Car accident, need part identified!

[Mr240dude]

Idiot on Saturday hit my car from the side as he pulled out parking spot, result is dented door and quarter panel and blown tire...fun. My steering wheel was crooked so I suspected an alignment issue. Turns out the part in the pic is dented causing my rear wheel to be crooked (pic of it below) Is that a rear control arm?? Someone help me as I want to order the part online ASAP. Can I drive like this temporarily?

Any feedback appreciated.

[krash]

That indeed looks like the lower control arm. You CAN drive on it but I would really advise against that.

[Mr240dude]

so rear lower control arm. I will order it asap.

[Mr240dude]

I am having trouble finding them online. Do you know a website?

[krash]

are you looking for an OEM replacement? You could go through the dealer. Or you get get a set of aftermarket ones from frsport or enjukuracing

[Mr240dude]

I may as well get after market parts so I can replace both. Are these the same things?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/240SX-S13-S14-3 ... 8381417%26

[daemonyk]

I may as well get after market parts so I can replace both. Are these the same things?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/240SX-S13-S14-3 ... 8381417%26

This http://www.frsport.com/Nissan-OEM-Rear- ... 60024.html is what you're looking for. That's an oem. FRSport also has aftermarket ones. Enjuku has ones by Circuit Sports and Megan Racing. I'd steer clear of ebay junk. Especially of it's for steering suspension or brakes. Those are places you really don't want cheap parts.

[Mr240dude]

I may as well get after market parts so I can replace both. Are these the same things?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/240SX-S13-S14-3 ... 8381417%26

This http://www.frsport.com/Nissan-OEM-Rear- ... 60024.html is what you're looking for. That's an oem. FRSport also has aftermarket ones. Enjuku has ones by Circuit Sports and Megan Racing. I'd steer clear of ebay junk. Especially of it's for steering suspension or brakes. Those are places you really don't want cheap parts.

Hey is that the same piece? It looks different than the control arm as that's a triangular piece not bar. Well the ebay part that I linked, even though its cheap is that a control arm still? Control toe arm is the same as control arm I assume.

[krash]

Toe arm and lower control arm are different

[Mr240dude]

I figured. So it looks like I need a new rear toe arm.

[biggie]

Yes that does look like a toe arm. Plenty to choose from in the aftermarket realm. Could just get a used one as well (I may even have a set). But I'd go ahead an upgrade both while your at it.

From the angle it did look like a rear lower control arm at first.

[mechanicalmoron]

If the wheel's off, I'd be a lot more worried about the front. I would NOT drive it.

If you have a bent tie rod or front control arm or something, at the best you'll eat your tires, and at the worst, it could snap, or the toe could be off and make it catch suddenly and pull the car off course.... and you could end up in a realllllly bad crash. These things happen when you most depend on them not happening.

I know you can get front control arms from dorman, cheap knockoff oem ones, but they should work, with ball joints and all, for like 30 bucks a piece. I'd imagine the same in true for the rears. If you're not going to upgrade to aftermarket type ones, that's the route I'd go.

[daemonyk]

I figured. So it looks like I need a new rear toe arm.

Ok, but just so you know, the thing you circled in red in the first pic is the LCA. Seeing as that's what was circled, that's what I assumed you were asking about Anywho, pretty much same deal with the toe arms, or any arms - stick with oem, oem-eqivelant-ish, or noteworthy aftermarket. Still avoid ebay. Seeing as ISIS toe arms are $100 and kinda sketchy, really not sure I'd trust $50 ones off ebay to be anything except worse...

[krash]

I mean its literally a tube with a rod end and a mount welded to one side. What you're paying for is quality control and the quality of the rod end. If I was short on cash, I'd probably buy an ISIS toe arm kit without thinking twice.

[Mr240dude]

Ok so I found a used oem rear lower control arm. http://www.ebay.com/itm/251169167955?ss ... 1423.l2649

I hope this is exactly what I need to replace.

[Mr240dude]

I'm silly I meant to circle the top one....now im worried I ordered the wrong part.

[daemonyk]

I mean its literally a tube with a rod end and a mount welded to one side. What you're paying for is quality control and the quality of the rod end. If I was short on cash, I'd probably buy an ISIS toe arm kit without thinking twice.

Valid - I should clarify - I would use ISIS arms if I had to, and do use ISIS coils among other things, but ISIS is pretty much my low end thresh hold of parts quality I will trust. They're not great, but theyre good enough. If it's 1/2 the price of ISIS, I can't help but think it's going to be junk. Not saying everything is, but the odds aren't good, I feel. Also personal preference, steering suspension and brakes are places I'd rather not cheap out on, if I can help it of course. But, broke happens. I know I sure can't afford SPL

I'm silly I meant to circle the top one....now im worried I ordered the wrong part.

No worries - Although not circled, the toe rod is clearly FUBAR'd in the pic, so I feel it's safe to say you do in fact need a toe rod. At least a toe rod. As had been stated by others, check everything, make sure nothing else is warp'd, and get an alignment once things are fixed, bad toe eats tires wikkid fast. That ebay link is indeed for a toe arm, so if you ordered that, you're ok, and it is something you need

[krash]

I mean its literally a tube with a rod end and a mount welded to one side. What you're paying for is quality control and the quality of the rod end. If I was short on cash, I'd probably buy an ISIS toe arm kit without thinking twice.

