Could a speed bump bend a stock F-150 lower control arm? I accidentally hit one at probably 10-12 MPH, it doesn’t seem fast but it felt “hard” from the cab. Basically I was pulling out of a parking lot in a shopping center with very poor lighting and it was dark. I didn’t leave the same way I came in to the center so I didn’t see the speed bump when I left, also the truck sits up much higher than the Ranger I was driving prior to my F-150 so there was no way to see the speed bump from my driver seat.
The reason I’m worried is because when I got home I looked under the truck just to be sure at the locations where the control arm mounts to the frame. On my left side the paint near the area where the bolt goes through the lower control arm and the frame had fresh paint peeling/ cracking as if the area flexed when I hit the speed bump. The weird thing the peeling-cracked paint is just on the driver side lower control arm and on both the front and rear bolt. The only weird thing is the bare metal left behind is pretty rusty as if it was like this for a while. I’ve only got 1300 miles on my truck and never hit anything prior, plus the truck had 4 miles on it when I got it so I basically know how it’s been driven since day one.
Should I be worried or am I making a mountain out of a mole hill, I will be honest I have hit ruts off-road in older trucks twice as hard and at greater speed with no damage or alignment issues. My F-150 still goes straight as an arrow and there isn’t anything out of the ordinary, I’m just freaking out because I can see what looks like a stressed area on the control arm. I used to work in Auto Body, and when doing appraisals this is often what gives a clue that a control arm is bent. As an example I used to own an ’08 Chevy 2500 HD gasser, had an older lady who could barely see over the steering wheel pull out in front of me on a rainy day while I was going 45-50 ish. Since she darted out in front of me I hit the brakes and slid into the center divide at probably 50 mph. because the truck was so big the only damage was a scuffed tire and the alignment knocked out but it had the same cracked/ peeling paint where the lower control arm mounted to the frame on the side that hit the curb just like my F-150. It’s as if the metal actually flexed or stretched for a moment.
Not to keep rambling but I seriously was not going very fast at all, I would think this truck could take more of a beating that this little incident I’m worried about might of done.

 

$40 will usually buy an alignment check, and in your case, possibly some peace of mind.

I've hit potholes with much older vehicles and taken them in to get them checked before, so i wouldn't feel bad one bit about taking in a new one.

 

I highly doubt you did any damage to your truck at 15mph over a speed bump.

 

I second the no damage from a speed bump unless u bottemed it out which I dought u did! Trade it for a raptor as I hear they eat speed bumps up and spit them out!