240 <<<< Curb.......advice please on curb wreck

[jspaeth]

EDIT: Added pictures to give an idea of the damage:

Broken front left wheel:

http://makingapril.com/greg/justin/curb1.JPG



Dent in rear left wheel, which I had to move to the front left to drive the car.....the dent isn't that bad, so I am hoping the rear left alignment/subframe/knuckle/etc isn't that messed up then....:

http://makingapril.com/greg/justin/curb4.JPG


Rear left (side that hit) wheel appears to be "tucked under", and right side just for comparison......I have seen way worse, but I haven't gotten under the car yet:

http://makingapril.com/greg/justin/curb5.JPG


http://makingapril.com/greg/justin/curb6.JPG

Okay, so I am a moron and went to fast as I was making a turn at an intersection near my house.......oversteered like crazy, and as the car was rotating, the front left swung around and the side of the front left wheel smashed the curb square, breaking the wheel.

Hit the curb probably going like 20 mph

The rear left wheel also hit.

I finally managed to get the car off the curb.....

Here's the deal......DID NOT (upon inspection) hit the FMIC, OILpan, or anything UNDER the car.

The alignment's off pretty bad up front, and the rear left wheel appears to be "tucked under", although, that's with a stock SE wheel on the rear left.


Basically, here are my questions....what should I check?

Do i need to seriously consider that my subframe or FRAME are bent?

Or, is it more likely that the alignment is just off? I have all aftermarket solid end links, so the fact the alignment is off is scary, bc those things don't just BEND that easily.

Any tips on how to go about inspecting stuff?


Last time I hit a curb, it was head on at like 35 and I needed a new rad support and T/C rod BRACES, but that's b/c THEY actually hit the curb.

In this case, ONLY the wheels hit the curb.


Wanting to die right now :-(

[The ROMAN]

An intersection? Come on, don't tell me it was packed with cars too?

I would say maybe breaking the wheel might a good thing, because that means it didn't transmit any force? I dunno an engineering type would have to verify that.

I would check over the arms, but sometimes it is hard to tell if they are bent or not. Just because they are aftermarket doesn't mean that they won't bend. I've bent aftermarket T/C rods at the end piece (that bolts to the control arm). Some are harder than others.

Really the only way you will know if you bent the frame or subframe without actually spotting a huge bend is if you get a race alignment. Then they can tell you. My car is a bit tweaked from hitting a curb like 5 years ago and various scuffles since then, but having adj. arms I just realign it and keep going until it's really toast.

[jspaeth]

An intersection? Come on, don't tell me it was packed with cars too?

I would say maybe breaking the wheel might a good thing, because that means it didn't transmit any force? I dunno an engineering type would have to verify that.

I would check over the arms, but sometimes it is hard to tell if they are bent or not. Just because they are aftermarket doesn't mean that they won't bend. I've bent aftermarket T/C rods at the end piece (that bolts to the control arm). Some are harder than others.

Really the only way you will know if you bent the frame or subframe without actually spotting a huge bend is if you get a race alignment. Then they can tell you. My car is a bit tweaked from hitting a curb like 5 years ago and various scuffles since then, but having adj. arms I just realign it and keep going until it's really toast.


Fortunately, I am not retarded, and this was at an intersection that is open (you can see everything) and there were no parked cars or ANY other cars, otherwise, I would have not going that fast.

I am just worried because of the fact that even if they "correct" the alignment STATICALLY, then how do I ever know that everything in terms of the suspension is okay DYNAMICALLY (i.e. on turning or loading and unloading the different corners)?


I am so pissed.

Do you think that I need to worry about the FRAME of my car being messed up?

[5t341tH]

i hit a curb square on too and it only broke my R LCA, R tension rod, bent my tc brackets, and bent my swaybar endlink a lil bit. not that bad. take a look for urself and see what's broken.

[The ROMAN]

From my experience it takes a pretty bad crash to really "destroy" a frame. Minors ones might tweak it here and there, but nothing serious that you can't just compensate for.

[jspaeth]

Yeah I need to check.

I KNOW I can get the alignment back okay......what worries me is that based on alignment, it will APPEAR that everything is okay, but something is actually messed up still :-(

[1slowS13]

you have to replace all parts that seem bent, then get an alignment. only after then if it wont go to spec, something else is bent or you may have shifted or bent the actual frame, which isnt hard to do on our cars.

[iyhfg]

ive seen that happen previously at 5mph on the rear wheel,hit square on a curb. the rear sub frame and 2 studs were toast GOOD LUCK

[jspaeth]

OK....got some pictures.

First off, the rear left wheel is tucked under because the rear LCA is bent....first, this is the RIGHT SIDE, aka the one that is okay:

http://makingapril.com/greg/justin/curb8.JPG

versus the LEFT SIDE, which is bent:

http://makingapril.com/greg/justin/curb9.JPG


Now, here also are pictues of some of the other arms on the rear left hand side, which look okay to me......please chime in if you see anything:

http://makingapril.com/greg/justin/curb11.JPG

http://makingapril.com/greg/justin/curb12.JPG



That being said, it was the FRONT LEFT wheel that broke, so I was suspect that something up there might be bent. However, the front wheels don't really look that different, in terms of camber, caster, toe, so I went under the car to check the front LCAs, the tie rods, T/C rods, T/C brackets, rad support etc for bends......did not find anything, but please let me know if you see anything:

