Car doesn't glide right after hitting curb (Repaired)

fdriller9 · 03-16-2010, 05:17 PM

So I hit a curb during a snowstorm and got my car fixed by having a new spindle, wheel bearing, and control arm installed. The mount for the control arm broke off so they had to re weld it to the axle carrier. My shop said the other suspension components were fine. Btw, it was the passenger side rear that got hit. They did an alignment and the steering wheel is tiliting slightly to the right but the car pulls to the left. Also my car doesn't glide as smoothly as it did. For example, when I let off the gas my car slows down allot faster than it used to. Could my steering rack be shot? I know in situations like this the chassis can be irreversibly bent. It just doesn't make sense because the alignment is within spec but the my shop said it was maxed out for one wheel. Any ideas? I'm on vacation and can't do anything right now but I just wanted to get an opinion from you guys.

mkaaes · 03-16-2010, 05:22 PM

I have a similar story

i hit a giant crater of a pothole and it really mangled my alignment. Thought that was it, but I was quite wrong. The passenger control arm recently broke and when they fixed that they found that the steering rack has issues now. It's going to be about 4k worth of damage

xantdieselx · 03-16-2010, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by *********

So I hit a curb during a snowstorm and got my car fixed by having a new spindle, wheel bearing, and control arm installed. The mount for the control arm broke off so they had to re weld it to the axle carrier. My shop said the other suspension components were fine. Btw, it was the passenger side rear that got hit. They did an alignment and the steering wheel is tiliting slightly to the right but the car pulls to the left. Also my car doesn't glide as smoothly as it did. For example, when I let off the gas my car slows down allot faster than it used to. Could my steering rack be shot? I know in situations like this the chassis can be irreversibly bent. It just doesn't make sense because the alignment is within spec but the my shop said it was maxed out for one wheel. Any ideas? I'm on vacation and can't do anything right now but I just wanted to get an opinion from you guys.

If one or more the angles is maxxed out that means that there is still something bent. I am actually surprised that a shop would re-weld control arm mounting point due to the fact that it opens them up to liability (especially if the weld failed while you were driving). Chances if you hit something hard enough to break a mounting point off of the subframe there is a good possibility that the subframe is bent.

This could be one reason why a particular wheel is maxxed out. BMW does have a TSB that relates to steering gear replacement. It pertains to front suspension damage where there is damage to any component that locates the wheel. This includes control arms, struts, knuckle etc.

If you can post the alignment specs, I can take a look for you. It is not likely that you would have unibody damage as the suspension is mounted the subframe which in turn mounts to the body. You could however, bring the car to a body shop and as to have the vehicle setup and measured. They can measure some control points in the rear and would be able to tell you if the crossmember is bent.

fdriller9 · 03-16-2010, 06:34 PM

^ You're making me worry.

Hope everything gets sorted out for you.

fdriller9 · 03-16-2010, 06:39 PM

Ok that post above was for mkaaes. I guess we posted at the same time. xantdieselx, I don't have the alignment data. Would the shop have that data stored? Either way I am out of the country and won't be back till Saturday. Also the shop I took it to was in Philly so I have to wait to get to school Sunday and for the shop to be open on Monday. So I won't be able to get that info regardless, until Monday.

John 070 · 03-16-2010, 06:41 PM

Just curious, what kind of impact does it take to do damage? We're not talking about scraping a rim while parking....right?

xantdieselx · 03-16-2010, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by *********

Ok that post above was for mkaaes. I guess we posted at the same time. xantdieselx, I don't have the alignment data. Would the shop have that data stored? Either way I am out of the country and won't be back till Saturday. Also the shop I took it to was in Philly so I have to wait to get to school Sunday and for the shop to be open on Monday. So I won't be able to get that info regardless, until Monday.

I doubt they saved it if they did not give you a copy. When you get home, bring it back to them and let them know about the pulling etc. Ask them to check the alignment and politely ask for a printout.

