This is off of Rich Bontempi's car. I had the car to inspect the rear control arms and their mounting points for damage and to fix a crack in the left side inner pick-up point. I'd say this is damaged!

Clicky here for pics!

-Tony

Is that thing bent??!!

it sure looks like it!
i've seen some other parts that came off that car recently that were equally "abused" ...

Andy

Bent, cracked, and for some reason would not allow the alignment to be set to spec.
Actually the damage was hidden very well as it was consealed under a brake duct, so from a first look at it you would have never noticed.


-Tony

I take it he hit something pretty hard.
Geoff

No, He didn't hit anything, just 10+ years of winning puts a little abuse on the equipment.

-Tony

i frequently hear stories about Rich going off track on purpose to pass slower cars that won't let him pass

Yikes...!
Well, at least Rich won't have any trouble providing a replacement
Got any pics of the damaged inner pickup?

cheers,

Jeroen

Where is the stiffening kit sheet metal pieces?
He doesn't have the arms boxed?

Paul

I know there is a big controversy around whether it is good or bad to use the boxed-stiffening kit.

I'm not trying to stir up trouble and I know brad has said previously that the kit is not a good thing.

But it looks like this arm definitely flexed enough to pull apart. I wonder if the stiffening kit would have helped with that... or.... just hidden the tear?

what do you think Tony?

brant

Just like Brad, I prefer either no stiffening kit or a different version. If you "box" the control arms and have an "off" the new stronger control arm will damage the pick-up points and those are far more expensive to fix than a control arm. Rember this control arm has probably 10,000+ laps on it.

-Tony