I slide into a curb on a slick road in the rain the other night, and it was hard enough to bend some suspension components enough to throw the caster off (the wheel is no longer centered in the wheel well as seen from the side). I hit the curb at an angle that had the wheel at a 45 degree angle to the curb.

When this happened to my Talon a couple times, the damaged piece was always immediately identifiable - aside from the fact it was always the same part (A-arm), you could easily see the A-arm was crumpled at the ball joint. But when I crawled under the Max to assess the exact damage, I couldn't tell what needed to be replaced. Nothing looks obviously bent, out of line, twisted or scraped.

Could anyone tell me (from experience hopefully) what are the likely candidates to be damaged? I looked the A-arm up and down thoroughly, as well as the tie rod. Neither seem bent, it obviously is since the wheel caster is way off. The shock has to be bent a little, of course.

I've always been able to diagnose this kind of thing myself, but I could use some help. Anyone ever had to replace damaged suspension parts from a run-in with a curb? What was damaged? Anything specific to look for? Any probability of damaging the axle or splines on it or the tranny?

Thanks for your help,

David

 

I did something like that once and dented my rim so severely, it couldn't be hammered out. Threw off my alignment like none other too.

~THT

 

My rim got a bad scrape along the outer edge, but didn't leak a single psi of pressure, and I think it escaped unscathed for the most part.

My alignment is bad now of course, but I can't take it to get aligned until whatever was bent is replaced.

 

if the caster is off, then that u probably have alot of bent component.. im guessing most likely a tie bar..if it was just your toe thatw as thrown off. u mayb ok and jsut need an alignment.. im guessing u may have crushed the axel knuckles too.

 

You most likely have a bent lower control arm and possibly the hub as well. When we get cars in our shop that get hit in the wheel, we always replace the hub as well as any other bent components. The bearing took a shot and might fail over time.

 

Did the same thing with mine in the snow...

I had a bent lower control arm ebay brand new for $40

Bent a spindle got one off the org

Bent strut

and some curb rash on my rim.....

 

Ditto what everyone else said...check/replace these parts:

strut: could have a slight unoticeable bend
control arm: possibly bent
spindle : may have damaged the bearing or the spindle itself
tie rod : make sure it's not bent, should be easy to tell

It will probably pay off in the long run to replace all of these parts at once...save yourself the headache and time and it will be easier to replace all at onece......I speak from experience

BTW, does anyone have a front right spindle w/ ABS for sale?

 

I hydroplaned and jumped a concrete median going about 75mph. My damage list is below:

4 Blown tires
4 !@#$'ed up Rims
2 Bent control Arms
2 Bent tie-end rods
3 Warped Wheel Bearings
1 Experience I will never forget!!!

I've had all the above replaced and my steering wheel still shakes when I get up around 70mph or higher. I recently replaced all my rotors too and still can't get rid of the shakes.

Oh yeah, I replaced my springs, shocks, and struts a year after the accident, but I don't think they took any damage.

 

I bent a strut when I hit a curb in the snow. Kinda emarrasing too because it was right in front of my job. The strut was bent so I repaced both with Monroe Sensatrac. $55 dollars cheaper than Nissan struts put on by the same mechanic. Still need an alignment.

 

Thanks for all the replies, you've all helped shed some light on this. Now I have an idea of what peices a Maxima likes to bend when it encounters a curb.

I think I'm just going to have most of the above mentioned items replaced to be on the safe side, I would rather do it right or even over-do it than have these things come back to haunt me later.

Again, thanks for all the help.

 

"Thanks for all the replies, you've all helped shed some light on this. Now I have an idea of what peices a Maxima likes to bend when it encounters a curb.

I think I'm just going to have most of the above mentioned items replaced to be on the safe side, I would rather do it right or even over-do it than have these things come back to haunt me later.

Again, thanks for all the help"


good way to think about thigns. dont half as$ your car or it will bite you in the butt later..