850 Driver Side Control Arm?

runpaulone · Post by **runpaulone** » 16 Feb 2010, 13:38

Hey all -

1. I feel recently my 850 has been riding a little lower on the front driver side than the front passenger side.

2. Two days ago, clunk, clunk, clunk. I got out turned the wheel completely to the right to notice what looked like some type of an arm disconnected at the top and banging on the wheel. This mysterious arm (I'm sure you all know what is) looks to be connected at the bottom to the car frame, and the top perhaps connected to the strut/shock.

Let me also say occasionally in the past two days I hear what sounds like the noise the TRACS makes, kind of an errr, err, just not as loud. (Nice sound effects eh?) This noise is at random though.

It doesn't appear to have any effect on my steering, so I've ruled out tie rod. Any suggestions? I'm going to send a picture later. Thanks!

Post by **charlyW** » 16 Feb 2010, 16:58

Does the arm have a knuckle joint on it ? Could be a drop link goes from the suspension turret to the anti roll bar not a very good picture but shows the top of the drop link so you get an idea.

If so you might get away with just popping it back on the knuckle or you may want to replace it by unbolting top and bottom bolts. [15 or 17mm depends on age of car] Anti roll bar will drop a few inch, to raise it use a stout bar between the anti roll bar and the chassis slide the bottom stud back in and torque up to 50NM

Charlotte

: drop link.JPG (16 KiB) Viewed 840 times

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 16 Feb 2010, 19:37

As charlyW said, it sounds like your sway bar endlink / drop link. If you replace them you have many options. IPD has some high performance versions but they come at a price. Avoid the Scan Tech versions, while the price is seductive they are pure junk and you will be doing the job all over again within 6 months. The OEM versions seem to last for at least 5 or 6 years as do the IPD versions but the IPD heavy duty links will improve your handling.

...Lee

runpaulone · Post by **runpaulone** » 17 Feb 2010, 09:14

This helps ALOT! Seems like an easy switch. I apparently lost the whole drop link yesterday. Must've been hanging by a thread. I've circled what part I'm talking about in charlyW's picture.

Thanks!

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 17 Feb 2010, 14:06

My son's '96 850 failed the same way. The good news is that it makes it easier to remove since you can use a pipe wrench on the ball and then just zip the nut off.

...Lee