Help on suspension [Archive]

ZnCoug

03-10-2003, 05:18 PM

Ok.. On Thurs I nailed a curb (road curved, after fighting with ice/snow, cougar didnt). My pass wheel no has positive camber, and it looks to me as the driver side has neg camber..Dealer said it was the rt knuckle and lower control arm due to marks (I didnt go over the curb just bounced off it at approx 20 mph) so I dont see how this could happen, it also doesnt explain the poss neg camber on drivers side.. Im stuck and without a car (dealer wanted 700 just to replace knuckle and control arm)..

Any Ideas?

mcon99

03-10-2003, 05:24 PM

well something is definitly bent. the surest way to tell would be to get under the car. once on a lift inspecting the control arms would be easy...

ZnCoug

03-10-2003, 05:40 PM

Thats the funny thing, both Belle Tire and the dealership could not find anything "definately" bent..

PuckPuck

03-10-2003, 05:41 PM

our cars stock.. come with some negative camber ... so that would explain why the driver wheel has that...

and you more than likely bent something on the pass wheel... don't go to dealership... go to a wheel/alignment shop and get it fixed

ZnCoug

03-10-2003, 05:47 PM

Went to Belle, there they said they dunno whats wrong.. I dont have time during the week to take it in :(.. I want to get under the car and see what I can find.. I'm trying to figure out what it is.. From talking to Craig it could be as simple as a bolt that bent from the impact.. however I dont want to be paying every mom and pop store to look and tell me something different than the last..

HangTime

03-11-2003, 03:06 AM

Chris, the control arms are designed to bend on impact in order to save the frame - most likely suspect. The control arm is not too expensive ($50? from BAT) and neither are most of the other suspension parts such as tie rod ends and sway bar links.

As long as it's on the passenger side, the control arm is not too hard to change either - not $700 anyway. Drivers side will require a bolt to be cut (or the subframe to be dropped if you're a dealership). It must have been some kind of blow if the knuckle is tweaked. I would think your brakes might be screwed up if the knuckle were to bend in the wrong way since the alignment between hub and brake mount might be off. Whatever the case, if you pull the wheel off you should be able to see what the problem is. Comparing RH/LH is probably the best way to do it. Maybe with a ruler?

Keep us posted.