Installing JDM LCAs - Cracked Aluminum?

[willisdaye]

Since my ball joints and inner LCA bushings are going, I thought I would put in some aluminum LCAs while I'm at it. I found a set of used JDM LCAs for a good price and was cleaning them up today before I press in new bushings and slap em on. I noticed a defect of sorts near the rear bushing. What do people think of this crack? Should I try to get a new one or does this just look like a surface level defect like scaling/porosity from the casting process? I will say that it looks a bit worse in the pictures than it does in person. I suppose I could weld over it if it comes to that. It'd be a shame if I need to dump it, it took a while to get them that shiny

Edited March 10, 2023 by willisdaye

[KZJonny]

Looks like casting rubbish to me.

I would think that unless it goes a while lot deeper than it looks, it’s harmless. That appears (from the photos only, so take it for what that’s worth?) to be surface damage only.

Like a 1/10th of a mm of pitting? I would try to get a pick into that, and if you can’t, and arms don’t have any other evidence of porosity, then run ‘em.

[willisdaye]

Yeah I couldn't get anything from poking at it. Unless someone has a horror story about a defect like this I'm gonna install them. On another note, what is this bracket for? Doesn't exist on my NA LCAs and I couldn't find info on it. There's a little plastic bit on it that looks sorta like a sway bar link. It's broken in half. This is only on the driver side LCA.

[m sprank]

Very tough to say fro the pix.  I realize they are magnified.  If you cant catch the imperfection with a dental pic it might just be dirty casting. 

Is that bracket for the auto headlight leveling from JDM cars?

[silverton]

4 hours ago, m sprank said:

Is that bracket for the auto headlight leveling from JDM cars?

That's always been my assumption, JDM cars might be extra cool and have two.  the US does have the most relaxed headlight laws of any nation AFAIK.