As the title says, I slid in heavy rain, and hit the curb super hard

I was lucky it wasnt worse, thought I had got off ok, as it drives fine, but upon inspection, the LH Lower control arm mount (on the axle tube), is very distorted, and the LH front wheel is pushed back a couple of inches within the weel arch as a result


I can see no way out of this other than to remove the mount by carefully grinding it free from the tube, bend it back to shape in my vice, and using hammers, then mig weld it back into place

As I am in Australia, I dont really want to wait for a new bracket to be sent from USA (but wait, are they available?, maybe I can?)

At any rate, I will still have to get the old mount off, and this does not appear easy, as a grinder and hackzall probably cant reach all the welds.

I also have carbide grinders for electric drill

any other tips for removing the LCA mount from the axle tube? (or comments on the job in general)

 

IMO the stock bracket is so thin, any attempt to get it off will weaken it even more. You might recall I used Barnes products when I redid my front axle (ironically, everything except LCA brackets) but the aftermarket products are either stronger or much stronger. If you're not saving the old brackets the job should go quickly. Consider even just popping the axle off to work on it.

 

Front Axle Housing Repair/Replace - Jeep Cherokee Forum

2000 XJ Classic Lower Control Arm Bracket replacement, looking for a welding shop - Jeep Cherokee Forum

 

Thx Gents..I meant to add this

I mean to say...**** ! I just got done rebuilding the front end.

As I mentioned, I am in Oz, so it may take too long to get an aftermarket replacement here soon enough

Please link me some sources !

The thing is it drives pretty good, but I dont really want to leave it like it is for any longer than needed.

I may hitch up a chain to a big tree near the LCA mount and see if I can stretch it a little bit straighter

I dont have Oxy or plasma cutting gear, and I have not fully inspected, thats next, but cutting the welds will be the most time consuming part I suspect. I will end up having to drill some`

I will be hating on repairing it and putting it back, maybe with some reinforcement, but I may have to, at least till a replacement HD part arrives

Its my DD, and I am in demand atm, so its got to be a quick repair, my fear is when I get under, some other things might be bent

It was a mighty hit, would have torn the front suspension clean out of some rubber mounted jobby, at least I could drive home

 

I have done a further inspection, and that mount is trashed, as it is bent 45 degrees inward, to the extent it will be a pita the get the inner side weld cut, as it is jammed up by the pumpkin

however, I have come up with a good solution hopefully;

*Remove the damaged item

* remove a perfectly intact item from the totally bare D30 housing I had forgotten about

* weld that back into place

Job done in less than one day

If anyone has a links to heavier duty mounts, I will still consider them

I had considered bracing the originals as I always thought they looked skinny.

I will study the situation while I am in there, and also fully read the link a previous poster kindly linked

Like I said, a lesser sturdy vehicle would be half trashed

I do really ****ing want to do my D44/disc brake upgrade