Severed trailing arm is very dangerous

[korygrandy]

This is what I did tonight. I do not recommend anyone drive with this part failing in your vehicle..

 

[puddle jumper]

Re: Severed trailing arm is very dangerous

yikes that could have been bad.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Severed trailing arm is very dangerous

no kidding! Imagine breaking that while doing 120 mph.... does wonders on a tube chassis race car! Nice catch Kory!

 

[dlindeblad]

Re: Severed trailing arm is very dangerous

How did you even break it?

 

[royal0014]

Re: Severed trailing arm is very dangerous

One too many burnouts? How the heck.....


<<)))(((>>

 

[Stachi]

Re: Severed trailing arm is very dangerous

I have replaced plenty of them on late 90's Ford Expeditions...they rust out and break. It is one of the things I look for on them when I do safety inspections. Very dangerous if they break off while at highway speeds.

 

[scipper77]

Re: Severed trailing arm is very dangerous

I worked with a guy who drove his Kia until one of the wheels fell off. He then fixed the car and put another 80,000 miles on it. The expression drive it till the wheels fall off wasn't enough for him.

P.S. That was a funny morning at work. He called to tell us that he wasn't going to make it in that day because his wheel fell off. none of us were sure if he was being serious.

 

[korygrandy]

Re: Severed trailing arm is very dangerous

I think this is one of those where I just got very lucky. Drove into the driveway after work and heard a clunk back in the trunk. I kind of looked around in the trunk and didnt see anything loose. When I went to back out the next morning it was definitely not just a sound I was hearing but something serious. As I looked a bit closer I discovered it snapped. I believe from the looks of it, something might have been hit that bent the bar just a bit, well that impact was enough for the rust to start a crack which eventually grew.

Something similar happened to me with a previous vehicle in the front. I severed a lower control arm but this was much more noticeable as the tires would squeal when I turned left.

Just lucky I didnt realize the problem 10 minutes later or I would have had some serious repair bills and possible medical bills. :facepalm:

 

[BuzzStPoint]

Re: Severed trailing arm is very dangerous

Escort Wagons were notorious for that.. Can't tell you how many rusted out ones I've replaced.
Knew a gal that drove her wagon like that for about 6 months.. I ended up buying the car when the timing belt broke on her.

For some stupid reason, most auto makers make those arms real thin and cheap. If you are a hard driver, Swap it with a heavy duty aftermarket arm.

 

[JBow]

Re: Severed trailing arm is very dangerous

I see that quite often on Monte Carlos and some other GM models.. Most likely causes are from lift arms not set properly when the car is lifted in the shop or improperly lifted with a floor jack. It also happens when not properly strapped down when hauled on a flatbed wrecker.
Jack..

 

[partskenn]

Re: Severed trailing arm is very dangerous

In the winter around here, people also hook tow straps to them to pull cars out of snow banks. They do not make good tow hooks.

 

[Stachi]

Re: Severed trailing arm is very dangerous

yup...many come in bent from inexperienced tow drivers hooking them.

I see that quite often on Monte Carlos and some other GM models.. Most likely causes are from lift arms not set properly when the car is lifted in the shop or improperly lifted with a floor jack. It also happens when not properly strapped down when hauled on a flatbed wrecker.
Jack..