Valid - I should clarify - I would use ISIS arms if I had to, and do use ISIS coils among other things, but ISIS is pretty much my low end thresh hold of parts quality I will trust. They're not great, but theyre good enough. If it's 1/2 the price of ISIS, I can't help but think it's going to be junk. Not saying everything is, but the odds aren't good, I feel. Also personal preference, steering suspension and brakes are places I'd rather not cheap out on, if I can help it of course. But, broke happens. I know I sure can't afford SPL

Keep in mind that ISIS probably has a pretty large profit margin on parts like this as well. A toe arm might cost like $20 to make if you use a cheap rod end and you're mass producing in china. So what ISIS is selling for $100, some random ebay company can sell the EXACT same part for $50 and still make a profit. You just have to kind of decide where your money is best spent. Sure it would be awesome to have SPL or PBM parts everywhere, but ain't nobody got time fo' dat! Something like a toe-rod wont require as much quality control, precision, or quality components to have a good finish. For something like a coilover or a turbo though, you're looking at inner components with close tolerances and more demanding machine work, components that cost more (valves, pistons, turbine wheels, ball bearings, etc). So for something like that, coughing up the cash for a name brand part with proper R&D and a good manufacturing process is worth it (even though the profit margins are ridiculous).

[Mr240dude]

I mean its literally a tube with a rod end and a mount welded to one side. What you're paying for is quality control and the quality of the rod end. If I was short on cash, I'd probably buy an ISIS toe arm kit without thinking twice.

Valid - I should clarify - I would use ISIS arms if I had to, and do use ISIS coils among other things, but ISIS is pretty much my low end thresh hold of parts quality I will trust. They're not great, but theyre good enough. If it's 1/2 the price of ISIS, I can't help but think it's going to be junk. Not saying everything is, but the odds aren't good, I feel. Also personal preference, steering suspension and brakes are places I'd rather not cheap out on, if I can help it of course. But, broke happens. I know I sure can't afford SPL

I'm silly I meant to circle the top one....now im worried I ordered the wrong part.

No worries - Although not circled, the toe rod is clearly FUBAR'd in the pic, so I feel it's safe to say you do in fact need a toe rod. At least a toe rod. As had been stated by others, check everything, make sure nothing else is warp'd, and get an alignment once things are fixed, bad toe eats tires wikkid fast. That ebay link is indeed for a toe arm, so if you ordered that, you're ok, and it is something you need

Well that's a relief to hear. I know this sounds noobish but how many control arms do we have in the rear? It seems like there are so many when I look them up online. I know for a fact the A control arm wasn't the part that I needed but now I hope this here isn't what I needed http://www.ebay.com/itm/190801884444?it ... 23&vxp=mtr do tell me that's not the part that I actually needed lol.

[krash]

Those aren't actually control arms lol. Those are toe arms, the guy labeled them wrong. Upper control arms for the s13 look like this:

[Mr240dude]

Those aren't actually control arms lol. Those are toe arms, the guy labeled them wrong. Upper control arms for the s13 look like this:

Thanks Krash, nonetheless do you think the link I sent was the part that I needed or am I good with the toe arm I had originally ordered?

[biggie]

Your rear Toe Arm is what is bent. That ebay link is for a rear toe arm, but is label as control arm.


For rear suspension the main 4 arms are, with link examples:
Rear Upper Control Arm - http://www.frsport.com/Peak-Performance ... 12729.html (these are S14 style, S13 are complete circles, but S14 should work on S13)
Rear Lower Control Arm - http://www.frsport.com/Nissan-OEM-Rear- ... 60023.html
Rear Toe Arm - http://www.frsport.com/Circuit-Sports-R ... _9275.html
Rear Traction Arm - http://www.frsport.com/Circuit-Sports-R ... _9276.html

For rear, traction arms are short and on front side of the rear wheel. Toe arms are longer and on the backside of the rear wheel.

[Mr240dude]

Your rear Toe Arm is what is bent. That ebay link is for a rear toe arm, but is label as control arm.


For rear suspension the main 4 arms are, with link examples:
Rear Upper Control Arm - http://www.frsport.com/Peak-Performance ... 12729.html (these are S14 style, S13 are complete circles, but S14 should work on S13)
Rear Lower Control Arm - http://www.frsport.com/Nissan-OEM-Rear- ... 60023.html
Rear Toe Arm - http://www.frsport.com/Circuit-Sports-R ... _9275.html
Rear Traction Arm - http://www.frsport.com/Circuit-Sports-R ... _9276.html

For rear, traction arms are short and on front side of the rear wheel. Toe arms are longer and on the backside of the rear wheel.

Well that's good to know. At least I know I got the right part. Thanks for clarifying

[N/A Q45]

If you know you have to replace the toe arms if I were you I'd be spraying them with some penetrating oil just to make it easier and better chance of not breaking a bolt.

Oh and I'm not saying to drive your car but if you -have- to, you might be able to use the toe arms adjustment bolt to push it back out, but if you can wait I wouldn't drive it.

[daemonyk]

Mr240dude, just a suggestion, but I highly recommend you acquire the service manual for your car, and read it. I feel this is true in general, for anyone and everyone, if you're going to mess with the car, it helps to know the car. Of course we'll continue to help however we can, so feel free to ask away - just sayin, all this could have been researched on google in a matter of minutes, or found in the service manual nearly as fast, rather than parceled out over a week or so. Either way, it can only be beneficial for you to know your car better. "I am too knowledgeable about my car" - said no gearhead ever

[N/A Q45]

+1^

[biggie]

Or...

http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/240sx/

[daemonyk]

Or...

http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/240sx/

"Acquire" in whatever format , I just didn't feel like fishing up the link but, there you go.