Front RIGHT T/C bracket (which is okay, here for reference):

http://makingapril.com/greg/justin/curb14.JPG

Front LEFT T/C bracket, on the side that took the hit:

http://makingapril.com/greg/justin/curb15.JPG


Front LEFT T/C rod (looks okay?):

http://makingapril.com/greg/justin/curb16.JPG

Left tie rod, also appears okay to me:


http://makingapril.com/greg/justin/curb17.JPG


OK.....so basically, if I put the steering wheel straight, the car pulls kinda hard to the left. However, the front wheels don't really appear to be out of alignment. I am thinking maybe the rear left wheel being tucked under and possibly with not enough toe (since the rear portion of the rear left LCA got bent, pulling in the rear part of the tire toward the centerline) is what's causing the pull to the left........this effect is combined with the "healthy" rear right tire being much wider and at normal toe-in....causing the car to go left.


If anyone sees anything PLEEEEEEEEASE let me know......as for now, I am gonna replace that rear left LCA and then go to the alignment shop, since I didn't see anything else that looked bent/broken/cracked.


Thanks so much guys

[The ROMAN]

Damn that LCA took it hard. If most of the force was taken up by it that's a good thing, cheap and easy to replace. Sucks about the works though.

[CrimsonRockett]

I have a complete S14 I'll be parting out soon.

If you need the rear arm stuff, let me know.

:)

[jspaeth]

Yeah that's what it looks like..........I didn't see any damage to anything else, so I am hoping that the LCA took the brunt and the subframe is okay.

I am not really 100% where to look for broken/bent stuff (other than obvious locations on suspensions arms/etc.).....so I hope the subframe is okay in the back..


The front LOOKS okay, will have to see when I get it in to the alignment shop.


I am going to just buy a new rear left LCA....found some online made by "OES Genuine"......seems like a perfectly okay OEM replacement remake....can anyone validate this?

[jdmstatuS13]

dude, how is it that you keep hittin curbs ??


im pretty sure u should rethink the car game, or stop fuckin around on the streets man...or learn how to control your car IMO.

[los_inc]

dude, how is it that you keep hittin curbs ??


im pretty sure u should rethink the car game, or stop fuckin around on the streets man...or learn how to control your car IMO.

queer bag haters
jersey FTW
he can hit all the curbs he wants you ain't paying for his
broken shit so shut up
<3
-los

[jspaeth]

dude, how is it that you keep hittin curbs ??


im pretty sure u should rethink the car game, or stop fuckin around on the streets man...or learn how to control your car IMO.


i like to drive my car that's why, stop crying.....i am a careful driver and never do anything stupid when others are around.

[Ben G]

i would just buy what you need off a parted out car way cheaper of a fix

[jspaeth]

i would just buy what you need off a parted out car way cheaper of a fix


Yeah I am trying to find a rear left LCA

[projectRDM]

FYI, it's called an Aarm. That may be easier to search for.

[shifts13]

make sure your subframe is still good. compare the bracket the LCA is connected to to the other side. because when my s13 got hit by a car i thought it was just the LCA too but upon closer inspection, the lca bracket on the subframe was also bent.

good luck

[jspaeth]

FYI, it's called an Aarm. That may be easier to search for.

Good point, that may help me search better.....actually, when I try to find it online (just OEM one), all the normal replacement websites (Auto Parts Warehouse, etc.) seem to ONLY have the right one..??????? And I am pretty sure they are side specific....i.e. the left and right are not symmetric.......hmmmm this could be a bitch

make sure your subframe is still good. compare the bracket the LCA is connected to to the other side. because when my s13 got hit by a car i thought it was just the LCA too but upon closer inspection, the lca bracket on the subframe was also bent.

good luck

thanks for the heads up, i will have to look more closely....good point.

[The ROMAN]

PDM Racing is good if you have the money, otherwise junkyard but you probably won't find any S14s around.

PDM Racing - PDM Control Arms (http://www.pdm-racing.com/products/pdmcontrolarms.html)

[derek_s13]

240sxmotoring.com has every piece of factory multi-link S14 suspension on their site. they're prices are cheap, and they ship fast. check it out.

probably under "used" section or something.

btw, the rear wheel fuckup WILL throw your alignment off, so you can most likely not worry about anything being bent upfront since it all looks to be good.

[JRas]

Okay, so I am a moron and went to fast as I was making a turn at an intersection near my house.......oversteered like crazy, and as the car was rotating, the front left swung around and the side of the front left wheel smashed the curb square, breaking the wheel.

Hit the curb probably going like 20 mph


it's always the same story, keep it off the streets

I have a complete S14 I'll be parting out soon.

If you need the rear arm stuff, let me know.

:)

not worth buying one new

just get one from him

[jspaeth]

240sxmotoring.com has every piece of factory multi-link S14 suspension on their site. they're prices are cheap, and they ship fast. check it out.

probably under "used" section or something.

btw, the rear wheel fuckup WILL throw your alignment off, so you can most likely not worry about anything being bent upfront since it all looks to be good.

Thanks so much for that link.

it's always the same story, keep it off the streets


just get one from him


You got your license like 2 years ago so you have no clue about anything....

[jdmstatuS13]

queer bag haters
jersey FTW
he can hit all the curbs he wants you ain't paying for his
broken shit so shut up
<3
-los


haha ok wtf does jersey have to do wih this...

if he wants to hit curbs so much then he should learn wtf can go wrong and how to fix it and quit askin wtf he should do and look for.:ghey: