Damned steel plates!

HondammitHondammit Band Wagon
in Suspension, Braking & Wheels
So I was driving out to my mom's house to drop my son off for the day when I encountered one of those giant steel plates roadworkers lay down over holes in the road when they don't finish their job. I couldn't slow down enough to avoid slamming into it harder than I've ever slammed into anything before lol. Now the car has a pretty mean shudder at idle (feels almost like a broken motor mount), and between 35-50mph. At low speeds, nothing is noticeable aside from the pull to the left I have now (driver wheel is toed WAAAYYY out), and after 50mph the shudder goes away. It's pouring rain outside right now, so I can't get underneath it to see. I looked at the front suspension components briefly on the side of the road, and didn't see anything obviously broken. Anyone else had something similar happen, or know what could be causing it? I can only assume I bent something, and my subframe looked like it smacked pretty hard. I'm going to try and get under there in the morning and look over everything really well.

Comments

  • HaydzHaydz Moderator
    If the wheel is toe'd out then I would be looking at the tie-rod end and inspecting for damage to either that or the steering rack. Probably the best thing you could do is chuck it on an alignment machine and get a print out so you know where to start.
  • HondammitHondammit Band Wagon
    I don't have immediate access to an alignment rack, but I got under the car the other day and really looked at everything, and so far I've found a trashed transmission mount, a ripped inner tie rod boot, and some damage to the front subframe where the radius arm comes through. It didn't look bent out of alignment, but it'd be hard to tell anyway. Going to replace the trans mount and see if that eliminates the shaking I get, and go from there. I didn't notice any bent suspension components, aside from the ripped tie rod boot, the rack looks ok. Here's to hoping I get away lucky and only have to replace the cheap stuff haha. I'll post pics of the damage to the subframe whenever it stops raining in Georgia (if that ever happens.)
  • greenteagodgreenteagod Moderator
    If you have a firestone down there, and especially if you plan on changing any suspension/alignment gear I'd throw down the $160 or whatever it is now for the lifetime alignment.

    Sounds like you're gonna be getting an alignment done anyway, so the extra that it costs for the lifetime, in my mind, is worth it. Then you could take it back to them every 6 months and have it realigned without any cost to you.
  • HondammitHondammit Band Wagon
    Hm. I had looked into that a while back and was told, by Firestone, that since my suspension is modified that offer is invalid. I don't know if it's a franchise thing, or if they were blowing smoke up my ass because they didn't want to do it. The Firestone here got bought out by a local chain, so I might not have the option anyway.
  • greenteagodgreenteagod Moderator
    Yeah that sounds like BS. I think it's Brian or someone on here was doing some major stance and they still aligned his. If it's no longer a firestone then yeah, but the lifetime alignment is supposed to be good at any firestone anywhere.

    I have modified suspension myself and they didn't say a word to me about it.
  • HondammitHondammit Band Wagon
    Quick update, got the car lined up as best as I could, it's almost time for new tires so I didn't wanna bother paying for an alignment just yet, the shaking I experienced was simply a trashed front trans mount, replaced that and several of my issues went away. I used to get terrible shaking when braking off the highway, and a shudder in reverse sometimes, all that went away, so I guess it was time for a new one anyway haha.
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