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View Full Version : smashed car, got it fixed, now the wheel is sunken in? Frame prob?

az_240
03-10-2008, 07:47 PM
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a229/livinglegendlll/001.jpg
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a229/livinglegendlll/005-1.jpg
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a229/livinglegendlll/004.jpg

A buddy of mine wrecked my car into a curb a while ago so I replaced the LCA, tie rod, tension rod, sway bar end link and put some 16s on
Just got my car back from the alignment shop and the guy says one wheel is sunken in looking...

It was not like that before.

He said it was most likely a prob with the frame.

what do you guys think?
scottleone
03-10-2008, 07:57 PM
bring it to a body shop and have them check out the frame
ALEXTHESUS*PECT
03-10-2008, 07:59 PM
i agree with this! ^^^^^^^^^^
Goldeneye9mm
03-10-2008, 08:00 PM
it looks like the camber could be way out... or in that is. did you get a print out of your alignment results? ether that or your strut could be bent. the possibility of frame damage is still there but check every possible cause before taking it to a frame shop cause thats gonna cost you an arm and a leg. good luck
Gumballf355
03-10-2008, 08:02 PM
hopfully it's not an S13 control arm...
KA-T_240
03-10-2008, 08:02 PM
^what he said.

If you can get ahold of another S14, take a bunch of messurments. Take the wheels off both and have them next to each other so you can quickly compair them for trying to see damage.
[email protected]
03-10-2008, 08:05 PM
It could also be that one fender is bowed out more than the other. That wouldn't be as bad as frame damage, but then again, you'd have to figure out what is causing the fender to bow out more.... could end up being the frame anyway.
2slow2go
03-10-2008, 08:21 PM
as long as it drives fine on freeway you should be good
Taj
03-10-2008, 08:27 PM
Do wat KAT 240 said
It would be a nice way to check for a problem but if u have money and actually want ur car to last take it to the shop
but seriously why would u give ur car to a friend who cant drive lol
projectRDM
03-10-2008, 08:30 PM
S13 LCA, has to be. It's a full 15mm shorter, so they just pulled the toe in to match it.
The wheel stop on the arm is different on the S13s than S14s, put it in the air and look, if they match you've got another problem, but I'll bet it's just the wrong control arm. A curb impact would not damage a frame rail unless you were traveling 70+ MPH.
RPSil13
03-10-2008, 08:35 PM
id say check the srtut, usually when you hit a curb or something, you end up messing up the strut, i kissed the guard rail with my supra and had wheel hop and squeaking the rest of the way home, i asked around and a bunch of people told me it had it was the hub bearing, but when i took off the wheel, my strut was bent and had no travel
RPSil13
03-10-2008, 08:36 PM
S13 LCA, has to be. It's a full 15mm shorter, so they just pulled the toe in to match it.
The wheel stop on the arm is different on the S13s than S14s, put it in the air and look, if they match you've got another problem, but I'll bet it's just the wrong control arm. A curb impact would not damage a frame rail unless you were traveling 70+ MPH.


actually i once spun out and smashed through a curb at 50 and it dislocated my frame from the car, ill post some pics if i find them,

edit:
something like this

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j135/immetallica138/FSred240017.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j135/immetallica138/FSred240015.jpg
Kuzumi
03-10-2008, 09:17 PM
ouch, that is like what happened to mine. except the fender stuck out more.
az_240
03-11-2008, 01:58 AM
The front bumper is flared out slightly on that one side.
yup thats kinda like what mine looked like:( But the frame looks fine besides a slight ding from where it was resting on the curb after impact.

He hit the curb doing about 20 with the wheels turned to the left I'm pretty sure. Pretty much gased then turned sharply to the left to try avoiding the curb while still gasing it....In the rain. Doesnt work that way. Went straight into the curb.

The only other thing that looks damaged is the x member which has a ding right where the LCA connects and some scrapes on the power brace and sway bar from the curb. They appear to be straight tho. Im gona use my FSM and try to take measurements this weekend to see if anything is out of spec.

I'll try taking a close look at the LCAs.... there is a possibility it is the wrong one.

