Pics of BAD BOW damaged A-arm - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

gchemist · 03-11-2003, 12:55 AM

I finally got my cam corder and my mouse configured at home so I can start taking and downloading pictures. If anyone remebers, last year I was coming back from placing 1st in a local show. I decided to take a short cut back to the interstate through the country. Sure no problem doing 65-70 MPH. Now I didn't know that tractor trailers use this road a lot. They put some very deep wheel travel paths in the soft asphalt road. I came up to this curve and past the curve the travel paths were very deep. I tried to put the driver side on the top and the passenger side nearly off the road. Since I was too late in reacting the driverside A-arm scrapped the top of the center asphalt mound. At high speeds its no fun. I had ashalt all over the engine bay and tar too. Even on top of the air cleaner.

Not to mention all my aluminum wheels which were hot so the tar stuck to them like glue.

It took me almost 2 hours to clean off the all the wheels. The engine bay was worse. I had to take several trips to the car wash. Even today there are rocks all over the place. At first I though no major problem but when I looked at the A-arm was badly damage. I now have used parts of a suburban that are going to be rebuilt and installed to replace the original parts. Here are the pictures of the damaged A-arm

Once I close on my first house at the end of the month BADBOW is getting some very badly needed work.

Ric83 · 03-11-2003, 01:33 AM

Man, that sucks.
Don't have much knowledge, but if you at least need another set of hands when you do your suspension rebuild, just let me know.

low 84 · 03-11-2003, 02:50 AM

you will be laying those lca's on the pavement alot more often if you drop it 4 in the front

79BIG10 · 03-11-2003, 03:41 AM

Another reason for me not to have a lowered truck. I like those country roads

Low87 · 03-11-2003, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by gchemist
If anyone remebers, last year I was coming back from placing 1st in a local show.

I don't, but then again it's getting hard to keep track of all your trophies. What class was this one in again?

Quote:

Originally posted by gchemist
Sure no problem doing 65-70 MPH.

Little did you know!

Quote:

Originally posted by gchemist
Now I didn't know that tractor trailers use this road a lot.

See!

Quote:

Originally posted by gchemist
They put some very deep wheel travel paths in the soft asphalt road. I came up to this curve and past the curve the travel paths were very deep. I tried to put the driver side on the top and the passenger side nearly off the road. Since I was too late in reacting the driverside A-arm scrapped the top of the center asphalt mound. At high speeds its no fun.

Exactly why you need to learn to drive a lowered truck before doing so! Good thing your truck isn't very low.

Quote:

Originally posted by gchemist
At first I though no major problem but when I looked at the A-arm was badly damage. I now have used parts of a suburban that are going to be rebuilt and installed to replace the original parts. Here are the pictures of the damaged A-arm

Hard to tell in the pic (kind of grainy) what happened to your A-arm. Sounds like a bad experience. I've hit my A-arms countless times, but never bad enough to do anything more than leave a scrape on the bottom. That can be expected on a 6/8 drop though. You'll have to think twice about those country roads when you really get your truck low. So, time for tubular arms?

87 STEPPER · 03-11-2003, 09:35 PM

Greg, Look at the cross shaft at the front where the big nut & washer are and you will see the a-arm is peeled back

G- I had a a-arm damaged just as bad or may be worse years ago on my '85 i hit a manhole cover that came up a little higher than most did but back then there were no droped spindles you had to cut two coils out of the springs and use some longer blots and thick spacers to shim the upper a arm's out and it wasn't a very soft ride either. Man i can still remember that hit it was sooo hard the poor truck and i took one helluva jolt and i was only going about 50 or 55 mph i wish i had a pic of that thing.

LOHRTBT · 03-11-2003, 09:56 PM

damn..For the life of me I cant see the damage either>>>>?????

gchemist · 03-11-2003, 11:35 PM

If the weather holds up I'll take a picture of the passenger side. Or even the replacement A-arms.

Low87 · 03-12-2003, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by gchemist
Once I close on my first house at the end of the month BADBOW is getting some very badly needed work.

Just caught this looking at the pics again, congratulations! Just got my 1st one last fall, it's a nice feeling!
I can see what you are talking about now (thanks 87stepper!), that is pretty bad. Does it still drive okay?

LOHRTBT · 03-12-2003, 11:05 AM

Damnit...lol Someone please circle the damage in the pic and post it!! haha

Congrats G!

on the Close of the house. I close on mine hte 28th..but to get out.

gchemist · 03-14-2003, 02:07 AM

Greg,
Yes the truck still drives straight as far as I can tell.
I look forward to having my own house. I'm buying it with a two port garage too. This will give me enough room to remove the bed and other large items off the truck. Guess we can have house truck warming party now! I only live 1/2 block away from a park too. There a place for us to park about 20 trucks.

