[scoobyd0]

I recently bumped into a curb at about 10 miles an hour wih the driver side wheel and broke my sway bar end link and to my surprise bent my lower control arm, i replaced everything and got a used control arm from a 03 forester, and got the bent one out after fighting with that damn ball joint, now i have the new one on the ball joint and it will not reach the two mounts by almost 2 inches, i can not understand why, same part and i don't think anything else bent, I'm just confused. i tried jacking the strut up but still can't get it. any help would be great I'm about to start kicking sh&$

the foz is a 04 xt

 

[Inactive_131113]

Every car is difficult.

The trick is to get the control arm as level with the ground as possible, this means moving the knuckle out of the way and sliding the arm in as best possible.

I usually get the rear ear in first, hold it in place with a long punch, then slide or hammer in the front ear while keeping it level. The ball joint is last.

 

[Trail Traveller]

If you pulled outward on the steering knuckle you may have over extended the c/v or inner tripod joint (most likely inner tripod joint) with care you may be able to get it to slide back in. good luck

 

[scoobyd0]

update, so today i disconnected the strut that is from a 05 wrx, i have gotten all 3 points connected on the lower control arm but now i can not get the strut bolts to line back up. it seems like the axel is holding the knuckle down and not letting it come back up to normal position as in vertical, i was looking into what everyone said and can't find much on "slipping it back into place" i have no idea how to even tell if it is over extended let alone get it back in. it is about 1 inch from the lower hole on the strut and 2 inchs from the top hole. i just really don't want to break my top hat bolts off the strut bending it around.

 

[scoobyd0]

so i got the axle back in after two days of turning and pushing on it for hours and got everything bolted up but now i went to put the pinch bolt back in and the threads are all messed up in there, is it possible to get a tight fitting bolt and throw a nut and lock washer on it and twist that thing tight and call it done? i can't find much on the subject of replacing it but just getting it out, but mine is already out.