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Thread: Spun, Hit a Curb, Damage?

  1. #1
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    Default Spun, Hit a Curb, Damage?

    So about 8 months ago, I was on the highway and someone had cut me off on the first day of snow of the year. As an inexperienced winter driver, I braked hard and turned the steering wheel to avoid a collision. At the time, I was probably going around 90km/h, and the car spun out. Luckily, I didn't hit a car -- but as I was spinning a good 720 degrees or so, I heard a large banging sound from the back before coming to a stop.

    When I got the car to a stop, I parked it a good distance away from traffic and looked at the back of the car -- thinking there'd be significant bumper damage from the loud sound. But instead, the car had no visible damage and the tires/rims were fine.

    But as I was driving from that point onwards, I noticed my wheels were off balance -- if I had my steering wheel straight, the car would slant to the right. I had the wheels adjusted to correct the steering problem. Clearly, the wheels had hit the curb hard at some angle and misaligned the wheels.

    I had the misalignment problem fixed, and even though the steering is much better, I've noticed my car still felt very unstable during winter driving. It would slip and skid quickly. Now that it is summer time, when I drive faster than 80km/h, I would notice my steering wheel vibrate.

    Would anyone here have a guess as to what may possibly be wrong and how much it may potentially cost to correct it?

    Since I have been driving since that time (8 months or so), and a mechanic at the dealer did realign my wheels immediately following the accident (if there was a bigger problem than that, he would have noticed it right then and there), I don't believe there's a huge structural risk in keeping it this way. However, it could get worse and I would like to fix it when I can.

    Thanks a lot guys!

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    rebalence you wheels, you probally knocked off a weight.
    or bent rim

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    Originally posted by ibcnya
    rebalence you wheels, you probally knocked off a weight.
    or bent rim
    I actually did rebalance my wheels.
    I don't think it's a bent rim since the mechanic doing the rebalancing would have probably noticed that after the explanation I provided.

    I have a feeling one of the rear wheels has a tracking problem. Which could explain the unstable control and skidding during the winter.

    Also, If I hit a bump during dry weather, I have instances where my car quickly shifts to one direction out of no where -- more instability.

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    Originally posted by dibble


    Also, If I hit a bump during dry weather, I have instances where my car quickly shifts to one direction out of no where -- more instability.
    All cars do that on calgary roads if you have a smaller profile then what the manufacture recomends.

    you could have bent a sway bar, but i dont know how you dont have a bent wheel.


    Bump steer/Roll steer
    clicky here

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    Yeah, I don't see how you can damage to other parts of the car without significant damage to the wheel/rim if that was the impact point.

    Perhaps a leaking strut? That may explain some of the handling issues, although probably not the vibration.

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    Originally posted by Doozer
    Yeah, I don't see how you can damage to other parts of the car without significant damage to the wheel/rim if that was the impact point.

    Perhaps a leaking strut? That may explain some of the handling issues, although probably not the vibration.
    Yes, it's a little weird to me as well.
    The tires/rims suffered no visible damage. The only explanation I can think of is that, the curb hit was absorbed significantly by the tire that impacted it and did no harm to the rims. In doing so, it could have jolted the car up (or sideways) and damage other parts of the car. Possibly a weird scenario where parts within the car could be impacted without any real signs of it from the exterior view?

    The handling issue definitely comes from the back tires -- they skid during the winter like a sled.

    The vibration of the steering wheel probably comes from the misalignment of my front wheels (and the back wheels).

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    was it a two wheel or four wheel alignment? Just curious. At least you would know if the camber or toe is out on the rears. If one wheel is out, you probably would feel a slight vibration due to the wheel trying to track the same way as the rest.

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    Well, yesterday i was driving on the highway and noticed that, the driver side mirror vibrated significantly more than the passenger side mirror. I don't know if that has to do with anything though.

    Either way, I believe one wheel is out and it could be the rear left one. I'll have to get to a mechanic to get it diagnosed though.

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    Well, I guess my main question is...
    What would be the best case scenario and the worst case scenario in terms of repair? -- i.e. what could possibly require replacing, if any.

