Suspension and Alignment Problem HELP!

[Enigma]

I was jsut hoping that anyone would be able to help me out in regards to my suspension and alignment problem. About a week ago driving in the wet my car lost it taking a corner and slid into the gutter. Thus, smashing the front left hand wheel out of alignment. From then on the steering wheel need to be at a 90 degree angle for the car to travel straight. So we realigned the steering to the best by repositioning the steering wheel. However driving around as though it was on ICe, so from there i went to BRidgestone for a wheel alignment, however i was told they could not help me because there seemed to be some sort of physical problem. After my visit the car drove heaps better and they recommmended me to a panel beater in sandgate, saying that i needed the body straighted but this was not so as the dimensions of the body were perfect($80 bucks down). So now im stuck with the problem!! Wat the hell is wrong with my wheel, does anyone know wat may have bent. The wheel is at an angle as so ' / ' . Is it the nuckle, control arm, bent shocky.... Anyone please

[Paul1985]

can you see anything bent underneath the car?
You should take a pic of underneath and people may be able to pinpoint the problem.

[TKO]

I also smashed my EG civic in the Maryville's mountain.

I hit the mountain drain on my left front. The left front wheel was miss align. steeling wheel have to turn right at ~30degree to make the car go straight.

I got it fix by changing the left Lower Control Arm, left and right Strut. All up alround $900.

[Zdster]

Like TKO said, check that the control arm is not bent out of shape.

[ECU-MAN]

I have found the the K frame or cross memeber ( what ever its called ) where the lower arms bolts to tends to BEND. most the time you cant see the damage, but usually you see a ding where its has changed shape. the lower arm is stronger than the cross member so the cross member gives in 1st.

you could have also bent the stearing arm that is between the rack and the tie rod end, ( that would be your cheepest repair )

all depends on angle and speed as to what was damaged. get it checked, you want to get the car with in wheel alighnement specs or it will forever chew tyres.

aslo did you kill the rim ???

[Enigma]

ill take a picture of it very soon... It didnt kill the rim it gave it a nasty scatch. See in reference to the control arm i was told that yeah its made of iron and iron seems to crack more then bend so its most likely to be the cross member . The problem i am having is no one can pin point wat is exactly wrong, do u recon a honda dealer might know, considering they deal with the car all the time?

[iamhappy46]

Ball joints could be damaged?
Upper and/or lower control arms bent?
Sounds like the steering rack could have moved on its mounts too or as ECU-MAN said, the rack arm is bent?

Take your wheel off and look for any signs of stress/cracks in the control arms and steering rack.

The control arms are made of alloy, to be light and responsive!

[Enigma]

See the problem is that everyone says something different, i went to pedders suspension today and the guy there told me that my STUB ASSEMBLY was bent???? What the hell is he talking about "Upper Arm Assembly"? does anyone know. ill talk pictures of the car tonite!11

[ECU-MAN]

The control arms are made of alloy, to be light and responsive!

you talking about the lower control arms ??

every LCA Iv seen other than NSX is steal

[iamhappy46]

Yeah, I honestly thought they were alloy... Maybe I should have paid closer attention!

Just seemed really light when I was fitting the new bushes a few weeks ago.

[Sydsyd]

i got the same problem too, which came from an idiot who drove like mad and hit my front left wheel. result was i had to steer around 30 degrees when going straight too, and i can feel the wheel out of alignment like crazy. it's being fixed now (thru insurance), and i checked with the guy who fixed the car, he said the driveshaft was bent badly, so he had to replace it, and also the suspension joint was cracked too.

from that, i'd say ur driveshaft is ****ed, cos i had bent driveshaft on both sides, and it's not pretty at all. anyway, that's my 50 cents.

[Weq]

its probably ur hub assembly. i dont know the proper term of the peice of metal. thats what happened when a few mates guttered there cars. Very common problem on hondas.



bennjamind edit Dont hijack again dude :)

[Enigma]

Just want to update and thank everyone for the advice on my steering problem. It turns out that all i need was to simply change the knuckle, new front wheels with a wheel balance and wheel alignment. Special thanks to Bridgestone Sandgate for there great service and our fellow barefootbonzai whom help us with the supply of the part.(recommended him any day). Cheers everyone.

[iamhappy46]

By knuckle, I assume you mean the ball joint/s were stuffed??

[Weq]

knuckles bend and ball joints ****up. like i said in the previous post, its common for civics with gutter damage.

[n/a]

...i went to BRidgestone for a wheel alignment, however i was told they could not help me because there seemed to be some sort of physical problem...

it is physically impossible to get a wheel alignment if you're knuckles is wrecked, what did Bridgestone do for ya?