chungmeow

I purchased my gs400 from an owner who had previously been involved in an accident. I never noticed anything wrong until I saw the inside of my front left tire was getting ripped up!



The following picture displays the tire touching the lower control arm/tension arm:



I also noticed my sway bar link was bent:



I couldn't figure out what I needed to do to prevent this from happening. It looks like the tire is getting ripped up by the castle nut clip connecting the arm and upper control arm...

Any suggestions which parts need to be replaced?

chungmeow

Well I purchased a pair of lower ball joints, outer tie rods and the driver side sway bar link. Planning on installing them this weekend in hopes of fixing my inner aches and pains.

baconcake

You should just replace all the suspension up front. Your caster bushing looks shot, go with FIGS to never have to worry about that again. Get new inner tie rods too.

marshun

you on stock rims too? i dont recall anything running when my car was stock

BayAreaLex

Ladies and gentlemen, this is why you don't buy cars that have been in accidents.

And for the comment above, there is no way you can draw any conclusions about the condition of the caster arm bushings from the pic above alone.

chungmeow

Thanks baconcake! I just purchased inner tie rods and bushings. The photo of the lower control arm bushing was in an elevated state but you're right.. they are def dunzo (shot). I've already replaced the lower ball joint and outer tie rod for the affected side and the rubbing issues are all gone! But I still hear clicking so i'm going to go ahead and replace all tie rods and get an alignment afterwards.

lol... whats running? Im planning on picking up either 18" RX rims with LTuned springs or going 19" with Stance super sport Coilovers.


it was a minor accident!

chungmeow

Still touching. I'm going to replace caster arm bushings.

lexo98

iTrader: (2)

Sounds more like the caster arm is bent or the subframe

kowala

iTrader: (2)

correct me if i'm wrong but isn't this where the offset of the wheels comes into play? I believe having a higher offset wheel than recommended can cause the wheel interfere with some of the suspension movement? Are you on stock wheels in these photos?

chungmeow

I don't know the effects to a car on offset tires... cause i'm runnin stock 16's homie. research and offset 19's next year..

I've installed daizen bushings over the weekend and i can finally turn the wheel end-to-end without hearing or feeling the wheel rub up against the suspension. FINALLY.

When you read posts about how bushings are essential to maintaining the remaining parts of your suspension, they weren't joking. plus it saves you a lot of money and energy. and it makes you feel like you can ride your girl all DAY... without having to bottom out when driving over speed bumps.

chungmeow

I checked both caster arms side-by-side and they were identical mirror reflections of themselves. I didn't see any subframe issues but new bushings helped solve my problem! unless you think replacing the bushings may have simply covered the underlying issue (which im hoping is not the case)

lexo98

iTrader: (2)

Now you have to get it up on the alignment rack and see if everything falls within specs.