Please help diagnose my abandoned TACO in the mountains

I hope its an Alignment issue. From the looks of it I cant tell the difference from the bad side and the good side. It just looks like my tire is leaning in rubbing on the UCA. The bottom ball joint is facing outwords towards the tire.

I was on my way down the trail in 4 low. I was going a good steady speed about 10 mph I think? On the driver side was a shelf road so I had my attention on my side making sure I dont go over the edge. Next thing I know I hit that rock on my passenger side. The I felt the rubbing, kind of like my tire was skipping. So I got out and looked and the tire didnt look nearly as crooked as the first picture below. but I seen small rubbing. Got back in and tried to see if I can go one enough to get out the trail. I went forward about 10 feet(I can feel the rubbing get worse to where I would give it about 3000rpm and it wouldnt move) and the tire just stopped moving. Got out and noticed the tire is now facing inward even more. My buddy said as I drove forward that 10 feet my tire would lean inwards more and more. Now its rubbing so bad the truck wont move.... Took the tire off and checked everything tried to fix it but I dont know what im doing so I just left it.

Called NYCO to see if he can give me any info on what it can be or how to rig it to get me out. But It was hard to explain. So he came to the rescue and picked us up about 1.5 miles from the truck where we hiked, Crossed a knee deep river and met him on the main trail at about midnight. Drove up to the truck and we still couldnt figure out what it is.


A wheel spacer looks like it can push the tire out far enough to be able to get home. Anyone have one I can use for a day? or know where I can buy one ASAP?

Anyone have an idea of what it can be?

NYCO has more pics to show tomorrow.



Ball joint bent? Is it supposed to do that?



Right here you can see where the tire is rubbing.


This is the good side.


The rock my tire hit

 

Bent spindle? Hard to replace? And how much for a new one?

 

im leaning towards bent spindle just from where the tire rubs

 

From what I see, I don't really see an issue, you can't tell from your ptcs. Maybe I'm blind but the pic I see, your pass. side wheel looks fairly straight, it aint a ball joint,, dude I'll find you a pic of blown ball joint & you'll see what a wheel does when theres nothing to hold it in place.

But need better pics from short distance so you can see entire front end Both wheel angle etc; but I think you may be over reacting..

I did notice the holes in spindles for swaybar link

 

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I half retract the above statement


Haha, ok NOW I SEE !!!



prolly alignment, still didn't see anything really fucked up

& yeah thats what CV's look like, thats why I really don't like IFS for 4 wheeling, but maybe bent hub/center wheel ?

 

Seems like an angle issue from that type of rub, but can't rule out alignment , a few guys I've trailed with have hammered some shit pretty hard, potholes & big rocks will knock the LCA out of alignment before bending a spindle I think

 

If you find that is the problem I could hook you up with my old ones off a 05 dc prerunner. If they are the same and work. There used from when I bought the total chaos spindles so I can give you a fair price. There just sitting in my garage.

 

Stupid question, is the wheel secure, as in the lug nuts aren't loose. Can you get a jack under the suspension arm and see if the wheel bearing failed?

My off-road adventures are not in trucks, is it a known issue to bend the suspension upright? The funky angle the stud comes out of the ball joint does give the impression of the upright is bent.

Might consider getting an acetylene torch and some protectors from the heat, add in some leverage tools and straighten it to get home.

Get it straightened and then have both sides beefed up with some gussets.

PK

 

Just by the fact that the tire is rubbing on the upper control arm I would have to say that the spindle and or hub is bent. Not much to replacing it with some basic tools and jacks and stands. Let us know how it goes and good luck!

 

Understood, but with the upright, axle, and wheel always tied together on a rigid assembly, moving any alignment adjustment will move the entire assembly. This shows the assembly itself shifted or bent. I just don't see how having the alignment slip could make the tire constantly contact the upright.

PK

 

no way the uca is rubbing the tire. the rub mark is in the center of the tire indicating that it could be the sway bar mounting point on the spindle.


how hard has the hit from the rock did you hit it head on jamming the suspension in to the wheel well causing it to bottom out and force the spindle to bend right above the the hub

 

I'm leaning towards a bent spindle. Were you aired down or at full pressure? looks full to me. Anyways a wheel space SHOULD get you to safety, but take it slow. Don't use this as a long term fix as your alignment will be off quite a bit, your cv angle will be at a weird angle, and your tire will wear uneven. My best bet would be you hit the rock at an angle. Tires at full pressure didn't abosorb much, and energy went into the next weakest link. I'd jump on a set of used ones if this is indeed the case and gusset them, or have a shop gusset them before you reinstall them. Cheap insurance in the long run.

 

I wasn't aired down like I was supposed to. The tire is secure on there as well. It's just stuck up there. I hope a wheel spacer can get me out.

 

More pics

 

Bad lower ball joint would allow wheel to lean inwards at the top where it looks like its making contact with spindle, kinda like yours in pic

Bad upper joint would allow lean outwards,,, hmmmm ??

 

That really sucks! I really don't see much wrong neither. Addicted off-road may have some wheel spacers for you to limp it home. I would put it in 2wd all the way home if it were me. Less stress on that corner.

 

Bent lower control arm

 

<-- Thinks bent spindle??

 

Think a wheel spacer can get me home?

 

I dunno but it looks like the bushing is missing on this lca.