If I were you I would probably spend the money and take it to the dealer. Ask them to do an alignment and ask them to check the suspension for you. It might run you a couple hundred but I think it would be worth the piece of mind.

PM me when you get a copy and email it to me.

xantdieselx · 03-16-2010, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John 070

Just curious, what kind of impact does it take to do damage? We're not talking about scraping a rim while parking....right?

Suspension alignment angles are adjustable for a reason. Over time, with normal use suspension components can wear, springs can lose some of their tension etc. Minor impacts can cause changes in alignment angles, alignments are used to correct these changes.

I would not be worried about scraping a wheel, but going over a curb or going off-road is a whole other issue. I would reccomend getting your alignment checked at least once a year. At the very least it will ensure proper wear of your tires.

The OP stated that one wheel was maxxed out. That is never a good thing and it points to bent or damaged components. Just because it is in spec doesn't mean that the car won't pull or wear tires.

fdriller9 · 03-16-2010, 10:13 PM

^ Yes. I slid into the curb at about 20mph. I actually pressed the gas to spin the wheels. My DTC was off so I could get some wheel spin necessary for some snowy situations. I was trying to line up my car so that I hit the curb with the back of my wheel so it would roll over the curb instead of hitting the side. I hit the very back corner of the tire, not even the wheel....no dmaage to the wheel itself. But the momentum of the car put enough force on the tire so the components I mentioned bent. I guess other things bent as well. I couldn't drive straight afterward. I had to get towed on a flatbed.

fdriller9 · 03-16-2010, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xantdieselx

I doubt they saved it if they did not give you a copy. When you get home, bring it back to them and let them know about the pulling etc. Ask them to check the alignment and politely ask for a printout.

If I were you I would probably spend the money and take it to the dealer. Ask them to do an alignment and ask them to check the suspension for you. It might run you a couple hundred but I think it would be worth the piece of mind.

PM me when you get a copy and email it to me.

I already brought the car back to have them check the alignment for a second time because of the pulling and slightly tilted steering wheel. I'm going to be bringing it to the dealer for exactly what you mentioned...peace of mind. I'll pm you when I get those specs. Thanks in advance. Appreciate it.

mkaaes · 03-18-2010, 05:38 AM

I was going pretty quick when I ran into my culprit, probably around 40 mph or so. Well I got the word from my BMW tech and my insurance adjuster that this is kind of common due to the short travel distance of the suspension of the car, added with the low profile of the tires. It is a "fine" tuned driving machine. So my car should be done by this fri, and since the harsh roads have been paved in the last few years hopefully this will be the last time I go through this. The alignment shops records didn't go back far enough to get any data.

Chriztofor · 03-18-2010, 05:57 AM

As a side note, I wonder if this will be listed in a carfax report. If its not I feel bad for the next purchaser of this car.

John 070 · 03-18-2010, 06:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xantdieselx

Suspension alignment angles are adjustable for a reason. Over time, with normal use suspension components can wear, springs can lose some of their tension etc. Minor impacts can cause changes in alignment angles, alignments are used to correct these changes.

I would not be worried about scraping a wheel, but going over a curb or going off-road is a whole other issue. I would reccomend getting your alignment checked at least once a year. At the very least it will ensure proper wear of your tires.

The OP stated that one wheel was maxxed out. That is never a good thing and it points to bent or damaged components. Just because it is in spec doesn't mean that the car won't pull or wear tires.

I usually only get an alignment when I get new tires....on my Nissan, I just got an alignment, and I noticed one spec was out. Granted it's 12 y.o. with 180k and I ran 18's on it for years. Went back to the stocker 16's and the world is a much friendlier place. Now I'm not used to the 335 having 40's on it because it doesn't take much to bend a rim (non-OEM as I've had 3 sets on the Nissan).....

fdriller9 · 03-18-2010, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chriztofor

As a side note, I wonder if this will be listed in a carfax report. If its not I feel bad for the next purchaser of this car.

