Lower control arm replacement on a 2013

[kevinleaf]

I hit a curb / island in SF in my LEAF pretty hard. I blew out the two driver's side tires, plus seems I damaged the left side control arm. There are two joints that seem to be press-fit into the metal piece and the rear-most one popped out. This is as far as I can tell but I haven't removed it from the car yet. I'll try to get some pics in the daylight.

Anyone replaced one of these control arms themselves yet? If so, how hard / easy is it? Seems pretty easy and I am pretty mechanically inclined.

Any chance it would be covered under warranty even though it was the result of an accident?

Seems I can get the part for around $150 online. Part is 54501-3NF0A if I have it right from the diagram. Anyone seen better prices on these things?

Thanks in advance!

 

[RonDawg]

Damage caused by accidents is not covered under warranty, unless a warranted defect was the cause of the accident (e.g. steering wheel locked up on you causing you to crash).

 

[Stanton]

The problem with hitting curbs is there's usually more damage than meet's the eye (I've learned the hard way--but luckily not in my Leaf). You may not even know if the control arm is enough until you do a front-end alignment.
Good luck.

 

[GoneSilent]

I am over in Oakland, CA and have been to or called just about every dealer in the Bay. Most are dead set on list prices. I have two wrecked 2013 Leafs I am playing with. Planing to rebuild one. I have been ordering my parts from http://www.nissanpartsdiscounts.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; it's a dealer out of Utah. Have had fast service from them in ordering body parts and the such.

You will need to take the lower arm to a shop to get the mounts pressed in or out. Use some wire to suspend the suspension and you can take the lower arm off.

 

[kevinleaf]

Thanks all!

The part I broke is the lower control arm here:
http://www.nissanpartsdiscounts.com/oem-part/nissan/leaf-parts/2013/sl/electric/front-suspension/suspension-components/lower-cntrl-arm-left/54501-3nf0a?search_str=54501-3nf0a" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The dealer sold it to me for $200. Their initial price was $250. This was Serramonte Nissan in Daly City. They claim it will be here Monday.

It seems the mounts on this car are part of the control arm unit and come with it. I guess I'll find out when the part gets here.

Hopefully this is the extent of my damage. It has been painful and expensive enough already.

 

[charge]

I have a leaf and versa. I just replaced the right lower control arm on the versa. Wasn't too bad. You should get an aligent done after the replacement. Good luck

 

[kevinleaf]

Pic of the damaged control arm:

The bushing popped out / broke out of the arm itself. The car made some horrible grinding and clunking noises when I drove it which alerted me to the fact this part was broken.

 

[voganni]

Hopefully you did not distort the mounting area for the arm. Some newer cars do not have a castor adjustment, which is what will get off by deflecting a control arm rearwards. I hit a curb in a Miata once and it bent the control arm slightly (could not see it). But the alignment shop said they couldn't align it until the control arm was replaced. It pulled to that side until I put a new one in.

 

[kevinleaf]

I got the old control arm off. It was pretty easy but those bolts are torqued down like crazy. If anyone has access to the right torque figures please let me know. Feels like 180 and 200 lbs but of course that is a WAG.

The rearmost bushing just came out of the control arm. I'm wondering if it can be just pressed back in or if the control arm or bushing are actually damaged. I'll ask Nissan when I am there tomorrow picking up the new part but I pretty much know what they will say: pay us for a new part.

EDIT: after looking at the pictures a bend in the control arm is pretty visible. I'll compare it with a new one to make sure its not supposed to be there but it does look a bit bent. Just a few millimeters but that is all it takes to mess up your ride.

 

[cwerdna]

I have been ordering my parts from http://www.nissanpartsdiscounts.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; it's a dealer out of Utah. Have had fast service from them in ordering body parts and the such.

I have no experience w/them but I'd always known of parts from Courtesy Nissan. Seems like http://www.courtesyparts.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; is the proper URL for their parts dept.

 

[GoneSilent]

book says front 114 ft-lb and rear 105 ft-lb and to "Always replace after every disassembly" the bolts and nuts.

 

[charge]

When I got the control arm for the versa it came with the bushings installed. I would be surprised if yours did not

 

[kevinleaf]

Thanks for the info! Glad I didn't go with my guess-torque.

I'll consider the replacement of that hardware. On a 6 month old car in a very dry climate there is no corrosion on them at all. I understand there is something with the stretching of the metal when torqued though.

 

[TomT]

Yep, if you don't use new parts, the torque will not be right.

I understand there is something with the stretching of the metal when torqued though.

 

[kevinleaf]

I got the new control arm installed today. It was not at all easy getting it lined up and in place. With the car on jackstands you have to raise the wheel assembly to get it where the control arm is flat and try to do all 3 holes at the same time. I did the two inners first and tried to get the outer to line up by jacking the wheel assembly up and down and wiggling it into place but no good. Also putting my jack on a smooth surface so it would roll while jacking up the wheel assembly helped. Putting a screwdriver in the slots of the disc brakes helped manipulate the knuckle hole into place.

Now i definitely need an alignment but the car is rolling again! The steering wheel is turned 4 degrees or so to one side and when I run over grooved pavement it pulls bad.

 

[kevinleaf]

My woes get deeper. I took it for an alignment and they told me the tie rod is bent. Nissan only sells the two tie rods and steering rack as a single unit for some reason. Total installed would be $1,100 installed. Ouch.

Anyone have a source for the tie rods separate from the rack? Seems silly to replace the whole rack for one tie rod.

 

[GoneSilent]

Motor has to come out to replace it says the book. Ive looked over the one here and to me it looks like it can come out.... with out the motor being pulled. I can offer you a place to do it over in oakland for a case of beer =) The silver 2013 I have here is also bent. Another option is to heat and re-bend it but safety aspect. I'll buy your old rack if we can work a deal.


Update: My bad, book says to support motor and remove all mounts. To me it looks like it can come out with just the rear mount removed but not sure access to bolts.

 

[kubel]

My woes get deeper. I took it for an alignment and they told me the tie rod is bent. Nissan only sells the two tie rods and steering rack as a single unit for some reason. Total installed would be $1,100 installed. Ouch.

Anyone have a source for the tie rods separate from the rack? Seems silly to replace the whole rack for one tie rod.

Ebay and amazon have outer tie rods for the LEAF, cost about $50, though I doubt that's it. It's probably an inner tie rod. I would suggest checking junk yards. At least one person here suggested he applied heat and bent it back to shape, though that might not be a good idea.

Worst case scenario, file an insurance claim.

 

[kevinleaf]

It is inner tie rods they say are bent. Seems the inner tie rods are part of the gear assembly:
http://nissanpartznow.com/parts/2013/Nissan/Leaf/SL?siteid=216552&vehicleid=393384&diagram=3722270" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
(part 1 in this diagram)

Its under $400 here.

 

[UBUYGAS]

Are you going to make an insurance claim?, What is your deductible?

I'm pretty handy but I think I would have brought it to Nissan and let them do the repair and make a claim with geico.

My Deductible is $500