[kouki240]

Hey I recently bought an 89 CRX as a beater (haha this probably wont go over too well with you crx fan boys...) but anyways, its got a bent control arm and I was wondering what you guys think about driving on it for a week before I get it replaced?

I know this is a pretty general car question, but will the LCA snap or warp beyond driving if I drive it for a week or so until I can get it replaced? Are these parts known to be somewhat durable or do you highly suggest against it?

Thanks for any responses and tips, and please no flaming for me being a noob 8)

 

[ludesrv]

You can drive. Infact a friend of mine drove 3 months unknowingly on a bent LCA. All he did was snap bolts for his cross member. You can drive on it, it will simply add more stress to the rest of the suspension as its bent out of shape and the tire won't sit right and might have a decent pull in the wheel.

 

[jmart]

Is this a front lca or a rear lca? Also, in which plane does the bend lie?
Either way if it hasn't bent too far i think you'll be fine. Cold working cast steel a little bit shouldn't make too much of a difference.

 

[kouki240]

Its the drivers side rear LCA. The wheel is noticably bent in but is fine to drive . I haven't taken a look at the LCA yet, just with the wheel on. How easy is it to replace an LCA anyways?

 

[90crxhf_w/ZC]

its easy as crap.... i think that there is like 2 or 3 bolts total..... and then it just comes right off

 

[jmart]

Ya, but if those 3 bolts haven't been removed before, then they'll be seriously corroded. Start off by dousing them with pb blaster. Then later after its soaked you might even get a propane torch and try to burn out some of the corrosion. Be careful not to light the bushings on fire.
Worst comes to worst the bolt will be frozen to the inner part of one of the bushings and when you try to loosen it you will just tear te bushing. Then you will have to get a sawzall and cut the bolt to pull the lca out. Then just make sure you have replacement bolts.
Also, when you put the new lca in, you want to leave the bolts loose until you load the suspension to that the control arms are in the position the'll be in when the car is on the ground at ride height. So say the car is on jacl stands you want to use a jack under the lca to compress the suspension. THen tighten the bolts so that the bushings wont be under any residual torsional loads when the car is at its resting ride height.
Hopefully that made sense.
Also, while you are down there, you might want to look at the trailing arm bushing, they tend to be torn on cars this old.

 

[kouki240]

Thanks for the replies guys

Is the CRX LCA the same as the 89 Civic LCA? I would assume so but just thought I would make sure..

 

[90crxhf_w/ZC]

i think they are... not sure!!!! does your car have a sway!!!

 

[kouki240]

A sway bar? Nope..

 

[stick]

Next question: Is there anything else that's bent? Bending an LCA requires quite a bit of force. It's possible there may be more damage to the trailing arm and the chassis mount points. Check things very carefully. If you can't get it aligned properly again with a new LCA, you may need to take it to a shop to get things pulled back into position.

 

[downest]

I think the 89-91 LCAs are cast with a curve in them to prevent other things bending. This way, if you hit something with the wheel, they are the first thing to give, preserving the rest of the chassis.

 

[90crxhf_w/ZC]

oooookl then i am pretty sure that the civic ones will fit...i have gsr ones but i dont think that will help your problems though... just upgrde to 90 -93 teg lca's

 

[mattminerDOTcom]

The rear lower lcas are the same for all 94-01 non ITRs, 89-95 civics.

Snag whatever when you can and bolt that baby on.

[email protected]

 

[jmart]

ya, how exactly did it get bent? And how do you know its bent?

 

[kouki240]

ya, how exactly did it get bent? And how do you know its bent?

A little confrontation with a curb I suppose... I assume its bent because of the angle of the wheel and the general suspension seems fine. Is there anything else that would cause the wheel to be bent (top of the wheel is bent inwards)?

 

[kouki240]

Now that I think about it... would it be the upper control arm if the top of the wheel is bent inwards? I never really thought about that, just assumed it was the lower since that's what the last owner said.

 

[jmart]

Ya, i'd bet its the top one as well. its a stamped, bent piece of metal as opposed to the relatively beefy cast steel lower control arm.

I'm sure someone on here has a spare. They are easy to replace too.