I'm not one to leave this out when selling a car. I have no idea if it will be on the car fax. But I had a similar situation with an old honda I just sold and I mentioned this to the buyer. Everything was fixed and the car ran like it did before the accident but I still told him. I can't bring myself to lying or leaving info like that out.

Chriztofor · 03-18-2010, 11:15 AM

^I hope other people are as honest as you!

hsleiman · 03-18-2010, 06:24 PM

Same exact thing happened to me. I had DTC off and my passenger rear tire hit a curb. No rim damage and my car was BADLY out of alignment. Had it towed and they replaced the lower control arm and the subframe because they said it was cracked. Got my car back last week and it is still out of alignment so I'm taking it back tomorrow. I'm scared that the car was more damaged than they initially thought. I'll def ask them about my alignment specs and post them up here. Maybe some of that info can help you out.

fdriller9 · 03-19-2010, 08:21 AM

^ thanks for the post and please do post your alignment specs. I'll be getting my specs on Monday (hopefully). So I was looking on realoem.com for possible parts that I need replaced. Is the subframe the same as the rear axle carrier? Here's a link: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...29&hg=33&fg=30 This is what my shop said might need to be replaced but he said he would try to weld it first to see if that's all that was needed. It is definitely not all that is needed. I don't know if it was the severe wind that made my car sway on the way home from school or car itself but I kinda don't wanna drive it back to school when I get home. It's a 2 hour drive.

fdriller9 · 03-20-2010, 11:14 PM

Bump. Anyone know of the subframe is the same as the part I posted above?

03-16-2010, 05:17 PM	#1
fdriller9 Banned 252 Rep 7,089 Posts Drives: '06 AW 330xi Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: North Jersey/Philly/NYC iTrader: (4) Garage List 2006 330xi [6.44]	Car doesn't glide right after hitting curb (Repaired) So I hit a curb during a snowstorm and got my car fixed by having a new spindle, wheel bearing, and control arm installed. The mount for the control arm broke off so they had to re weld it to the axle carrier. My shop said the other suspension components were fine. Btw, it was the passenger side rear that got hit. They did an alignment and the steering wheel is tiliting slightly to the right but the car pulls to the left. Also my car doesn't glide as smoothly as it did. For example, when I let off the gas my car slows down allot faster than it used to. Could my steering rack be shot? I know in situations like this the chassis can be irreversibly bent. It just doesn't make sense because the alignment is within spec but the my shop said it was maxed out for one wheel. Any ideas? I'm on vacation and can't do anything right now but I just wanted to get an opinion from you guys.
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03-16-2010, 05:22 PM	#2
mkaaes Lieutenant 26 Rep 419 Posts Drives: 997.2 C4S Join Date: May 2007 Location: seattle iTrader: (2)	I have a similar story i hit a giant crater of a pothole and it really mangled my alignment. Thought that was it, but I was quite wrong. The passenger control arm recently broke and when they fixed that they found that the steering rack has issues now. It's going to be about 4k worth of damage
	Appreciate 0 Quote

