Broken lower suspension arm - best replacement?

[marcobrien]

Managed to break the left front lower suspension arm using my Savage X 4.6 for the first time. Seems very delicate to me?!

Is it worth upgrading to aluminium suspension arms? Are they a lot stronger? Any descents brands (without breaking the bank)? Ideally I'd like silver or anodised orange to match the stock parts, but not critical if good price in other colours.

Any help/advice appreciated

 

[Zdragon71]

Dont go with aluminum! Go with RPM nylon ones. They are the best a-arms on the market and way tougher than stock. Extremely hard to break em too.

 

[marcobrien]

Dont go with aluminum! Go with RPM nylon ones. They are the best a-arms on the market and way tougher than stock. Extremely hard to break em too.

Any reason why aluminium is no good? Are you talking about something like these (RPM82008)..

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221054730...AX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649#ht_1122wt_689

 

[Zdragon71]

Aluminum is only good for bling. When it bends it stays bent and just adds weight to your rig. You wAnt to stay with flexible parts like the suspension arms mainly because they are the blunt of most impacts. Rpm is made of a very tough and flexible nylon and I've ran them on every one of my rigs and never broke one yet.

 

[marcobrien]

Aluminum is only good for bling. When it bends it stays bent and just adds weight to your rig. You wAnt to stay with flexible parts like the suspension arms mainly because they are the blunt of most impacts. Rpm is made of a very tough and flexible nylon and I've ran them on every one of my rigs and never broke one yet.

Are those the right ones in the eBay link I provided?

 

[Zdragon71]

Also yes that link is the rpm I'm speaking of. Never seen purple ones but I've got blue and also black arms on my tmaxx and revo. Just bought an hpi buggy the other week and soon as i get the cash I'm putting them on it as well.

 

[marcobrien]

Instructions

Anyone got a decent step by step guide on how to replace the front suspension arms?

 

[Zdragon71]

You can probably go to hpi.com and find the exploded views and manual for your rig. Other than that the best way I've found is to just start taking it apart and starting all screws back into the place you removed them as you go so you know where they go back. And organize your parts on the bench beside the rig in an easy order to re assemble it.

 

[marcobrien]

You can probably go to hpi.com and find the exploded views and manual for your rig. Other than that the best way I've found is to just start taking it apart and starting all screws back into the place you removed them as you go so you know where they go back. And organize your parts on the bench beside the rig in an easy order to re assemble it.

Do you know if it's a difficult job?

 

[cwal1774]

Do you have a manual? It will show detailed exploded views of the truck. If not just put them back on in reverse order you took them off.

 

[sur3fir3]

small how to

the easiest way I have found to remove the upper or lower A arm is to follow this guide to remove the diff. (not my guide, and not my pics but jusy an easy wany to get to diffs and what not)

First take off the plastic clips that hold the bumper bars in the bulkhead.
I have a pair of needlenose pliers between the 2 shocks to pull the clips.

Clip removed.

Pull the bumper out of the holes.

Next remove the 2 screws on the bottom that are closest to the bumper.
These screws go into the diff case as well.

Now you can access the front screws in the diff case.
2 above the upper hinge pins.
And 2 below the alum brace that the upper hinge pins go thru.
If you are doing the rear - the turnbuckles need to be removed first.
I have a worn one and just put a washer to hold the plastic end on.

Order some turnbuckle ends. P/N # 85050 - comes with 4 on a tree and a whole bunch of other parts for $6
The turnbuckle ends WILL stretch out after a good crash or cartwheels!!!
This is a weak link and I like it that way.


Here's the turnbuckle ball end with the washer to hold on the worn end (arrow)
And the diff shims that should have come in the parts bags with the truck. (circle)

Diff case screw locations.

*note at this point you can remove those lower pins and replace the Arm, but I found it easier to expose the diff that way you can work in there a bit easier.

Case removed

Diff W/out half

At this point I remove the shock from the lower arm If that is what you are replacing.

Now you easily see the hinge pins that hold in the upper and lower arms, remove the pin that is holding the broken arm in and just detach the side of the arm that connects to where the wheels are.

Then put your new arm in and reattach everything. Doing it this way I can change an arm in just a few minutes. Reattach the shock last it can be a real pain trying to line up hinge pin hole and what not if you don't.