So I put in new superpro bushings and new j-auto pillow *****. On the very last pillow ball bushing I pressed in, I noticed it wasn't sitting 100% flush against the back lip. There was a tiny gap on one side. So I pressed it a little more on just that edge that had the gap. I probably did it a little too much. Now the lip the bushing presses against is cracked from the 2 o'clock to the 5 o'clock position Do you think this will be alright or should I try to source another arm?

I don't know what kind of force this sees. I already checked the forums/ebay and it looks like it will be difficult to try to find just one side. Most people sell them as complete packages. I could potentially weld it, and then grind the weld out so the dust shield still pops in. But I thought I read something about not welding forged aluminum.

Thoughts? Here's a pic.

 

I wouldn't think it would cause an issue. I doubt it makes a difference once bolted to the car, not like the bushing is going to slide around in there just because the lip is cracked.

 

Not sure on the crack honestly. Not sure how much force it sees. I will sell you an individual arm if you choose to replace that one.

 

I can't see the crack you are talking about.
a crack on the material that is the arm would be really bad. I would replace the arm
A crack on the spherical bearing itself will probably screw with the longevity.
A crack on the housing that sits in the arm, and houses the bearing might be ok. Really depends

Welding has its uses, but if you are talking about something that was press fit, I would not weld it. The press fit is a machined fitment that you would not simply be able to just grind. If you pulled up a burr or a high spot on a press fit application, I would file or grind down high spots.

Not to mention most people don't weld cracks properly enough. The cracks usually come right back. The ends of each crack need to be drilled out, which are really hard to see the end of a crack. Depending on how thick the material is, you would probably need to cut a groove in it so the weld will penetrate without melting the crap out of it and distorting the part.

 

I can't see the crack you are talking about.

The crack is in the aluminum lip that holds the pillow ball in place longitudinally on one side while a snap ring does the same on the other side.

I could be wrong, but it looks like the pillow ball has managed to push the whole lip out on its inner diameter. If this is the case, the pillow ball can move now between the snap ring and the distorted lip.

Will the dust shields even fit in their groove now?

Don't take a chance on suspension, steering or brake components.

A replacement used arm should be really inexpensive.

 

Ahh, I see it now. I wonder if it would have still cracked if it was made with stainless

 

I guess that depends on how many tons of force from the press the pillow ball was pushed against it with...

 

What BLUE TII said. It's broken. Fix it.

 

That lip looks thin, even though he might have gave it that extra pump on the press to make sure it was seated.

I've been noticing a few misalignment spacers being made on suspension components that were made out of aluminum were breaking. The spacer itself is fine, but where it gets machined down thin to fit in the bearing snaps.

 

When you pressed it in, did you have something that barely fit the bore? It almost seems like you used something so small to press the middle section completly through, so when that lip bottomed out, one extra pump cracked the lip.

I'm not very familiar with the fd super now bushings.

 

I'm not very familiar with the fd super now bushings.

No, that is just a stock pillowball.

The FD used spherical bearings in all of the rear multi link locations except front of longitudinal arm and the upper a-arm inboard sliding toe bushings.

The six spherical bearings that are not rubber bushed stock are the ones that always go out on the FD and are easily replaced. It is a cartridge that slides in with a very light press fit (people change them out with nuts/washers/sockets and all-thread) and is secured with a snap-ring.

Super Pro bushings are just poly bushings.

 

That outer spot with the black dust seal in place in this pic is the one that he broke the bearing land on.

 

Ahhhhhh! Thanks