    Thanks a bunch guys

    Here's a breakdown of the symptoms:
    1) Driving straight on winter highways feel unstable -- the car feels as if it's always sliding (possibly rear wheel tracking problem?) -- This symptom is only seen during the winter.
    2) The steering wheel vibrates slightly and increasingly (although I don't notice it a lot anymore) at higher speeds
    3) Turning tight corners to the right causes squeaking while there is little or no squeaking while turning left -- I noticed this as I park underground for work
    4) The steering wheel is starting to slowly become less centered to drive straight -- I would have to rotate slightly to the left to drive straight (i.e. if the steering wheel is centred, the car starts to drift to the right)

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    Update:
    - As I drive above the 60km/hr mark, there is an odd sound in the cabin where it sounds like one of the tires is rotating off rhythm almost. I can't quite explain it. But, as the speed rises greater, the noise becomes greater as well.

    If the music is on, it is hard to hear. However, if I mute it, the noise is very easy to spot.

    - If I don't press down on the Accelerator and let the car just naturally go at it's speed, the noise just keeps going.
    - As I slow down, slowly breaking, the noise starts to die down.

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    wheel bearing

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    Originally posted by ibcnya
    wheel bearing
    Are you sure?

    I have a feeling it's something more.

    After hitting a curb, spinning on the highway at anywhere from 50-90km/h, and with that kind of impact...

    Although granted, there is no noticeable damage to the tires or wheels -- which is odd according to everyone.

    Perhaps I am pessimistic about the whole situation and expecting the worst?

    The most optimistic scenario is the wheel bearings are messed and my alignment is off?

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    Well, the longer you keep driving like that, the worse it's going to get from unatural wear and tear on major components. The louder squealing turning right is you turn sharper to the right in an underground garage than you do left. If you go and do the 4 wheel alignment, they will tell you what is needed to be done better than us, no matter how much info you give. rear alignment generally takes a shim or two on either side to get the toe right. Front has alot more adjustability because you can adjust tie rod arms and shim to make it better. You might have a bent chamber arm, which will break, or bent tie rod, which will break if you keep driving it. I know T.O.'s roads, and they are no better than London's are
    Guessing if it was a wheel bearing, it would have burnt up long ago, considering you did this the last snowfall (feb?).
    Take a look at your tire wear, and see if there is anything different on one tire compared to the others, like no tread on the inside of left rear. You'll notice it right away for the time you have gone with the problem and the amount of highway km's.
    I know of a couple of speedshops up there that can give a good reliable quote, but if you take it to speedy or some other major shop and they find major problems, they have the right to refuse giving it back because it is not safe, and they want all your money.

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    I once spun wide at a turn doing about 100 or so. I actually smacked my rear driver side wheel on the divider curb, then jumped my car right over it... That wheel was the direct point of impact so my hub and lower control arm was just destroyed.

    So I ended up switching those two parts out, got a new wheel, and then aligned and centered. As you can imagine, that was quite a hefty bill. I'm guessing this would be the absolute worst case scenario.
    Last edited by cdnsir; 08-04-2008 at 10:39 AM.

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    Well, at this point, I am almost certain that it is either
    1) A Wheel Balancing Problem
    2) Bent Rim -- Not perceivable from the outside
    3) Wheel Assembly Problem

    If my wheel hub was messed, I wouldn't have been able to drive this much -- let alone drive at all.

    They all have a general consensus that it's probably a minor problem causing the noise problem, together with improper alignment -- which explains the handling issue.

    I'll take it to a shop tomorrow for balancing and general visual diagnostics on the suspension and wheel assembly.

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    Note:

    - I had a 4-wheel alignment done at the dealer right after the spinout; I originally thought it was a 2-wheel alignment but I was wrong

    If this is the case, what problems can we rule out?

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    The symptoms sure sound like a out of alignment rear end. Toe in or out. Although if the rear wheels were aligned that should have fixed it. I once bent the rear axle on a Pontiac 6000. Drove fine in dry roads but downright scary in the snow, it slid all over the place. Is it possible that a mounting bolt for rear suspension is broken?

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    Alright I'm no mechanic but there are WAY to many possibilties to diagnose something like this threough a forum.

    Your problem could be any one or a combination of the following:
    Wheel bearing, bent axle, f'd up bearings in the cv joint, separated tire, axle bearing, water in your tire, mud in the inside of the rims, directional rotation tires installed backwards, cheap tires that make noise when they wear, wheel alignment, or some other thing I haven't thought of.

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    The "moving" around problem sounds like a bad w/a to me. A car with too much toe, in or out, will make a car drive like that.

    I would get a new alignment, rebalance all wheels. and get the mech to check the wheel bearings. Some times the bearings take awhile to start making noise.

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    99% sure its a wheel bearing (most probable) or bent control arm

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