BANG! - Watch those lower control arms!

[rbattelle]

Had an opportunity to do some "off roading" over a big steep stone hill connecting 2 parking lots earlier tonight.



All went well until I got the front wheels to hop up over the parking barrier (you know, those short little guys they have staked into parking lots everywhjere) in the other lot. Fronts bounced up and over and BANG! Landed right on the rear lower control arm mounts.



Control arm mounts are fine (scraped up a bit), and I think both lower control arms may have been pounded in a bit down below the through-bolt (can't tell, don't remember exactly what they looked like before).



Just cosmetic damage, I think. It's been my experience that banging things off road always sounds much worse than it actually is. I'm just glad I hit the barrier perfectly square so I didn't bend any parts.



I measured the clearance and it's 12. 75" up to the lower mount, 12. 5" to the arm itself. Now I know what to look out for next time I'm off road.



-Ryan

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

JEEZE Ryan, you didn't REALLY think these $40K trucks were MEANT to be used off-road, did you? :-laf :-laf

 

[rbattelle]

JEEZE Ryan, you didn't REALLY think these $40K trucks were MEANT to be used off-road, did you? :-laf :-laf

This incident made me realize that the lower control arm mounts would be a perfect location to mount a stiffening crossmember. Maybe in the spring I'll try bending something up to bolt between the two mounts to absorb any off-road damage and strengthen the frame.



-Ryan

 

[4xquadrod]

Well

I built mine out of Carbon Rubber:-laf

 

[rbattelle]

I built mine out of Carbon Rubber:-laf

Ummm. . call me naive, but I don't get it.

 

[TexBamBam]

I think Kore is building some new ones soon... that should be real interesting. The stock ones are real weak looking.

 

[rbattelle]

You can buy a set from DT Profab now.

 

[Patriot_RAM]

I bent the very bottom of one of mine 4-wheeling in the river behind my house. I don't think there is any structural damage, but It's noticable if you're under the truck.

 

[JHardwick]

good rule of thumb in offroading ... ... ... ... . even parking lots ... ... ... ... hit ditches and tree stumps at an angle ... ... ... ... ..... never put both fronts in a ditch or over a log at the same time, stagger it and go diagonal

 

[Greg Boardman-RIP]

good rule of thumb in offroading ... ... ... ... . even parking lots ... ... ... ... hit ditches and tree stumps at an angle ... ... ... ... ..... never put both fronts in a ditch or over a log at the same time, stagger it and go diagonal

Even another thought,

Hit them at 80 :-laf

 

[JHardwick]

Even another thought,

Hit them at 80 :-laf

only you :-laf

 

[rbattelle]

only you :-laf

The KORE desert truck has become the standard by which I judge the abuse I do to my truck. When I smacked the control arms the first thing I thought was "well, the KORE truck went through much worse and drove to/from the race".



-Ryan

 

[Greg Boardman-RIP]

Yes Ryan,

The race truck has been really abused. It is amazing on how much abuse these 03-05 trucks can take. Theyare different beasts than the 2nd gen trucks. With the hydro formed frames, they are like tanks!! Go ahead and bash away my friends. Just make sure you have some quality suspension to soak it up. Also remeber to not hit stuff straight on. An angle is always best.



Greg

 

[Task125]

( Just make sure you have some quality suspension to soak it up. )

WOW,always the salesman greg :-laf