20 replies to this topic

[andylep]

Was just driving home from work coming round this mini roundabout going slow and lost it on a strip of ice.
Basically i hit a curb was pretty bad impact quite hard for slow speed but looked for damage saw nothing.
as i drove of i realised a pulling and that the steering wheel wasnt in-line with the wheels i got out and thw two front wheels arent facing the same way i fear ive bent arms on the car as the diffence is to big to just be tracking.
so question is what am i looking at parts wise top/bottom arms, track rod end, track rod ? maybe steering coloumn ?
just wondering before i can get out and have a look

i managed to get it home but im proper gutted pride and joy and how to tell the oldman about it

[ANON]

track rod or tie bar, may not be noticeable so try a straight edge an them and see what shows up.

my money is on the track rod.

[R1minimagic]

There are lots of things it could be, what angle did the wheel hit the kerb at?

[andylep]

I tried too correct it so i think it hit pretty square front of the tire like on tread on looking at it today the subframe looks to have moved one wheel forward one wheel back
i saw on here a thread on theis mentioning the floor being raised , mine is to :/ looks like ive raised the mounts on impact

got to get it jacked up and wheel off tomorrow to have a proper look

Edited by andylep, 01 December 2012 - 05:43 PM.

[andylep]

Had look tie rods and track rods are fine
i have noticed that the track rod end that had the impact has 11 threads showing and on the non impact side there is 5 would the impact have sone so knocking the tracking out massively ?
steering rack had play in it anyway so thats being replaced as soon as i get one and me and the oldman get our heads round doing it

[conlad]

Are your floors OK?

[andylep]

passenger side raised where the wheel pushed back but sub mounts are in same place

[tiger99]

Your problem with the track rod threads is most likely because the rack was not properly centred using the pin when adjusting the tracking. 11 threads showing sounds dangerous to me, there should never be that many. Please, for safety's sake, ensure that the proper procedure in the Haynes manual is followed EXACTLY next time.

As for the damage, it is impossible to be sure without seeing the car and actually measuring things carefully. All anyone can give on the forum is their best guess, based on experience of their own cars, and maybe seeing others damaged too. If you could provide some good pictures it might help. But if one wheel is forward and the other back, it seems likely that the subframe is bent, possibly around the front tie rod mount, however you do need to very carefully check the entire lower bulkhead area, the crossmember, and even the front teardrop mount area for any signs of damage. It is possible that the toeboard mounts have sheared, i.e. rubber debonded from metal, which is hard to see but very common. (Only if you have rubber mounts, of course).

[andylep]

Thanks for that mate as for the 11 threads i thought that was too many i fear when i got it tracked he didnt do it properly i have already got the haynes out as i havent tackled a steering rack before first time ive looked at one properly lucky the father is a car man he will be able to help sort it

[andylep]

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This was the side hit tie-rod was checked with straight edge along with lower arm and track rod
Subframe mount also attached still and not pushed the floor up

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floor pushed up at the wheel arch but mounts still in same place

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on the other side same deal no bent bits bar the tie rod slight bend in it, both will be changed tomorrow.

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Subby mount still as it should be

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Edited by andylep, 02 December 2012 - 06:06 PM.

[tiger99]

I can't be certain, but it seems to me that the subframe may be distorted around the lower arm mount in the third picture. I can't see anything else of significance, and the tie rod is only very slightly bent. If you compare the subframe closely, side to side, you may be able to tell if there is a difference.

The other thing which may sometimes bend is the steering arms, and it is not easy to tell from the pictures. A rough and ready check might be to see that each track rod end was the same distance from the back of the brake disc.

[HARBER07]

Looks like the N/S steering arm is knackered to me buddy.

[andylep]

thanks for the advice , i will be changing the steering rack as it had play in and the tie rods just incase and hopefully it will be cured.

Got the haynes out got some procedure/plan to get the subby dropped and the rack out.
Will the track rod ends need to go on at a similar thread count 5 & 10 or shall i put them both in between then take it to be tracked ?

[jd24-7]

I would put my money on the steering arm. I bent one once while ramming snow drifts. I eventually hit a hard frozen one, tore the wing off, bent the steering arm, then spun of into a hedge. It was a real bugger to drive home on snow and ice after that! I used an acetalene torch to fix mine, as it was a hard to find Austin 1100 setup, but prob better to fit a New one.
Jd

[R1minimagic]

I have had quite a few cars in with similar damage, they all had bent steering arms, looks like yours is bent too, the nut should be pointing directly upwards but yours looks twisted..