Aaaggggh! Something is bent!

[Bronzedodge]

Ugh.  I clipped a curb a few weeks ago.    It was a pretty good hit, dinged the outer edge of the left front rim, dinged the left sway bar bracket, and tweaked the lower control arm.   Got it mostly squared away, but the center link isn't level anymore.   So that's either the pitman arm or the steering box mount?    I have the box out and the K frame looks fine, nothing broken.    Anyone know what is a likely cause?   Can't figure it out. 

[cdr]

Ugh.  I clipped a curb a few weeks ago.    It was a pretty good hit, dinged the outer edge of the left front rim, dinged the left sway bar bracket, and tweaked the lower control arm.   Got it mostly squared away, but the center link isn't level anymore.   So that's either the pitman arm or the steering box mount?    I have the box out and the K frame looks fine, nothing broken.    Anyone know what is a likely cause?   Can't figure it out.  

The bracket that the Idler arm bolts to gets bent pretty easy, I would look there idler should be in the same plane as the pittman arm

[Bronzedodge]

I'll look at it, but it would have been transfered to the idler across the centerlink.  The hit was on the driver side.  The Pitman has no marks on it.

[Mike DC]

         
Can you describe the hit?  

Outer edge of LF rim bent + sway bar bracket bent = you hit it straight-on going forward, more or less?  Probably with the wheels turned some amount to the right?  How fast were you going?

[Bronzedodge]

About 35-40.  Wheels were straight, maybe slightly to R a few degrees.  It bent the outer edger - not the bead seat - of the left rim, and dinged the sway bar bracket on the K frame.  NO damage to the K frame, but now I'm suspecting the box mounts are tweaked.  I put another box up and the slope to the center link is the same.  It could be the Pitman arm I suppose, cause I'm checking it with same one.

Can anyone with a solid front end measure the distance from the center link to the oil pan rails for me?  Straight up.  I remember it being the same, mostly parallel to the pan rails above.  Thanks in advance.

[Mike DC]

Wow.  35-40 mph is pretty fast. 

[Kern Dog]

Uh, that is going to vary a bit. Different motor mount materials, wear and aging, damage due to abuse, 4 speed shock, etc.
If you want to try a different Pitman arm, I have several used ones that are not damaged. I can send you one for the cost of shipping.

[Bronzedodge]

Thanks KD, but there's ones closer here in Maryland.  I just need to compare to mine, maybe do a mock-up.  I'm leaning to the K frame mounts, as they have the rep for being a bit weak.  But just looking at it with the box out, I can't see any distortion.  It's bugging me not being able to drive it.

[b5blue]

Check strut rod and bushing.

[Bronzedodge]

They're both fine, pulled them with the lower arm.   I'm thinking the box mounts on the K frame are off.  I measured on my friends 68 Coronet the other day.  I'll post conclusions soon.