C5 Tech Corvette Tech/Performance: LS1 Corvette Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine, Tech Topics, Basic Tech, Maintenance, How to Remove & Replace
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Is my control arm bent?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old May 11, 2026 | 05:38 PM
  #1  
Vox Machina's Avatar
Vox Machina
Thread Starter
Racer
10 Year Member
Photogenic
Liked
Top Answer: 1
 
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 415
Likes: 284
From: Indianapolis
Default Is my control arm bent?

So my (previously wrecked) c5 has been getting a suspension rebuild, which has included some vansteel delrin bushings. Went to go install the front upper control arms, and the drivers side is waaaay off.



This a sign that the arm is bent? If I lay it on the floor it rocks as though the rear-ward arm is bent upwards, and I can definitely see the bushings arent on the same plane. Just want to get yalls opinions before I spend money on another one.
Reply
Old May 11, 2026 | 06:24 PM
  #2  
helga203's Avatar
helga203
Le Mans Master
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 6,013
Likes: 726
Default

Originally Posted by Vox Machina
So my (previously wrecked) c5 has been getting a suspension rebuild, which has included some vansteel delrin bushings. Went to go install the front upper control arms, and the drivers side is waaaay off.



This a sign that the arm is bent? If I lay it on the floor it rocks as though the rear-ward arm is bent upwards, and I can definitely see the bushings arent on the same plane. Just want to get yalls opinions before I spend money on another one.
What happened to where you would thing it got damaged??
Reply
Old May 11, 2026 | 06:27 PM
  #3  
Vox Machina's Avatar
Vox Machina
Thread Starter
Racer
10 Year Member
Photogenic
Liked
Top Answer: 1
 
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 415
Likes: 284
From: Indianapolis
Default

Originally Posted by helga203
What happened to where you would thing it got damaged??
The car was wrecked when I bought it. Went offroad at highway speeds, took out the front cradle and spring so I wouldnt be surprised if it was hit hard enough to bend it.
Reply
Old May 11, 2026 | 07:09 PM
  #4  
Ltngdrvr's Avatar
Ltngdrvr
Drifting
Community Builder
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Sep 2022
Posts: 1,464
Likes: 1,135
Default

Can't tell just by looking, no apparent bend compared to the arm on my car.
Reply
Old May 11, 2026 | 07:18 PM
  #5  
Vox Machina's Avatar
Vox Machina
Thread Starter
Racer
10 Year Member
Photogenic
Liked
Top Answer: 1
 
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 415
Likes: 284
From: Indianapolis
Default

Originally Posted by Ltngdrvr
Can't tell just by looking, no apparent bend compared to the arm on my car.


Can definitely see the bolt holes are on a different plane. And i can "rock" the control arm laying on the ground by pushing down where the balljoint goes.

Im fairly certain its bent
Reply
Old May 11, 2026 | 09:14 PM
  #6  
Ltngdrvr's Avatar
Ltngdrvr
Drifting
Community Builder
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Sep 2022
Posts: 1,464
Likes: 1,135
Default

Get yourself a new arm then, or a good used one from salvage.
Reply
Old May 12, 2026 | 08:41 AM
  #7  
Beast's Avatar
Beast
Drifting
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,679
Likes: 692
From: Pingree Grove IL
Default

Take the other side out too and compare them. Well, if you end up having both of them out, might as well get replacements.
Reply
Old May 12, 2026 | 10:42 AM
  #8  
helga203's Avatar
helga203
Le Mans Master
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 6,013
Likes: 726
Default

well how many times i've had to take them off they went back on with 0 issues, my opinion says bend.
Reply
Corvette Stories

The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts

story-0

10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love

 Joe Kucinski
story-1

Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer

 Brett Foote
story-2

10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)

 Michael S. Palmer
story-3

8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years

 Joe Kucinski
story-5

How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972

 Joe Kucinski
story-6

Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-7

Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!

 Joe Kucinski
story-8

150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

 Verdad Gallardo
Old May 12, 2026 | 11:05 AM
  #9  
Fast one's Avatar
Fast one
Le Mans Master
25 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 5,015
Likes: 508
From: Hilton NY
Default

The factory a-arm rubber bushings allowed more adjustment to install the arms but now the Delrin bushings have no slop so that's why things don't fit and it does look like the arm is bent.
Reply
Old May 12, 2026 | 11:23 AM
  #10  
lucky131969's Avatar
lucky131969
Tech Contributor
15 Year Member
Active Streak: 30 Days
Community Builder
Liked
 
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,470
Likes: 1,171
From: Dyer, IN
Default

Too many variables before adding the delrin bushings. You cannot evaluate a casting with secondary machining by laying it on a flat surface. Cast surfaces are not control the same way as bores for ball joints and bushings. Lacking a drawing, you would have to have a known good part (bare) to measure on a granite table with setup blocks to be certain....then compare the suspect bad part.
Reply
Old May 13, 2026 | 02:06 AM
  #11  
CFight's Avatar
CFight
Instructor
 
Joined: Apr 2021
Posts: 246
Likes: 89
From: Mobile
Default

How did it unbolt aligned with the mounts if it's "bent" now?
if you rotate each bushing 180 one at a time does the misalignment change places or stay? can you remove the bushings and insert a dowel through both?
Reply

Get notified of new replies

To Is my control arm bent?





All times are GMT -4. The time now is 04:41 PM.

story-0
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love

Slideshow: 10 ugly Corvettes that we still kinda love.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-03 10:34:17


VIEW MORE
story-1
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer

A lot of money has changed hands at the online auction house over the years.

By Brett Foote | 2026-06-03 10:21:50


VIEW MORE
story-2
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)

Slideshow: 10 great gifts Corvette enthusiasts actually want for Father's Day!

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-06-03 15:43:40


VIEW MORE
story-3
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems

Slideshow: These are the quirks, annoyances, and oddly lovable problems that every Corvette owner eventually learns to live with.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-28 09:31:39


VIEW MORE
story-4
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years

Slideshow: 10 reasons why the C6 Z06 is still a performance benchmark after 20 years.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 17:20:09


VIEW MORE
story-5
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972

Slideshow: How much horsepower every Corvette engine lost in 1972.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 16:54:53


VIEW MORE
story-6
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

Slideshow: How to Protect A Convertible Top: 10 DOs & DON'Ts

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-03 00:00:00


VIEW MORE
story-7
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!

Slideshow: The 10 most explosive Corvettes ever built based on power-to-weight ratio.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-20 07:23:03


VIEW MORE
story-8
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

Slideshow: From C1 to C8 we compare every Corvette generation by the numbers.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-12 16:54:12


VIEW MORE
story-9
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

Slideshow: Some Corvette pace cars became collectible legends, while others perfectly captured the look and attitude of their era.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-11 09:50:51


VIEW MORE