Yesterday I went home from work angry that I couldn't get the CAT out on my lunchbreak.
I fooled around with the wiring for my system in frustration and reconnected some of my power and ground wires. Well, apparently in my rage and anger I did something wrong because as I got close to the highway the radio began to crackle like there was a loose ground somewhere. Then I smelled smoke just as I was getting onto the ON-Ramp for the highway. I looked down and there was smoke coming from the passenger side somewhere. I reached down and turned off the radio....but I forgot to watch the road....BAM...bounced all around inside the cabin of the car and came to a stop in the grass facing traffic. I made sure I was okay and then got out of the car to see what the hell happened. Apparently, because my car needed an alignment and I didn't get one and I didn't hold the steering wheel in place because I was futzing around with the radio...the car pulled left like it usually does and pulled out of the turn and I ran over the curb of the on-ramp and into the grass median/shoulder heading towards oncoming traffic.

DAMAGE:
Left front tire and rim exploded and dented beyond recovery.
Left front Control arm bent like a pretzel. (How the car still drives is nothing but God)
Left rear tire and rim minor sidewall damage and rim bent slightly.
Engine: small oil leak somewhere under the hood

*sigh*
Well, I should have just kept my damned mouth shut and been content with the car running again even if the CAT was clogged. I took the new CAT back and got the 70 dollars back. That is just enough for a control arm and a tire with rim at the junkyard in laurel. I hate living so far away in frederick.
The junkyard will be my place of residence tomorrow and oh...look...it's raining cats and dogs.

Great....

UPDATE: Replaced the tire and rim and got another control arm from the junkyard along with a new ball-joint for it. It took me 4 hours to chisel the rivets off of the new control arm and install the new ball joint but it is done. Now all I have to do is get someplace to install it. Then I'm back on the road.

Anyone have any idea how much it should cost to take off the old control arm and install the new one?

Thank you,
Dm of mD

Why don't you just do it yourself? There are two bolts holding it to the frame, then the bolt on the ball joint. I sure wouldn't pay anyone for a half hour of work.j

I couldn't get the sway bar end links off of the control arm.
And the manual didn't help on explaining it.
I even used the air wrench and it wouldn't budge.
It twisted around so much it broke the bottom left swaybar bushing.
But I've got a full set I'm getting put on the car.
I dont' see being able to do this without air tools.


Dm


<img src = http://home.earthlink.net/~mgdm13/_images/JKrew-MD.JPG>

USELESS WITH OUT PICS

sorry about the wreck though


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