Hey guys,

So i got in an accident the other day...i went around a corner too fast and the clutch slipped off of my foot, which made the back end swing out, and when it came back i ended up jumping a curb and colliding dead on with a street sign.

I was only 2 blocks from my house, so I went ahead and drove the car home and it was pulling horribly to the right (i had a flat tire on the right).

Anyway, i finally got around to changing that tire, and it is still pulling horribly in that direction. If i press on the gas and take my hands off of the wheel I will end up going in circles with the wheel all the way to the right.

The engine seems to be running fine...so what could be the problem? an axle? I bought this car to learn mechanics, but im not very well versed in it yet though, so im trying to figure this out

Car specs:
1986 z28 camaro
Carb. 5.0l

Pictures if that helps at all:








Thanks!

 

Your car is rear wheel drive - rear wheel drive cars don't have axles in the front. You need to look at the front suspension - youve bent/broken a tie rod end, the centerlink, the idler arm, or something.

 

agreed almost looks like the control arm is bent as far back as that tire is in the wheel well.

 

Thanks for your quick reply guys! I really appreciate it!

so is there anything i can look for (super specifically) to confirm whether its a tie rod or control arm or whatever?

Also, is this a BIG deal? like what do you think the price range is to get it fixed if I cant do it myself?

 

The parts mentioned above could all be problematic. To add, you may have bent/broken a spindle. Anyway, jack up the car and compare your car's front suspension to the pics in post #1 of the following link:

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/susp...ion-101-a.html

JamesC

 

Well since you had a flat on the front. I would have to say i would first check and make sure you didn't bend front wheel. Thats just another thing to look for on top of every thing above.

 

well the rim is nicked a bit, but i had a tire guy (Been doing this for 12 years) come over, take the tire off, and bring it back to his shop to put the new one on...I asked him specifically if there was anything wrong with the rim, he said he didnt thinks so...would that be something he would notice?

 

Well, it was just an idea. i guess the problem must in the suspension or steering. Hope you get this problem sorted out soon.

 

Thank you all!

I finally got a jack today, so i got under the car today and took some pictures. I took a video too, but im not going to post it unless someone needs it because my connection sucks

here we go:




It looks like that disc right behind the wheel is bent...from the diagram JamesC posted, the suspension stuff looks intact, but i figure a second set of eyes couldn't hurt.

so 1) does anyone know what that disc is/is called? and 2) does it look like anything else is wrong?

Thank you guys soooo much!!!



****EDIT**************

I went BACK out there, took the tire off, jacked it up and compared that suspension diagram with whats under my car, and it loosk like everything is intact.

Upon further inspection, i notcied that the right and left wheels are not aligned...the right one (passenger side) is about 4 inches extra to that side, which explains the pulling.

Do you guys think that fixing whatever that disc is, and getting an alignment will solve the issue??? WIll adjusting the outer tie rods also bring the wheel centered more in the wheel well?

Thanks!

 

I'm not sure what the 'disc' is that you mention. Though it may be an optical illusion, the outer tie rod appears to be bent. You might compare it to the other side. Also, the end link seems stressed.

JamesC

 

I think the disc you are referring to is the backing plate for the front brake disc - compare it to the otherside, as they are somewhat bent from the factory -they kinda form around the ball joint. Outer tie rod end definitely looks bent, and maybe the sway bar as well given the stress on the sway bar end link - but replace the tie rod end first and then see what the end link look like.

 

Probably a job for a mechanic. Any decent alignment shops around that you can trust? This work is a bit tricky if you're new at it. Figure a couple hundred bucks to get it back straight. I've used that old "foot slipped off the clutch" excuse myself but the cops never bought it.

 

Yes i was just thinking that it may be a bit over my head.

I guess my question now is, can I drive it to a near by alignment shop without damaging anything?

I drove it around the parking lot today and its pulling to the right but i feel a bump every time the wheel completes a turn.

The disc i was talking about is right behind the wheel rotor.

 

I dont think anyone in here cares, but i took it to a shop today.

They actually showed me some heavy impact on the frame, and said that it was actually the drivers side spindle, everything on the passenger side checked out...that actually makes more sense with my collision...

Anyway, they said they would replace the spindle and give it an alignment, but if that didnt work, i would have to go to an autobody place to get the frame repaired.