Honda Odyssey and Pilot Forum

General Category => Pilot FL400R => Topic started by: Bucked on December 07, 2004, 02:17:24 PM

Title: Repairing a-arm tabs - What / how to do?
Post by: Bucked on December 07, 2004, 02:17:24 PM
As many of you know, we cracked up my son's Pilot at DP this weekend. The good news is he wasn't hurt, just a little sore the next day with a bruised knee. He got off course and hit a sharp boulder that sent him into a slight slide and then he clipped a pine tree between the front left wheel and the bumper. Upon hitting the tree, the front left wheel was pushed back about a foot and the a-arms, wheel, shock, plastic and tie rod were destroyed. The damage looks worse than it actually is in terms of repair cost. To fix it I'll need a new rim, a-arms, tie rod, plastic and  have the front 2 a-arm pivot mount tabs repaired.
 My question is, what advice do you guys have on repairing the mounting tabs? The front upper and lower tabs had the pivot bolts ripped out to the side. The damage is where the pivot bolt was jerked out to the left of the Pilot and the metal opened up around the hole and now looks like the letter "C".
 There doesn't appear to be any damage from the pivot bolt hole back to the frame. The back upper and lower tabs look OK. My friend that will TIG the stuff back together says he can "tap" the metal around the open holes back into place and build up the metal at the broken points. I suggested doing that and then welding reinforcing washers over the fixed holes. He thinks it will be OK with just the build up of the metal.
 Any suggestions and/or comments will be greatly appreciated!
Title: Repairing a-arm tabs - What / how to do?
Post by: Moskito on December 07, 2004, 08:49:00 PM
There are a couple ways to go after it.

First, the "quick and dirty" fix.

Use large outer diameter washers - weld them so the hole lines up with where the hole in the tab used to be.  If you get large enough washers, you can probably tack them in place and then bend them around the upper section.  Sort of a cap, if you will

Second way is to order new tabs from AA Mfg - http://www.aa-mfg.com/  Either cut the old pieces off and replace with new tabs or just treat them the same way as the washers - as a cap.   Should be pretty straight forward.

You can also just make entirely new mounts. - once again all that stuff will be in the AA catalog.
Title: Repairing a-arm tabs - What / how to do?
Post by: Vrroom on December 09, 2004, 01:39:09 PM
Now THAT is a really cool web site - very cool - thanks Moskito!

Buck,
Reinforcing washers...I was thinking the exact same thing when I was looking at it at DP. However, the site that Moskito suggested has changed my mind. I'd cut them off and weld on new ones.

Vrroom
Title: Repairing a-arm tabs - What / how to do?
Post by: Bucked on December 09, 2004, 07:38:10 PM
Well, when I get back into town I'll take it down and get a better idea of the actual damage. If replacing the mounts is needed it should be easy to do. I'll be out of town until next week so I guess it'll have to wait a little longer.
Title: Pilot tabs
Post by: Odyknuck on December 23, 2004, 02:04:10 PM
Buck, I have a set of tabs that where purchased to repair the Imfamous "Basket Case Diaster" that I have no use for. If you want them let me know. They were designed for the Pilot.
Steve
Title: Repairing a-arm tabs - What / how to do?
Post by: Bucked on December 23, 2004, 11:48:55 PM
Thanks Steve! I hope to have it all back together this weekend and won't know for sure wether what I'm trying will work until I'm done. The plan is to get grade 8 washers TIG welded to the existing tabs where the bolts ripped out. I only had 3 holes ripped out and I think it'll be OK after the washers are welded in as reinforcements. If the repair doesn't look like it will be perfect, I'll want to get a new set of mounts. If so, I'll get back with you on buying them.