Damaged wheel area!?!?
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 570
From: Tacoma, WA
Damaged wheel area!?!?
I just moved to California about a month ago, and a big difference I see is that California has gigantic street curbs. I hit a curb going about 10 mph, which brought my Fit to a complete stop. My steering wheel was well out of alignment, and my car slowly drifts to the left. So I brought it to Goodyear and they fixed the alignment of the tire. He said you'll still feel a slight drift to the left when you drive, but the tire is at least aligned to where tire tread will be okay. Any ideas on what still needs to be fixed and how much it would cost? I'm bummed out that the precise steering of the Fit is not so precise now. You can see in the picture that the wheel isn't centered. It's actually pushed slightly back. Could it be a bent tie-rod, shock, or axle?
First, don't depend on gap measurements; the fender location isn't that precise.
Do measure the wheelbase on both passengers side and drivers side with tires at same psi and on level ground pointed straight ahead.. That means a straight line between the center of the wheel hubs. A difference of more than .080" (2 mm) or if either measurement differs by .080 from the wheelbase specification means something is amiss. While'll you're at it check the frame height on both sides too. Allow .120" (1/8") difference between them. And of course check the steering for caster and camber thru 20 degrees of turning both left and right.but that requires an alignment machine which I would expect Goodyear to have done.
Not least did you crack check the wheel? Check the wheel for bent rim? Spin the wheel freely with a pointer at the inside and outside rim edges; a gap of more than 1 mm is suspect.
Good luck.
Do measure the wheelbase on both passengers side and drivers side with tires at same psi and on level ground pointed straight ahead.. That means a straight line between the center of the wheel hubs. A difference of more than .080" (2 mm) or if either measurement differs by .080 from the wheelbase specification means something is amiss. While'll you're at it check the frame height on both sides too. Allow .120" (1/8") difference between them. And of course check the steering for caster and camber thru 20 degrees of turning both left and right.but that requires an alignment machine which I would expect Goodyear to have done.
Not least did you crack check the wheel? Check the wheel for bent rim? Spin the wheel freely with a pointer at the inside and outside rim edges; a gap of more than 1 mm is suspect.
Good luck.
Damn, Man, I feel your pain. I know you love your Fit, too.
You need to have a four-wheel alignment, at the very least. Get a shop to inspect the damage, and bite the bullet or, if your deductible is low, claim it on your car insurance.
You need to have a four-wheel alignment, at the very least. Get a shop to inspect the damage, and bite the bullet or, if your deductible is low, claim it on your car insurance.
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