Thanks for the replys
JeremyR
03-11-2008, 02:10 AM
i actually have had a similar accident in my s13. snapped my coilover/tension rod, bent my lca, slighty damaged my cross memeber.

i've since replaced the tension rods, lca's, and gotten a nismo power brace. im hoping the slight bend on the cross member will not affect anything. im jsut awaing on getting a new coilovers and then i'll be able to check the alignment and everything.
brunswick240
03-11-2008, 08:10 AM
Ehhh I think its the fender man, you can see in the pics that it doesn't line up like the drivers side. It looks almost is if it was bowed (like mentioned above) or almost has like a pulled look. Maybe see if one of you kouki buddies can let you slap their fender on real quick to see if thats the problem. Or just take a ruler to each of the LCAs and see if they're any different.
jackjack
03-11-2008, 02:25 PM
depends on how hard the impact was. you're just going to have to check everything again. when my sister crashed her car, she bent everything including the strut and spindle knuckle arm assembly. had to replace everything. sucked.
az_240
03-11-2008, 08:13 PM
just measured the lca... turns out the dude at nissan sold me an S13 arm! Its almost half an inch shorter.

thanks for the help guys... Glad I made this post before tearing shit apart.
murda-c
03-11-2008, 08:18 PM
make sure they take it back.

How much did it cost you btw? i paid 154 for mine.
hellaflush
03-11-2008, 08:43 PM
ive gotta measure mine this week

mine got taken out by a truck 2 owners ago... supposedly its been on a jig and fixed

however one of my wheels is flush (how it should be) - the other is 10-15mm outside of the guard (on the side the impact was)

since replaced the factory struts with coilovers so thats one elimination

one thing ive noticed is where castor rod brackets have been slotted as obviously they didnt line up with the lower rad support holes so one side is pushed forward and giving more caster too... im hoping frame isnt bent and its just bent castor rod brackets + s13 lca instead of s14... if its rail - im gonna cry... i dont wanna pull my engine out just yet to put it on a jig
handinpants
03-11-2008, 11:22 PM
I once let a friend drive a motor scooter and he did the same thing, hit a curb.... he musta been goin pretty fast to do that.... my scooter never worked after that, and neither did my friend's nose...
projectRDM
03-12-2008, 09:15 AM
just measured the lca... turns out the dude at nissan sold me an S13 arm! Its almost half an inch shorter.

thanks for the help guys... Glad I made this post before tearing shit apart.

POW! I figured as much. I've actually seen that a lot, junkyards don't know the difference either.
Gumballf355
03-12-2008, 02:19 PM
hahha it's rare we can figure a problem out like that on a first guess just by lookin at a picture... it was a shot in the dark but I just happen to be lucky.
bo2o
03-12-2008, 02:25 PM
its probaly your crossmember got tweaked.
take it to a alighment shop and ask if it can be repaired. if not then ask them what do they recommend. either the body is fuked!. or you need a new crossmember.
Daniel.
03-12-2008, 02:26 PM
its probaly your crossmember got tweaked.
take it to a alighment shop and ask if it can be repaired. if not then ask them what do they recommend. either the body is fuked!. or you need a new crossmember.

not reading the entire thread ftl. :duh:
DaPCWiz
03-12-2008, 03:01 PM
Can S13 owners make their wheels more flush by getting S14 control arms? LOL.
LB.Motoring
03-12-2008, 03:06 PM
In Theory.............
SoSideways
03-12-2008, 03:10 PM
Can S13 owners make their wheels more flush by getting S14 control arms? LOL.

Do a search n00b?

haha

Come on man, you're a premie, you should know better... :nono:
posdrift240
03-12-2008, 03:20 PM
Do like a frame shop would and make a jig. Run a piece of alumium or metal with a nail or screw sticking out of both ends to each opposite corners of your fenders. The best place is the top and bottom bolt holes of the fenders under the hood. This would let you know if the frame is bent.

Just a quick Drawing:
http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee40/rb25drag/l_96a5e08128c91e149ccb1a464e6f81bf1.jpg
DaPCWiz
03-12-2008, 03:22 PM
Do a search n00b?

haha

Come on man, you're a premie, you should know better... :nono:

mmm sorry my bad you are right. Just had the idea pop in my head and thought it was funny... wasn't really looking at it as a serious technical question. :keke:
SoSideways
03-12-2008, 03:26 PM
mmm sorry my bad you are right. Just had the idea pop in my head and thought it was funny... wasn't really looking at it as a serious technical question. :keke:

It's not even that, it's the fact that it's been brought up many times before that the S14 arms are longer, thus will push your wheels out by like 10mm on an S13 chassis.

I believe some people said it made it a bitch to get the toe corrected, and you're going to get like 5 degrees or more of camber too.
DaPCWiz
03-12-2008, 06:57 PM
It's not even that, it's the fact that it's been brought up many times before that the S14 arms are longer, thus will push your wheels out by like 10mm on an S13 chassis.

I believe some people said it made it a bitch to get the toe corrected, and you're going to get like 5 degrees or more of camber too.

ah okay. I haven't paid too much attention to S13 stuff in the time I've been on zilvia. That's prolly why I didn't know that.... only been driving S14s till recently (picked up a S13 a few months ago - can't wait to finish building it :) )

anywho thanks for the info.