Front Suspension Damage - This needs To Be Fixed

[bluffwandering]

Are you over GVWR?

 

[ski3pin]

No.

 

[rubberlegs]

I've noticed in our truck that all the camper weight is on the rear axle. Good on ya Monte, for getting things all fixed up.

 

[buckland]

There's mostly positive coming out of this ! Just goes to show how important it is to do those pre liftoff inspections. So happy it turned out as it did and through this post others will learn to do those inspections (I hope). I love new parts too.... all shiny!

 

[ski3pin]

I also see it as a positive Rob. I know Julie will be including an inspection of the control arms and other front suspension parts to her pre flight "walk around" before launch every morning.

 

[pods8]

Glad you noticed it at home. Reminds me when a buddy was on a road trip and planned to "camp" next to my house for the weekend so we could all hang out before his family continued on. He pulled up and I cocked my head looking at his trailer and then glanced underneath "umm you're leaf springs have broken leafs and the main leaf is bent and touching the frame". Fear not, you happen to be parked next to a bunch of tools, napa has a leaf spring kit and the store has beer.

 

[ski3pin]

I'm posting a follow up here as this story and repair grew arms and legs. After replacing the right lower control arm, torsion bars, and related parts, we dropped it off at the tire shop for a front end alignment. He could not align the truck as his measurements showed the frame was off. We traveled down the hill, the body shop put it on the frame rack for measurement. The two mounting holes for the right lower control arm were moved inward toward the centerline of the truck between .25 and .4 inches. He also found the rear of the frame had a minor upward bend. Explanation of minor - looking at the side of the truck and the gap between the cab and bed, the gap closed in slightly at the top. Example - thumb fits in the gap at the bottom and starts touching the thumb as you move to the top.

We had the frame straightened. Now the left front suspension looked off and we were invited to come down and take a look. What we found - it was hard to see because the damage was underneath - the left lower control was also damaged. The gusset welded into the corner of the control arm for strength was no longer flat but had taken a direct hit from below and pushed it in. It was a near prefect example of a geologic anticline. I did not get a photo but in the photo below the gusset is in the foreground.

This next photo shows the corresponding gusset on the damaged right control arm. It is near flat as it should be. This was almost "A" shaped on the damaged left control arm.

We had the body shop install a new left lower control arm and an alignment was done.

The truck is now back home.

The shop's assessment of the frame tweaks - it was due to long term use on the rough roads we travel. With how we use this truck, it is pretty darn stout. Don't worry about it but keep up with inspections after trips.

 

[goinoregon]

welllllllllllllllllllllllll, sounds like a decent trip to a couple of auto docs, and a thumbs up on the bill of health. the good thing about your 'rig', is that if anything does happen out in the boonies, u have the camper to hang out in, and you have in-reach, etc. to communicate with the outside world.
thx for posting. greg

 

[Vic Harder]

Remarkable that the truck has done so well over so many gentle off-road miles. Good maintenance is likely a big part of that. Interesting to me is that the damage was “old” and had rusty spots, implying that these damages were not “big” thunks/bumps that you would think required a “look-see” but little ones that went unnoticed. Makes me wonder about what lurks under my truck….

 

[Taku]

Update on our old 2005 Tundra. Found a broken leaf spring after seeing the post. Called around and most estimates were in the $2000 range for repair (both sides new). Called a place in Missoula that does semi-trucks and logging truck suspension and they replaced the leaf spring, took apart the other and inspected it all for $350.00 - drives better than before of course and also got rid of shake about 30 -40 mph that other shops could not figure out. Now i know that the spring was broken for about three months.