Need Info on Driver Side Lower Control Arm on a 1997

[beamer]

I need someone to look at their lower control arm and check the angle of the CV shaft coming out of the trans to the hub. Pictures if at all possible.

Here is what has happened. I picked up a 97 CE for my son. It is pretty much a beater that I went through many things to make him an economical commuter car for college. I replaced the DS lower control arm as the bushing in the rear of it was trashed. I got the part from Rock Auto. I placed them atop each other and felt they were the same in shape.

Forward 3-4K in miles driving back and forth... He was driving along at 45MPH and bam, the car makes a horrid noise. After towing it back home, I found the DS output of the trans was cracked. How and why would that happen?

I picked up another trans from a scrap yard from a wrecked in the rear 97 and had it installed. The shop told me that they believe the DS shaft was at an angle that seemed off to them. They said it was not coming straight out of the trans to the spindle/hub and was angled towards the back of the car quite a bit. Now, this is the side I replaced that lower control arm! I had it aligned before and the alignment place did not alert me to anything.

Could this aftermarket control arm be improper in shape to cause an undue stress on the output of the transmission to be the blame of the transmission cracking? The shop who replaced the trans for me is people that I have dealt with for years.

I am going to check the distance between the wheels in a few minutes and then head to the alignment shop for a re-alignment. I will mention to them to check the situation out when they have it on the rack. I am considering contacting the salvage yard to get the DS lower control arm out of the car the transmission came out of. specially if I see a difference in the wheel base between sides.



Thanks in advance for any help and advise given !




Mike

 

[Donabed Kopoian]

Where did it crack? That doesn't sound like a control arm issue if it alligned. Sounds more like shot engine/transmission mounts caused it to fail.

 

[beamer]

I have since found out some more information. I was uneducated that the 3 speed transmission had seperate trans fluid and differential fluid. It may have not been serviced correctly and caused a premature issue in the differential. I am grasping that may have been the problem.

The shop did mention that diff fluid and trans fluid was filled. The Alldata program saif 5.8 quarts complete change. I did buy a new filter and they had to use another quart more than the 6 I supplied them. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm

The guys doing the work look out for me quite well. I believe and hope they would have noticed a bad mount. Maybe not. I know the car has always had a vibration in it from the motor. It runs good though. I had put a timing belt, water pump, plugs, wires, cap, rotor, air/oil/fuel filters and PCV valve in it after buying it. It should run smooth and nice. It still has a vibration. When my son comes home next, we will check the health of the motor mounts.


Thanks for your input !


Mike

 

[Donabed Kopoian]

No problem. Might be a good idea to replace them anyway because of their age and it is tough to know when it was last done (chances are they are factory).

If they break, things get ugly quick.