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Crusty!!! Radius and Control Arms....


indianavince

Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2008
Messages
20
City
Lafayette, Indiana
Vehicle Year
1995
Transmission
Manual
Hello...
You know I have this Ranger that sits outside and serves me well.
A couple years back the rear shackles disentegrated, (two while driving).

I am concerned at how crusty the Front Radius and Control arms look... the OEM paint or rust-proofing is all scabbed off and the iron actually looks bubbly... Do these ever pose serious safety issues? I was going to hit them with the ball-peen hammer... but what good would that do? I know eventually everything will rust to oblivion given a chance. It is parked with good air-circulation and road salt is the only thing it gets exposed to. The body and frame are just dandy.

Thanks.
 
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hit them with a BFH. if the amount of material that falls off is equal to or greater than the amount of material still attach the vehicle, you have a problem.

i'd give you my old ones, but i cut them up to get them off my b2.
 
woah, that's some nasty stuff. boy am i glad i dont live in the rustbelt.

it looks like it's stable, but there's no way to know without seeing it firsthand
 
Take the radius arms off the truck and clean them up. If they look too thin, don't risk it and go get different arms.
 
well, you could drive it, and they may break and you could die. or you can get new ones and you'll be good to go. not too sure what would be best though...
 
So there are pretty bad? Do they commonly do this?
Anyway... I'll look into it later this fall, I always ask the regular mechanic to make me aware of ANYTHING that can kill or delay me... he dropped the ball again.
 
it looks like just the paint crap is bubbling to me. the part that rust out on them are the vertical wall part between the "tear-drop" shaped hole and the part that goes through the mount (bushing side). ive seen people driving with radius arms with rust holes right through them.... dont let it get that bad! just look them over good and you be the judge. your mechanic probably didnt let you down.
 
I'd be more worried about drive-ability with those shocks, are they still working? A big hammer on the side of the rad arm...if it bends or breaks, replace them.

Richard
 
You know it drives real nice and strait... I have been thinking about just replacing the shocks for a couple years... I do get some rear axel hop on gravel. My son is talking about driving it (he just turned 15). He is terrible with screwdrivers... I think I'll pull it into the garage early winter and make him help me POR those crusty parts and change out the shocks...I don't think we need to do a lift kit... I am kinda an OEM sort of guy anyway.



I do all the oil changes and stuff. I don't like messing with brakes anymore ... can you believe this exhaust is original also!!??!
Last time the mechanic had it he did front brakes and dumped the coolant... a couple months later the front caliper was hanging up... had him do the caliper and hoses... I kinda still feel like I should do the rest of the hoses solid and rubber... Don't want one bursting on my son. ABS is still working great.
 
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hard to say, the ones on my van are worse looking, but still able to do the job.:dunno:
 
Shocks won't affect how straight it drives. whats dangerous about shocks that don't work is hitting a bump on a corner at speed.... the wheel is bouncing rather than staying on the road so you lose control. It's worse in snow or on ice. Buy shocks, it's cheap insurance. And you're on the right track about replacing rubber lines, especially if your son is going to drive it. That's something that he could pay for, he might as well learn that it costs to own/drive a vehicle.
Good luck,

Richard
 

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