guess i will be working on suspension for a while

MEGALADON

That what I was thinking also
Man I hope this don't burn you out
I know I'm burnt out of putting parts(money) on my car
and nowhere close to done

Paul L

Frame problems?

The_Dude

That was my guess as well. I hope not.

oregonsharkman

Luckily No.....I just just POR 15'd the entire frame this last summer.....frame is in really good shape....no rust, not even in front of the rear wheels.....I ground all the surface rust off the frame this last summer and fuly recoated it. And ground all the "floor pan" and interior rust off this winter......I will probably get around to checking it this weekend.....I am pretty sure it is a front left suspension piece/bolt/nut or something.... beers for now.

isosceles

I think the holes in the shafts get oblong or something. I have one lower control arm bolt that kept coming out. Proper torque, loctite, you name it, would NOT keep it in.

Finally I somehow managed to get a bolt stuck in there, most of the the way in. I snapped off the head, turning the bolt into a stud and ran a nut down on it. It's holding the bushing in and is remaining tight. One of these days I'll get up to Van Steel and have the shaft replaced.

66CorvetteCoupe

Don I had a similar instance last year while attending a Vette show in Savannah GA. We trailered the car down to Savannah from N. Ga. we normally drive down every Spring for this yearly show. Anyways we unloaded the car and headed off to meet the local club hosting the show. About 9:00 PM after a large meal me and my wife headed back to the motel for some RR to be ready for the Sat show. About a mile up the road I hit the brakes and "BAM" and the car suddenly turns left. This is a 66 BB car highly modded with "Big" tires and wheels. I get out and the first thing I see is the top of the tire leaned "way in. "Dam" did I break a ball joint? Turns out that the front bolt on the upper A-Arm had fallen out, Nadda-Gone Disappeared and the A_Arm shifted forward. The car had been fitted with poly bushings, I was very lucky the only damage was a cracked fan shroud. With a little help from friends we got her back together that night with the Aid of a few Bud Lights and made the show. Hopefully your problems will be minor. Sorry to hear your bad luck.