Topic: 4Runner bent link bracket / metal fatigue opinions?

[Early]

So i hear squirels when im accelerating from a light sort of situation. Got on the ground (in the rain, damn) and under the runner. exhaust, good. d shaft, good. hrm, thats odd. The inner link tab of my lca on the frame is bent to the point where its in contact with my link.

So first thought was to grab an assortment of tools and bend it back to place. This thought was imediately  followed by a possible issue of metal fatigue. Im not to sure when i did this  but if i bent it back and it happened again the chance the my link bracket failing would be more right? It seems to be bent right near the bushing bolt hole.

So try and bend it back? weld on a second layer? or start thinking about redoing my suspension? Live with it?

First pic is driver side (bad)

Second pic is pass side (good)

[Early [OP]]

Evening bump 

[boggerunner]

there is supposed to be a factory skid plate on the bottom of them.
bend it back, or live with it, its a yota, it will survive

[NorCalToy]

Id pull the link bend the tab back strait and then put a small skidplate on it to reinforce it.

[pumkin toy]

Get a BFH    Bend it back and wheel it!

[Early [OP]]

To my knowledge the factory lca skid stopped when the headlights changed in, um, 93? Im just getting back into metal and wasn't sure how resilient it is.

Pound it out it is. I think i may just throw some more metal in there as well. cause burnin stuff is cool, especially when its metal.


Thanks Fellas
Early

[79coyotefrg]

bend it back, then weld on some extra meat

[axled89]

renforce it and skid plate it if possible.

[TacoRunner]

bend it back, then weld on some extra meat

yes, do this.


I've bent 1/4" plate the same way. If all else fails, just cut the small part touching off. It cant rub if it aint there.

[Early [OP]]

yes, do this.


I've bent 1/4" plate the same way. If all else fails, just cut the small part touching off. It cant rub if it aint there.

If I were to cut off the touching part the link bolt would have nowhere to hold onto on the inside. But I get your point and it's assuring that someone else has bent metal in this situation and just bent it back. A no brainer trail fix but permanent, may as well do it right ehh.

I'm going to play with it tomarrow if it's not pourin. I'll post
y progress

[THK Matt]

To my knowledge the factory lca skid stopped when the headlights changed in, um, 93? Im just getting back into metal and wasn't sure how resilient it is.

Thanks Fellas
Early

My fathers 95 4Runner has the skids.

[Travis H]

change out the coils for leaf springs?

[TacoRunner]

change out the coils for leaf springs?

um, ya, ok, so, no. Don't do that. But you should ditch all that factory crap and get good link kit. I know someone that makes them.

[Early [OP]]

I will definitly be staying linked. For now the bracket is bent into place. To busy for the holidays so some reinforcement will have to wait till next year.

And the plan is to do a bunch of link work at the start of next year. I know those guys to and I think I can rig up my own kit with what ever joint I want at the same price if not a few dollars less. So I'm planning on going this route. I know that poly and balfab make every bracket you could ever want to attach all sorts of things so I'll be looking at all of that stuff.

[Early [OP]]

O. And the squirll ended up being a ujoint in the rear that lost it's grease fitting.  I'm a DA