Wheel collapsed. Causes?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 293
Likes: 1
From: Pace Florida
Wheel collapsed. Causes?
Went to the beach to take some new pictures. 5 minutes after I took this, while heading home, the left front wheel collapsed in at the top. I had it taken to my mechanic on a flatbed, but he's not there on Sunday, so I left it for him to look at tomorrow. In the meantime, what is most likely the cause? Ball joint?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 8,799
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From: LONG ISLAND
2025 C3 ('68-'73) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Went to the beach to take some new pictures. 5 minutes after I took this, while heading home, the left front wheel collapsed in at the top. I had it taken to my mechanic on a flatbed, but he's not there on Sunday, so I left it for him to look at tomorrow. In the meantime, what is most likely the cause?
Ball joint?
Ball joint?
Ball joint, is a good Guess
keep us posted.....
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 293
Likes: 1
From: Pace Florida
[QUOTE=dannyman;1564471375]You had your camera and didn't take a picture? 
You're right, I should have had a picture! :o
My camera battery died while I was taking pictures of the vette. I just got back from an overseas trip last night and hadn't recharged yet. Did get one with my cell phone though...
You're right, I should have had a picture! :o
My camera battery died while I was taking pictures of the vette. I just got back from an overseas trip last night and hadn't recharged yet. Did get one with my cell phone though...
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,572
Likes: 51
From: Wichita Kansas
I would say upper A arm or uper balljoint. I had this happen with a '79 i had just after installing polly bushings. I didn't know you needed locktite on the end bolts and one of my came apart allowing the A arm to slide forward off of the shaft and off of the rear bushing. What a mess.
I limped it home and put it back together. That is when i learned about the need for locktite with polly bushings. They will not compress under torque as rubber does. Re installed all eight bolt with...red locktite.
Let us know what came apart....
I limped it home and put it back together. That is when i learned about the need for locktite with polly bushings. They will not compress under torque as rubber does. Re installed all eight bolt with...red locktite.
Let us know what came apart....
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,300
Likes: 2
St. Jude Donor '08
I had that problem. Heard a bang, stopped and the RF wheel was tilted in at an odd angle. Luckily it happened in front of my parents shop Got it on the lift and the weld holding the RF Lower A-arm to the frame had split. It was still attached by about a 1/2" of weld.
Carefully fixed it and went ahead and re-welded the other side too.
Got it on the lift and the weld holding the RF Lower A-arm to the frame had split. It was still attached by about a 1/2" of weld. Carefully fixed it and went ahead and re-welded the other side too.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,006
Likes: 28
From: Lutz Florida
I would say upper A arm or uper balljoint. I had this happen with a '79 i had just after installing polly bushings. I didn't know you needed locktite on the end bolts and one of my came apart allowing the A arm to slide forward off of the shaft and off of the rear bushing. What a mess.
I limped it home and put it back together. That is when i learned about the need for locktite with polly bushings. They will not compress under torque as rubber does. Re installed all eight bolt with...red locktite.
Let us know what came apart....
I limped it home and put it back together. That is when i learned about the need for locktite with polly bushings. They will not compress under torque as rubber does. Re installed all eight bolt with...red locktite.
Let us know what came apart....
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 5,485
Likes: 7
From: Peekskill NY
Didn't you pop the hood or look underneath right away to see what was going on? I would have, then you would know what happened. Sorry to hear this happened and hopefully no damage to major components.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 293
Likes: 1
From: Pace Florida
Update
Just heard from the garage. One of the bolts holding the upper control arm shaft broke off. Everything on the control arm is fine.
Here's a pic after we got it off the flatbed yesterday. Thanks for all the responses folks, everybody was pretty much correct!
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 3,685
Likes: 202
From: Waterford Mi
Wow, tha has to suck. Good thing you were not riding down the highway at 70mph. A freiend of mine broke a spindle on his 71 while he was following me down to Ky. He said it just gave a jurk to the steering wheel so he slowed down to 50 and made it to the next exit. Once we pulled the wheel off the rotor I could see it was only being held on by the caliper. Scary!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 2,140
Likes: 7
From: Ohio
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,669
Likes: 3
From: Kingston Ontario
You said "broke off". Did the bolt actually break or shear? I wouldn't consider that a common failure. Could have fatique cracked on a previous installation I guess. Odd!
Glad there isn't more damage!!
Glad there isn't more damage!!
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,572
Likes: 51
From: Wichita Kansas
Sounds just like mine. Did the bolt break or back out. If you have polly bushing you need to take each endcap bolt out, locktie it and reinstall.
I never heard of one just breaking. Can you get a photo?
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
This has nothing to do with the bushings being poly or rubber. If the bolt holding the bushing to the shaft broke nothing will happen unless the bushing walks its way out of the control arm. It sounds and looks more like the shaft to frame bolt broke and is allowing the shaft to move inwards causing the wheel to fall inward.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,572
Likes: 51
From: Wichita Kansas
This has nothing to do with the bushings being poly or rubber. If the bolt holding the bushing to the shaft broke nothing will happen unless the bushing walks its way out of the control arm. It sounds and looks more like the shaft to frame bolt broke and is allowing the shaft to move inwards causing the wheel to fall inward.
It was explaned to me by a manufacture that the polly bushing will not clamp up with torque as the rubber does due to the fact that the polly will not compress.
If in fact the/or a bolt broke then you would be correct in stating it has nothing to do with the bushing material.
CF JASOC Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 8,040
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From: Downtown Annapolis, MD. The Future is where we all have to live. Let's not screw it up.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11
I saw something very similar looking to this happen to a friends '69 Chevelle about 25 years ago.
Turned out the alignment shims on the left upper control arm had somehow fallen out.
Turned out the alignment shims on the left upper control arm had somehow fallen out.