Trick76 · 03-14-2003, 02:31 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by LOHRTBT
Damnit...lol Someone please circle the damage in the pic and post it!! haha

Just for you Dave

Derek

LOHRTBT · 03-14-2003, 08:44 AM

Ok.....I saw that but I guess I dont know what it should look like ....straight I guess lol!!! THanks! hehe

Low87 · 03-14-2003, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by gchemist
Guess we can have house truck warming party now! I only live 1/2 block away from a park too. There a place for us to park about 20 trucks.

G, I'm still waiting for my house truck warming party, I got my house in Nov! We back up to a big park with plenty of room to do anything, there's even a new pool! Nice to hear you get an area for your truck too!

LOHRTBT · 03-14-2003, 12:01 PM

Well what are you waiting on foolio!! You need to have a pool party ho!

Capitol68 · 03-14-2003, 12:49 PM

Bad Bow , what part of town are you in ?

gchemist · 03-14-2003, 09:22 PM

Capitol68,
I tear up the south side of Austin. :p I'll be moving to a location off Slaughter Avenue. If you read this before tomorrow, there are few trucks and cars getting together at Dave and Buster's on 183/Mopac. Should start about 3:00 PM. Just hanging out then eating. Come out if you can. I'll be there about 2:00. I'll have to leave early for work.

Do you attend any of the local car shows?

03-11-2003, 12:55 AM	#1
gchemist BAD BOW-Silverado XST Join Date: May 2000 Location: Senior Member from Austin, TX Posts: 6,431	Pics of BAD BOW damaged A-arm I finally got my cam corder and my mouse configured at home so I can start taking and downloading pictures. If anyone remebers, last year I was coming back from placing 1st in a local show. I decided to take a short cut back to the interstate through the country. Sure no problem doing 65-70 MPH. Now I didn't know that tractor trailers use this road a lot. They put some very deep wheel travel paths in the soft asphalt road. I came up to this curve and past the curve the travel paths were very deep. I tried to put the driver side on the top and the passenger side nearly off the road. Since I was too late in reacting the driverside A-arm scrapped the top of the center asphalt mound. At high speeds its no fun. I had ashalt all over the engine bay and tar too. Even on top of the air cleaner. Not to mention all my aluminum wheels which were hot so the tar stuck to them like glue. It took me almost 2 hours to clean off the all the wheels. The engine bay was worse. I had to take several trips to the car wash. Even today there are rocks all over the place. At first I though no major problem but when I looked at the A-arm was badly damage. I now have used parts of a suburban that are going to be rebuilt and installed to replace the original parts. Here are the pictures of the damaged A-arm Once I close on my first house at the end of the month BADBOW is getting some very badly needed work. __________________ Gerardo a.k.a. Mad Chemist Silverado XST videos

03-11-2003, 01:33 AM	#2
Ric83 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 824	Man, that sucks. Don't have much knowledge, but if you at least need another set of hands when you do your suspension rebuild, just let me know. __________________ Ric '83 Silverado SWB Fleetside Here she is

03-11-2003, 02:50 AM	#3
low 84 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 2,144	you will be laying those lca's on the pavement alot more often if you drop it 4 in the front __________________ '51 F100, backhalf with a narrowed 9 and coil overs, 18.5" mickeys, monte front clip, +400" sbc in the works '05 1500 Crew Cab RIP '84 swb 5/7 drop, solid cammed 408 w/ fully ported dart heads, th350 w/ 10 inch hughes, 12 bolt w/ 3.73 richmonds and a locker '80 swb 4x4 in progress: 7" lift, 350 th350/np205, d44 and 1.5" ORD tie rod, 14BFF w/discs , armored diff covers, 40" MTR's

03-11-2003, 03:41 AM	#4
79BIG10 I'm back with 2nd truck! Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 3,775	Another reason for me not to have a lowered truck. I like those country roads __________________ 1979 Chevrolet Bonanza Big10 "Tootsie Roll" 1985 Chevrolet Silverado (wife's) Member of the Southern Bowties Club "Don't underestimate how sexy a fat man who drinks to excess can be." Homer Simpson