03-16-2010, 06:34 PM	#4
fdriller9 Banned 252 Rep 7,089 Posts Drives: '06 AW 330xi Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: North Jersey/Philly/NYC iTrader: (4) Garage List 2006 330xi [6.44]	^ You're making me worry. Hope everything gets sorted out for you.
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03-16-2010, 06:39 PM	#5
fdriller9 Banned 252 Rep 7,089 Posts Drives: '06 AW 330xi Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: North Jersey/Philly/NYC iTrader: (4) Garage List 2006 330xi [6.44]	Ok that post above was for mkaaes. I guess we posted at the same time. xantdieselx, I don't have the alignment data. Would the shop have that data stored? Either way I am out of the country and won't be back till Saturday. Also the shop I took it to was in Philly so I have to wait to get to school Sunday and for the shop to be open on Monday. So I won't be able to get that info regardless, until Monday.
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03-16-2010, 06:41 PM	#6
John 070 Lieutenant General 1705 Rep 14,829 Posts Drives: 335i cpe Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: ZSP/ZPP/ZCW iTrader: (0)	Just curious, what kind of impact does it take to do damage? We're not talking about scraping a rim while parking....right?
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03-16-2010, 10:13 PM	#9
fdriller9 Banned 252 Rep 7,089 Posts Drives: '06 AW 330xi Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: North Jersey/Philly/NYC iTrader: (4) Garage List 2006 330xi [6.44]	^ Yes. I slid into the curb at about 20mph. I actually pressed the gas to spin the wheels. My DTC was off so I could get some wheel spin necessary for some snowy situations. I was trying to line up my car so that I hit the curb with the back of my wheel so it would roll over the curb instead of hitting the side. I hit the very back corner of the tire, not even the wheel....no dmaage to the wheel itself. But the momentum of the car put enough force on the tire so the components I mentioned bent. I guess other things bent as well. I couldn't drive straight afterward. I had to get towed on a flatbed. Last edited by fdriller9; 03-16-2010 at 10:37 PM..
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03-18-2010, 05:38 AM	#11
mkaaes Lieutenant 26 Rep 419 Posts Drives: 997.2 C4S Join Date: May 2007 Location: seattle iTrader: (2)	I was going pretty quick when I ran into my culprit, probably around 40 mph or so. Well I got the word from my BMW tech and my insurance adjuster that this is kind of common due to the short travel distance of the suspension of the car, added with the low profile of the tires. It is a "fine" tuned driving machine. So my car should be done by this fri, and since the harsh roads have been paved in the last few years hopefully this will be the last time I go through this. The alignment shops records didn't go back far enough to get any data.
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03-18-2010, 05:57 AM	#12
Chriztofor Colonel 103 Rep 2,783 Posts Drives: '06 325i and '13 X5 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Chicago Burbs iTrader: (1)	As a side note, I wonder if this will be listed in a carfax report. If its not I feel bad for the next purchaser of this car.
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03-18-2010, 11:15 AM	#15
Chriztofor Colonel 103 Rep 2,783 Posts Drives: '06 325i and '13 X5 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Chicago Burbs iTrader: (1)	^I hope other people are as honest as you!
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03-18-2010, 06:24 PM	#16
hsleiman First Lieutenant 12 Rep 304 Posts Drives: 11 e90 335xi PPK 6MT Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Morgantown, WV iTrader: (1)	Same exact thing happened to me. I had DTC off and my passenger rear tire hit a curb. No rim damage and my car was BADLY out of alignment. Had it towed and they replaced the lower control arm and the subframe because they said it was cracked. Got my car back last week and it is still out of alignment so I'm taking it back tomorrow. I'm scared that the car was more damaged than they initially thought. I'll def ask them about my alignment specs and post them up here. Maybe some of that info can help you out.
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03-19-2010, 08:21 AM	#17
fdriller9 Banned 252 Rep 7,089 Posts Drives: '06 AW 330xi Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: North Jersey/Philly/NYC iTrader: (4) Garage List 2006 330xi [6.44]	^ thanks for the post and please do post your alignment specs. I'll be getting my specs on Monday (hopefully). So I was looking on realoem.com for possible parts that I need replaced. Is the subframe the same as the rear axle carrier? Here's a link: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...29&hg=33&fg=30 This is what my shop said might need to be replaced but he said he would try to weld it first to see if that's all that was needed. It is definitely not all that is needed. I don't know if it was the severe wind that made my car sway on the way home from school or car itself but I kinda don't wanna drive it back to school when I get home. It's a 2 hour drive.
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03-20-2010, 11:14 PM	#18
fdriller9 Banned 252 Rep 7,089 Posts Drives: '06 AW 330xi Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: North Jersey/Philly/NYC iTrader: (4) Garage List 2006 330xi [6.44]	Bump. Anyone know of the subframe is the same as the part I posted above?
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