Rear suspension problem on 92 park avenue, urgent help needed.

[Solomon Cloud]

I recently have had a very bad experiance with my car the other night, while backing out of my driveway the right rear tire snapped itself into the wheel well.

What happened is that the main piece of metal that holds the coil spring onto the frame broke off at the junction or whatever below the drum brake it self. The main problem is I really have no idea about rear suspension sytems or otherwise and am wondering what is holding that thing in place, and how much would it cost.

I'm assuming its a bushing similir to the front end but I seriosuly have no idea what it is.

here are some pictures of the break

http://www.blindmetal.com/automotive...heelinwell.jpg
http://www.blindmetal.com/automotive...uspension1.jpg
http://www.blindmetal.com/automotive...uspension2.jpg

[DioGreer]

wow, thats a crazy problem. Its hard to tell from those pictures exactly what has broken. If I was going to fix it, i'd jack up the suspension from the small gap you have, remove the tire, inspect the connection between the control arm (i think thats what its called, not looking at manual at the moment) and the brake drum assembly. if its broken metal on the control arm, that would need replacing and would require putting spring compressors or a good chain around the compressed spring, re-lowering of the control arm, then replacement of the control arm. if its just a bushing or a bolt that broke, once the pressure is off the connection, find a new bolt and put it in.

[HotZ28]

It looks like the "ball joint" came apart. It is a good thing you were not going down the highway @ 70 mph! I have seen major damage to the rear quarter panel when these break on the highway at higher speeds!
Consider yourself lucky!

[Solomon Cloud]

thanks for the help I'll be fixing this car in a few hours and finnally be back on the road.

But I have to say something about the 70mph thing, a few hours before the joint snapped my tire into the car I was driving with my fiancee and going about 65mph on the freeway I heard a very loud snap and the car started weaving around for a few seconds before I got it back under control.

Also during the rest of the drive the car would jump around like a horse on crack or something from the rear end (which was weird since the rearend is usually smooth).

Is it possible that the ball joint snapped off on the freeway but finnally gaveway backing down the large incline of my driveway? if so I would consider that to be one of the luckiest things in the world.

Either way I will most likely fix this thing soon, but I was wondering if I needed a spring compressor for that coil spring when bolting that joint on or would jacking up the control arm be suffiecent?

[HotZ28]

Yes, it sounds like the ball joint may have started to come apart when the first signs appeared. You were extremely lucky to make it home before it fell out.

Click here for some detailed instructions on how to replace the joint. Notice that you will need a special tool to R&R the rear ball joints. You can rent the tool at AutoZone.