03-11-2003, 09:35 PM	#6
87 STEPPER STILL PLAYS WITH TRUX Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Melbourne, Fla. Posts: 2,764	Greg, Look at the cross shaft at the front where the big nut & washer are and you will see the a-arm is peeled back G- I had a a-arm damaged just as bad or may be worse years ago on my '85 i hit a manhole cover that came up a little higher than most did but back then there were no droped spindles you had to cut two coils out of the springs and use some longer blots and thick spacers to shim the upper a arm's out and it wasn't a very soft ride either. Man i can still remember that hit it was sooo hard the poor truck and i took one helluva jolt and i was only going about 50 or 55 mph i wish i had a pic of that thing. __________________ ~~Bruce~~ MY 87 STEPPER MY 99 2D/WD TAHOE

03-11-2003, 09:56 PM	#7
LOHRTBT BeWarE tHe eViL CrAnkTOe! Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Yukon, OK Posts: 3,605	damn..For the life of me I cant see the damage either>>>>????? __________________ ~Dave~ You can call me Mike, Mike Oxlong - 1986 Chevy SWB - Stock for now - *1986 Chevy Custom SWB* *Stolen 6/26/05* - 1985 Chevy SWB SOLD - 1999 T/A Some mods www.cardomain.com/id/ramairdave AIM Screenname - Jester84

03-11-2003, 11:35 PM	#8
gchemist BAD BOW-Silverado XST Join Date: May 2000 Location: Senior Member from Austin, TX Posts: 6,431	If the weather holds up I'll take a picture of the passenger side. Or even the replacement A-arms. __________________ Gerardo a.k.a. Mad Chemist Silverado XST videos

03-12-2003, 11:05 AM	#10
LOHRTBT BeWarE tHe eViL CrAnkTOe! Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Yukon, OK Posts: 3,605	Damnit...lol Someone please circle the damage in the pic and post it!! haha Congrats G! on the Close of the house. I close on mine hte 28th..but to get out. __________________ ~Dave~ You can call me Mike, Mike Oxlong - 1986 Chevy SWB - Stock for now - *1986 Chevy Custom SWB* *Stolen 6/26/05* - 1985 Chevy SWB SOLD - 1999 T/A Some mods www.cardomain.com/id/ramairdave AIM Screenname - Jester84

03-14-2003, 02:07 AM	#11
gchemist BAD BOW-Silverado XST Join Date: May 2000 Location: Senior Member from Austin, TX Posts: 6,431	Greg, Yes the truck still drives straight as far as I can tell. I look forward to having my own house. I'm buying it with a two port garage too. This will give me enough room to remove the bed and other large items off the truck. Guess we can have house truck warming party now! I only live 1/2 block away from a park too. There a place for us to park about 20 trucks. __________________ Gerardo a.k.a. Mad Chemist Silverado XST videos

03-14-2003, 08:44 AM	#13
LOHRTBT BeWarE tHe eViL CrAnkTOe! Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Yukon, OK Posts: 3,605	Ok.....I saw that but I guess I dont know what it should look like ....straight I guess lol!!! THanks! hehe __________________ ~Dave~ You can call me Mike, Mike Oxlong - 1986 Chevy SWB - Stock for now - *1986 Chevy Custom SWB* *Stolen 6/26/05* - 1985 Chevy SWB SOLD - 1999 T/A Some mods www.cardomain.com/id/ramairdave AIM Screenname - Jester84

03-14-2003, 12:01 PM	#15
LOHRTBT BeWarE tHe eViL CrAnkTOe! Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Yukon, OK Posts: 3,605	Well what are you waiting on foolio!! You need to have a pool party ho! __________________ ~Dave~ You can call me Mike, Mike Oxlong - 1986 Chevy SWB - Stock for now - *1986 Chevy Custom SWB* *Stolen 6/26/05* - 1985 Chevy SWB SOLD - 1999 T/A Some mods www.cardomain.com/id/ramairdave AIM Screenname - Jester84

03-14-2003, 12:49 PM	#16
Capitol68 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Austin,Tx Posts: 327	Bad Bow , what part of town are you in ? __________________ '68 Fleet LWB orig 307 .030 over GM Hei/w Accel Super coil orig. stock TH 400. _______________________ “What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal.” Albert Pine English author d.1851

03-14-2003, 09:22 PM	#17
gchemist BAD BOW-Silverado XST Join Date: May 2000 Location: Senior Member from Austin, TX Posts: 6,431	Capitol68, I tear up the south side of Austin. :p I'll be moving to a location off Slaughter Avenue. If you read this before tomorrow, there are few trucks and cars getting together at Dave and Buster's on 183/Mopac. Should start about 3:00 PM. Just hanging out then eating. Come out if you can. I'll be there about 2:00. I'll have to leave early for work. Do you attend any of the local car shows? __________________ Gerardo a.k.a. Mad Chemist Silverado XST videos



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