Frame damage cause misalignment?
Thread Starter
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 10
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From: CA
Frame damage cause misalignment?
Ok, I posted here a while ago asking questions on tires and wheels because the collision center screwed up pretty badly.
After hitting a curb going approx. 40 mph, both of my left wheels were damaged. At the end of the day, the insurance company purchased 2 new wheels to the left and I ended up getting all 4 new tires. Due to the issues I've had after getting the car back, the alignment was performed twice, once by the collision center and second by NTB. (this was because the collision center ended up putting my wider rear wheel to the front and vice versa which I thought was the cause of my steering wheel not lining up correctly)
Right now, the car seems fine, some noise I heard initally seems to go away and nothing else is wrong. However, the steer wheel has to be turned at an angle to the right, approx. 20 degrees?, for the car to go straight. The alignment report says the car is aligned. The tires are new and wheels are good. When the collision center fixed the car, it had reported that there were some frame damage to the left side of the car near top of the doors where it touches the body. Does this cause some kind of misalignment?
Is there any way so that I can just reset the steering wheel slightly to the left so that the natural disposition of the steering wheel when straight will make the car go straight?
Thanks
After hitting a curb going approx. 40 mph, both of my left wheels were damaged. At the end of the day, the insurance company purchased 2 new wheels to the left and I ended up getting all 4 new tires. Due to the issues I've had after getting the car back, the alignment was performed twice, once by the collision center and second by NTB. (this was because the collision center ended up putting my wider rear wheel to the front and vice versa which I thought was the cause of my steering wheel not lining up correctly)
Right now, the car seems fine, some noise I heard initally seems to go away and nothing else is wrong. However, the steer wheel has to be turned at an angle to the right, approx. 20 degrees?, for the car to go straight. The alignment report says the car is aligned. The tires are new and wheels are good. When the collision center fixed the car, it had reported that there were some frame damage to the left side of the car near top of the doors where it touches the body. Does this cause some kind of misalignment?
Is there any way so that I can just reset the steering wheel slightly to the left so that the natural disposition of the steering wheel when straight will make the car go straight?
Thanks
Frame damage does cause misalignment. However, I got frame damage from an accident after getting hit by a car going 30-40 MPH on the side but my car drives like before. You should have that frame damage taken care of first though.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 810
Likes: 1
From: BKK
Get your car to the reputable bodyshop, have them put your car on the frame alignment/jig machine to see if there are any tweaks on your chassis. Chassis is the fundamental for wheel alignment. Might have to check for bent or distorted suspension component as well.
That was gonna be my question. I'm by no means an alignment guru, but I'd think that before the alignment is performed a GOOD tech would check the steering wheel.
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 3,382
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From: Vancouver, BC / Seattle, WA
Check if the sub frame bolts torqued to proper specs.
When I had my Solara, the car had to be aligned a few times and eventually complained to corporate (cuz they wanted to me to pay for another alignment charge which I did). When the car was aligned, it would stay good for about a few minutes or so then it goes completely out. Would do this on crowns or going around a corner hard enough.
Went there a few times and showed me the result showing it was good after it was done but it wasn't until after the fact it went out - put it on the rack, it was bad again.... They were saying it was my after struts, which I know isn't true because it was good before the alignment had taken place.
On the 5th time, they finally found the problem. This time, they used a torque gun to check all the bolts, then they found a loose sub bolt to me the culprit. Once they got it addressed, they were able to align it and it stopped going out. When it was loose, it would go with the sub frame would shift under the weight of the car which would bring everything out of alignment. They were not sure why it was loose, but considering the car had over 210, 000 miles + on it, something must of happened.
To be honest, I think they should of suspected that from the first time I brought it back instead of the 5th time after complaining every-time I gotten the car back supposedly after it was re-aligned.
When I had my Solara, the car had to be aligned a few times and eventually complained to corporate (cuz they wanted to me to pay for another alignment charge which I did). When the car was aligned, it would stay good for about a few minutes or so then it goes completely out. Would do this on crowns or going around a corner hard enough.
Went there a few times and showed me the result showing it was good after it was done but it wasn't until after the fact it went out - put it on the rack, it was bad again.... They were saying it was my after struts, which I know isn't true because it was good before the alignment had taken place.
On the 5th time, they finally found the problem. This time, they used a torque gun to check all the bolts, then they found a loose sub bolt to me the culprit. Once they got it addressed, they were able to align it and it stopped going out. When it was loose, it would go with the sub frame would shift under the weight of the car which would bring everything out of alignment. They were not sure why it was loose, but considering the car had over 210, 000 miles + on it, something must of happened.
To be honest, I think they should of suspected that from the first time I brought it back instead of the 5th time after complaining every-time I gotten the car back supposedly after it was re-aligned.
Thread Starter
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: CA
Thanks for the info. I just took it back to NTB tonight and they aligned it again. This time, I was there next to the technician and explained that the car keeps drifting left when the steering wheel is pointed straight. He calibrated something on the computer, then did some bolt stuff below in front of the car, near the bearings I think, and the car does seem better. Not sure if it'll last but it is than before.
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Thread Starter
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: CA
Check if the sub frame bolts torqued to proper specs.
When I had my Solara, the car had to be aligned a few times and eventually complained to corporate (cuz they wanted to me to pay for another alignment charge which I did). When the car was aligned, it would stay good for about a few minutes or so then it goes completely out. Would do this on crowns or going around a corner hard enough.
Went there a few times and showed me the result showing it was good after it was done but it wasn't until after the fact it went out - put it on the rack, it was bad again.... They were saying it was my after struts, which I know isn't true because it was good before the alignment had taken place.
On the 5th time, they finally found the problem. This time, they used a torque gun to check all the bolts, then they found a loose sub bolt to me the culprit. Once they got it addressed, they were able to align it and it stopped going out. When it was loose, it would go with the sub frame would shift under the weight of the car which would bring everything out of alignment. They were not sure why it was loose, but considering the car had over 210, 000 miles + on it, something must of happened.
To be honest, I think they should of suspected that from the first time I brought it back instead of the 5th time after complaining every-time I gotten the car back supposedly after it was re-aligned.
When I had my Solara, the car had to be aligned a few times and eventually complained to corporate (cuz they wanted to me to pay for another alignment charge which I did). When the car was aligned, it would stay good for about a few minutes or so then it goes completely out. Would do this on crowns or going around a corner hard enough.
Went there a few times and showed me the result showing it was good after it was done but it wasn't until after the fact it went out - put it on the rack, it was bad again.... They were saying it was my after struts, which I know isn't true because it was good before the alignment had taken place.
On the 5th time, they finally found the problem. This time, they used a torque gun to check all the bolts, then they found a loose sub bolt to me the culprit. Once they got it addressed, they were able to align it and it stopped going out. When it was loose, it would go with the sub frame would shift under the weight of the car which would bring everything out of alignment. They were not sure why it was loose, but considering the car had over 210, 000 miles + on it, something must of happened.
To be honest, I think they should of suspected that from the first time I brought it back instead of the 5th time after complaining every-time I gotten the car back supposedly after it was re-aligned.
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