My left rear wheel was hit perpendiculur by a Saturn doing 25-30mph, resulting in a permanent 20 degree positive camber of that wheel only.
The drive train functions fine, tho handling is poor from misalignment.
What's the likely cause?
Does it sound reasonable that the wishbone swingarm is bent?
Start by replacing the rim.
Take the vehicle to a first class, full service alignment place that features a system like Bear Alignment. To drive the car otherwise is to risk your life and those of everyone else on the road.
Alignment is a job for pros with the right equipment.
Paul Fretheim
knucklebuster wrote:
The concept that alignment is a job for the pros reminds me of a guy at work from 20+ years ago. He was one of the guys that did field service of our computer equipment. A real nice guy, but no common sense and he was always getting himself into trouble because of it. The guy was alwasy just about broke and people were always feeling sorry for him and trying to give him advice to help him out, but to no avail.
One day he's telling me how he's gonna replace the torsion bar in the front suspension of his Dodge Diplomat, which had broken. Now this guy lived in an apartment building and had limited tools, no lift, jack stands etc. Doesn't seem like the kind of job I'd attempt, given that you could have it done professionally at a reasonable price. I suggested it would likely be better and worth it to take it to a shop. On Monday he comes in with his arm in a sling, having injured it while doing the work.
Then he proceeds to tell me that now all he needs to do is the alignment, which again, he's gonna do himself. I try to tell him that I don't see how that's possible without the right equipment. He says no problem, you just measure a few things using a ruler, no problem. I try to tell him this is one of those things you shouldn't do yourself and he can get it professionally done at that time for $75-100. About 3 months later, he;s telling me his latest tale of trouble. Seems his front tires, which are relatively new, are now bald on the edges of the tread and he needs new ones.
Perhaps his all time classic story of flawed thinking was when his wife was driving their car and had an accident. He was going around telling everyone how unfair it was because she was being blaimed for the accident. Seems she was crossing a wet bridge, lost control, spun out and into the path of a car coming the other way. He kept saying "It wasn't her fault. HE hit her!"
That's a substantial collision. Looks like the Merc stood up well.
DAS
For direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling
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