Strut rods are bent
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 193
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From: Greer SC
Strut rods are bent
I`m back messin with my cars(been doing a house remodel).While under the back of my 1971 small block .Noticed both sides strut rods are bent .I`ve done some searches and I guess some alignment shops bend these . Car seems to handle good no tire wear bushings aren`t great but not wore out. I suppose I should replace ? 
any suggestions,I just drive this car around once and a while but I like it rite .Should I use Adjustable SmartStruts.
any suggestions,I just drive this car around once and a while but I like it rite .Should I use Adjustable SmartStruts.
Last edited by ndmick; Aug 7, 2013 at 04:10 PM.
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From: North of Toronto - Ontario
If everything is ok (alignment etc), drive it.
Someday when it's an issue or your bored or have a sever case of the whileImatit's, fix them.
As to going adjustable or not, up to you. One way changes the length of the strut, the other moves the pivot point. GM left it with the offset washers for a long time.
Either way will be fine. pick one that fits your needs, pocketbook and personal opinion
M
Someday when it's an issue or your bored or have a sever case of the whileImatit's, fix them.
As to going adjustable or not, up to you. One way changes the length of the strut, the other moves the pivot point. GM left it with the offset washers for a long time.
Either way will be fine. pick one that fits your needs, pocketbook and personal opinion
M
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From: Southbound
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Thread Starter
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From: Greer SC
back at it again.1971 small block would they have bent these if they are offset trailing arms?camber is good .toe is not.Bad shake at 12 and 6 ,nothing 3-9.Going to do the back end in the next 2 months ,springs ,TA,strut rods.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2009
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You have a nice car ...why drive around like that......buy what you need , put it back right.
I 'm just very **** about such stuff . Do as you wish .....
Last edited by LS4 PILOT; Jan 25, 2015 at 03:23 PM.
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From: Wellington, FL
St. Jude Donor '11 thru '25
Alignment shops have definitely been known to bend struts rather than align the rear the proper way. It seems to me that this procedure just masks the real problem. I personally would replace the struts with new bushings when you get a chance.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2005
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From: Baldwinsville, NY
Looks like someone used the struts as lifting points to jack the car.
I put a Borgeson unit in 25K miles ago, big change, but was better after I rebuilt the rear bushings. The standard strut rods are cheap about $100 for the pair with new bushings. Get a lower shock bolt removal tool for 20 bucks.
I put a Borgeson unit in 25K miles ago, big change, but was better after I rebuilt the rear bushings. The standard strut rods are cheap about $100 for the pair with new bushings. Get a lower shock bolt removal tool for 20 bucks.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2008
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From: Greer SC
its all going to be replaced.I`m just doing some research.before I buy.strut rods? (adjustable or not)(heim joints or not)..Rebuilt Trailing arms..or not... composite spring or not (yes I believe)...any help or suggestions are welcome and thanks in advance.
Drifting
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From: Kissimmee fl
Finalist 2021 C3 of the Year - Modified
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St. Jude Donor '07
JMHO, but if an alignment shop had to bend the strut rods that much to get the rear end in spec, with the standard adjustment bolt at the extreme setting, then I would go with an adjustable set, either rubber bushed or heim joints, your choice.
If you are going with a fiberglass spring, you will need to upgrade to compatible shocks.
If you are going with a fiberglass spring, you will need to upgrade to compatible shocks.
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Adjustable struts would just be a band-aid in these circumstances. I'm betting the diff yokes are shot.
Drifting
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From: Kissimmee fl
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Thread Starter
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From: Greer SC
Whats the best way for me to check the yokes?can I do it with everything still together?when I check at 12 and 6 seems like the movement is in the spindle. Grabbing the 1/2 shafts no movement?
Last edited by ndmick; Jan 25, 2015 at 04:57 PM.
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From: North of Toronto - Ontario
Looking at the pic it seems like yours could still be even shorter so something else must be out, I wonder if the arm is twisted. Maybe check with a straight edge, car sitting level. Up near the pivot and then back near the 1/2 shaft. Both should be the same angle.
Bending the rods for alignment seems to have been more common than you'd think, either by shops who didn't understand the offset washer system, ones that couldn't get the adjuster to move, ones that didn't care about the adjuster or ones that ran out of adjustment and still needed more.
That said I've never seen a set bent that far but if they were trying to align it with underlying problems (bent trailing arms) it's hard to say what all would be done.
Both of me rear arms were bent just behind where the taper ends.
At first I thought curb hits but once they were cleaned both had the same amount of bend and you could see "press" marks where they held and pushed. Definitely done on purpose.
I suspected that back in the day someone tweaked them for wider tires.
Bending the rods for alignment seems to have been more common than you'd think, either by shops who didn't understand the offset washer system, ones that couldn't get the adjuster to move, ones that didn't care about the adjuster or ones that ran out of adjustment and still needed more.
That said I've never seen a set bent that far but if they were trying to align it with underlying problems (bent trailing arms) it's hard to say what all would be done.
Both of me rear arms were bent just behind where the taper ends.
At first I thought curb hits but once they were cleaned both had the same amount of bend and you could see "press" marks where they held and pushed. Definitely done on purpose.
I suspected that back in the day someone tweaked them for wider tires.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2011
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From: Warsaw Ohio
Back in the Day 2 post Hydraulic Lifts were common at most Repair Shops and especially Transmission Shops. One post lifted by the front lower control Arms and the rear post had a Saddle that lifted by the Axle Tubes. Most Mechanics really didn't give a crap . It bent the arms too bad, hate workin on Corvettes anyway. 
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Have a helper move the wheel at 6/12 o'clock while you watch the yoke for movement.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: Damascus MD
Strut Rods
Keep it stock.
You will be very pleasantly surprised at how nice the vette rides and handles when set up correctly.
Bill
You will be very pleasantly surprised at how nice the vette rides and handles when set up correctly.
Bill
Last edited by 1974ta; Jan 25, 2015 at 10:07 PM. Reason: wording
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2011
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From: Midland Ontario
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Darrell, go with the heim-jointed rods, and a good set of Bilsteins to offset the spring rate of the new mono shock. I went with HD's instead of sports as I'm not tracking the car. My spring was rated at 360 lbs......car rides a lot better than before.