what bends when wheels go out of alignment?

Question

Let's say your car is in perfect alignment, and then your wife drives it for a few years and: o hits a few potholes, and

o pulls in too far and hits the front tires against the cement block at the end of the parking stall

Now the car is out of alignment (pulls to one side a bit at freeway speeds).

You then take the car to Sears (or wherever) and they adjust the toe-in (since that's all that is typically adjustable on modern sedans, right?), and the car is now all-better.

Q: in general, what (slightly) bent suspension component did the Sears toe-in adjustment compensate for? Is it:

a) a slight bend in the front axle spindle? b) a slight bend in the tie rod? c) a slight bend in the control arm? d) other?

Thanks in advance.

-Ted

Bruce L. Bergman · Accepted Answer

[*] e) All of the above, and then some.

It depends on the exact car and how the suspension is designed. And how you beat on it with the curb, pothole, etc.

But if they built the suspension parts stiff enough that they'd never bend and get knocked out of alignment, your car would weigh

10,000 pounds and have the suspension of a rock. As in, no suspension to speak of.

They have done a lot of fancy analysis on all the parts to make them stiff enough to not bend easily, yet light enough to build economically. You have to keep the unsprung weight down for handling.

And I've had a truck break a front A-arm right at the rear chassis attachment point. Bend a piece of metal too many times and it cracks at that point - that really affected the alignment...

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Coyoteboy · Answer

Almost undoubtedly just a slight bend or loosening of the track rodends and their connections, or the shifting of a bush slightly in itshousing. You should really check your alignment every 6 monthsapparently, i check mine every 12, never shifts despite havingflat-spotted alloy rims on BIG holes. seems they made the ST185suspension out of rock!J

what bends when wheels go out of alignment?

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