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Cracked Control Arm


thatcutteeboy

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:cry: I let my daughter drive the Vert to the store the other day :bash:, and when I got in the car the next morning the steering wheel was off centered and the car just didn't feel right. I took the car to Conrad's to have it looked at and at first they didn't find anything, they charged me $47.00. I left and then I thought to myself [there is something wrong with my car]so I took it back to them and they put it on the alignment rack and it was really off like a MF on the passenger front side, so they focused on that side and found the damaged control arm. I went to the local PAP and got a replacement control arm and put it on yesterday and everything is still the same as it was before I replaced it. Could there be something else damaged?; Or could this be fixed with a wheel alignment? Oh the car is pulling to the right really bad, if I take my hand off of the steering wheel it's straight to the curb baby. :sad: :mad: :confused: :question:
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x2 on the Inner tie rod. But your alignment shop should of been able to catch that. Perhaps you should find somewhere else to take your car.

 

Jamie

Yeah you're right. I haven't been to them before but I was really worried about my car.
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If the tie rod is bent it's not going to align properly.

Yes I know. But how will I know they are bent for sure. It's just that money is tight right now, and they want $60.00 for an alignment. Is that too much?
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I would first find a shop that CAN tell you what is wrong so you know what to replace be it the cradle, tie rods or both.

When you say the cradle, are you talking about the sub-frame?
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Thats a normal price for an alignment... weigh it out though

 

- Replace the wrong part, get it aligned, fail and have to get another part and another alignment

 

- Take it in for the $60 alignment, find out exactly what it needs and fix the correct part

 

- Do nothing and go through tires like underware

 

Have you asked your daughter what she hit? :lol:

 

I would first find a shop that CAN tell you what is wrong so you know what to replace be it the cradle, tie rods or both.

When you say the cradle, are you talking about the sub-frame?

 

Yes, cradle/subframe are the same thing

 

Jamie

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Thats a normal price for an alignment... weigh it out though

Have you asked your daughter what she hit? :lol: Jamie

You know the answer she gave me already. I didn't hit anything :rolleyes:

I'm definetily going to get it fixed, I just didn't want to waste money on unnessary parts. I'll take it in for the alignment and then they'll find what's wrong and want an arm and a leg for them to fix it and then when I tell them I'll fix it myself I'm still out of the $60.00. Then I'll buy all the parts to fix it just to have to take it back and get it aligned and thus spending another $60.00. Damn I'm never letting anyone else drive my car. NOOOOONNNNNNEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Take it to another shop for the alignment as the other shop sounds like a bunch of morons. Usually 99% of places I've been too will inspect the car first to verify the alignment can be performed. IE checking ball joints, inner/outter tierod etc. I would try to find a place that guarentees the alighment for any length of time or find a shop that offers a lifetime alignment. I know the Firestone near me offered that about 4 years ago, don't know if they still do. It cost twice the amount.

 

I was hit pretty good between the passenger front door and fender about 9 years ago. To drive strait my steering wheel was maybe an inch and a half to the left from center. To my surprise, the hit did no damage to the suspension and an alignment fixed it. So that proved the alignment can be way off and there be no further damage.

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Thats a normal price for an alignment... weigh it out though

Have you asked your daughter what she hit? :lol: Jamie

You know the answer she gave me already. I didn't hit anything :rolleyes:

I'm definetily going to get it fixed, I just didn't want to waste money on unnessary parts. I'll take it in for the alignment and then they'll find what's wrong and want an arm and a leg for them to fix it and then when I tell them I'll fix it myself I'm still out of the $60.00. Then I'll buy all the parts to fix it just to have to take it back and get it aligned and thus spending another $60.00. Damn I'm never letting anyone else drive my car. NOOOOONNNNNNEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The subframes on these cars shouldn't be THAT weak. I clipped a curb pretty hard with my 89 Regal one time to avoid an accident and it never did any damage to the car. The rim had a pretty big bend in it, yet the car still drove straight and smooth.

 

If she would have hit something hard enough to damage the subframe/Tierod, then there should be some visual damage somewhere on the car.

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I don't know about shops in your area, but if they feel the car won't hold the alignment, they won't charge you for it. I had to get a couple of alignments in my Lumina when I destroyed a curb with it.

Maybe now would be a good time to freshen up the front suspension? Some new bushings and maybe check the steering and cv boots.

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Take it back to Conrads and have them do the alignment check on it. The inspection is free. Just explain it to them that you just had a broken control arm replaced but the alignment is still way off. When they perform the alignment inspection they have to check the front end first. If it is still loose or something else is wrong they are not allowed to align it. That way you are out nothing. Unfortunately my guy Ron who works there is at training until Thursday. My other buddy Dave works there, but is not as knowledgeable and maybe was the first guy to look at it. It happens sometimes too that we miss stuff. Hell I even do it from time to time. If my schedule wasnt so booked right now I would tell you to bring it to my Conrads in Akron and I could look at it for you.

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Take it back to Conrads and have them do the alignment check on it. The inspection is free. Just explain it to them that you just had a broken control arm replaced but the alignment is still way off. When they perform the alignment inspection they have to check the front end first. If it is still loose or something else is wrong they are not allowed to align it. That way you are out nothing. Unfortunately my guy Ron who works there is at training until Thursday. My other buddy Dave works there, but is not as knowledgeable and maybe was the first guy to look at it. It happens sometimes too that we miss stuff. Hell I even do it from time to time. If my schedule wasnt so booked right now I would tell you to bring it to my Conrads in Akron and I could look at it for you.

Why did the Conrad's in Brookpark charge me for the inspection?
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Well the Vert is back on the road and going straight ahead. I replaced the balljoints and outer tie rods and a $79.00 alignment and she is just fine. I got to replace the two front tires due to the quick extreme wear on the inside tread. I'm glad it wasn't more.

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