Steering Knuckle Damage?
 

While in the process of removing my front left wheel hub assembly from the car, there was quite a bit of 'aggressive coaxing' I did to try and break the wheel hub loose. I never directly hit the hub with a steel hammer, but I'd place a block against it and smash on that, or try to force it off by placing a crowbar between the hub and the knuckle for leverage and beating on the crowbar. Anyway, when I finally got the hub out, I looked at the knuckle and saw what looked like maybe small cracks? Just on the surface? Should I be worried that I damaged the steering knuckle itself or is it a lot stronger than that? Here is what I'm talking about:
http://www.the370z.com/members/edcon...-knuckle-1.jpg
http://www.the370z.com/members/edcon...-knuckle-2.jpg
http://www.the370z.com/members/edcon...-knuckle-4.jpg
http://www.the370z.com/members/edcon...-knuckle-3.jpg

On the other side, I had purchased the slide hammer at this point, so it came right out without any of that smashing around. And I don't see any of the marks on that one...
http://www.the370z.com/members/edcon...ng-knuckle.jpg

Really hoping there isn't another part to buy... :shakes head:

I don't see how you could have caused that many cracks, even if you beat on it. Was it outside in Edmonton? Or in a garage? Once stress cracks appear, they will continue to grow until catastrophic failure of the part.

In a garage. And the force on it really wasn't that much, no hitting the knuckle itself at all. Seems weird they would be stress cracks.
Edit: Is this part coated with something that could have cracked, on the surface?

That part is bare aluminum.

You need to clean that part extremely well and then re-evaluate, post photos here if you'd like more opinions.

Based on what I see there, that part is garbage, I'd never put it back on my own car.

Time to splurge on a pair of these...

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3691/1...28ece8c2_b.jpg
IMG_9492 by J M Gale, on Flickr

Voodoo 13 makes them.

Haha probably outta the budget! Looks sick though, they list it as coming soon

They are supposed to be "affordable". They didn't say to who though...

Ha, exactly. I'm gonna clean it up and hopefully it'll just end up being on the surface. Fingers crossed!

Clean it up really well. Then take it to someone who does NDT testing. Dye Penetrant. If you was closer. I could do it. Those look like surface cracks from casting it. Not uncommon. I don't see the cracks going into the machined area. If the crack was going into the machined area. Then I would think you got a problem.

That is normal aluminum casting marks. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that part. I see that every day with various other aluminum parts that are casted.

Dye penetrate will tell you for sure ...

Just looks like casting marks, alloy is moulded in sand casts. Just rub it with sand paper and it will disappear if so.

zip ties.. all i saw were zip ties... :ugh:

Lol as opposed to a coat hanger? Seemed like the best way to hang the caliper temporarily

:icon17: nono, i was referring to mr.gale's image with the dorifuto front bumper fix :icon17:

sorry to see wat it appears to be stress fractures. :(