Almost wrecked
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,578
Likes: 49
From: Kissimmee, FL
Almost wrecked Leaving from work, the ground was cold and I gave the car a bit too much gas and it broke loose and headed to the right. I countersteered and the car wound up hitting a curb on the passenger's side and did a 180. No body damage but alignment is thrown off and the passenger side rim lip is all screwed up but not dented. Making big turns you can hear the tires chirp since the alignment is off.
What should I look for when I get under the car since it's too dark to see anything now? I'll take pictures and post when it's light out to give a better picture sorta speak.
I'm seriously beginning to think that my buddy is bad luck.
What should I look for when I get under the car since it's too dark to see anything now? I'll take pictures and post when it's light out to give a better picture sorta speak.
I'm seriously beginning to think that my buddy is bad luck.
I never realized what a difference temperature makes for tire grip until I got a Camaro. Previous 328i had Mich. PS tires and they never slipped. Of course that car had around 150 less hp and the Camaro comes with crummier tires.
I did something very similar a couple days ago after I picked up a friend. I always have the ASR on but it didn't do anything. Also went through the same motions as you but didn't make contact with anything - including the police ... phew! That woulda looked bad, huh? My friend didn't really say anything much after that until we got on the freeway. Was the ground wet at all in addition to the cold? Just wondering why drag radials more or less failed.
Sorry to hear about your misfortune. I'm curious, is your buddy the car or did you have a friend with you?
I did something very similar a couple days ago after I picked up a friend. I always have the ASR on but it didn't do anything. Also went through the same motions as you but didn't make contact with anything - including the police ... phew! That woulda looked bad, huh? My friend didn't really say anything much after that until we got on the freeway. Was the ground wet at all in addition to the cold? Just wondering why drag radials more or less failed.
Sorry to hear about your misfortune. I'm curious, is your buddy the car or did you have a friend with you?
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,578
Likes: 49
From: Kissimmee, FL
The ground was most likely icy and I couldn't see it (black ice) My buddy is a friend of mine who was in the car with me when I had the tire blow out in the trans am.
It happened really fast and all I saw were trees in front of me but managed to hit the curb with the rim face. The steering wheel felt mushy, not the regular tight feeling when you slightly turn it. It's supposed to rain tomorrow but hopefully not before I can get the pics of underneath the car. The tire has no bubbles but scuff marks from the curb.
It happened really fast and all I saw were trees in front of me but managed to hit the curb with the rim face. The steering wheel felt mushy, not the regular tight feeling when you slightly turn it. It's supposed to rain tomorrow but hopefully not before I can get the pics of underneath the car. The tire has no bubbles but scuff marks from the curb.
Front wheel, rear wheel, or both in the passenger side? I was caught in a blizzard in 1997 while I was in Chicago, and the same happened to me. The blizzard came real quick, so I must of hit black ice as well before the storm. It's also possible that I hit some sort of oily or greasy patch on the road (from someone's leaks and/or spill).
My suggestion would be:
Front: spindle, K-member mounting points, lower a-arm, bushings, ball joints, tie rods, and tie rod ends. Yes I understand that I list a lot of things, however if you're going under the vehicle, it's best to make the most of your opportuniy while underneath it. Check alignment if you have your own alignment tools.
Rear: Axle, LCA, and PHB.
My suggestion would be:
Front: spindle, K-member mounting points, lower a-arm, bushings, ball joints, tie rods, and tie rod ends. Yes I understand that I list a lot of things, however if you're going under the vehicle, it's best to make the most of your opportuniy while underneath it. Check alignment if you have your own alignment tools.
Rear: Axle, LCA, and PHB.
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,578
Likes: 49
From: Kissimmee, FL
Just the front passenger side rim, nothing else hit thank goodness. I don't have alignment tools. I managed to drive back home (20 miles highway) with no problem except for my steering wheel being out of whack and feeling mushy from the alignment. I hope everything else is ok.
Wow! Now I'll say to check your steering system and make sure you don't have bent tie rods. While I'm at it, get your alignment checked and adjusted as needed. I'm pretty sure that most of the other components are okay, however bear in mind that our spindles can have been known to deform upon curbside rashes, but that depends on how hard you collided.
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Verdad Gallardo Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,578
Likes: 49
From: Kissimmee, FL
Ok here are the pics. Tie rods felt tight, no play when I tried to turn them.
Hopefully all she'll need is a new alignment. I already have another rim on the way.
Rear rim and tire, just dirt and grass.
Does that bushing look bad or is it just me?
Hopefully all she'll need is a new alignment. I already have another rim on the way.
Rear rim and tire, just dirt and grass.
Does that bushing look bad or is it just me?
Last edited by Roarin_8; Dec 31, 2005 at 01:17 PM.
So far, the only damage I can assess from the pics would be to the tie rods, and possibly the tie rod ends. Even though they don't appear to be distorted by the perception of the naked eye, it's very likely that the passnger side could be. Everything else, inlcluding the exposure of the wire and connector appears normal (if really needed, you could add some insulation/harness tubing).
I would say also by the pictures that since your alignment may be knocked out from your previous settings, that may have caused your passenger side front tire to increase it's static negative toe.
I know it's frustrating, however my first suggestion would be to see if you can realign the front suspension from your alignment place of choice. You can also note that your steering wheel isn't straight and let them know what brought the vehicle to this condition. While they're at it, you might want to let them see that pic of the tie rod boot. If your realingment can solve the problem by itself, then you most likely have nothing else wrong. If the alignment can be straightened, but the steering system still has a problem, then most likely the tie rod and tie rod end will need replacement.
I would say also by the pictures that since your alignment may be knocked out from your previous settings, that may have caused your passenger side front tire to increase it's static negative toe.
I know it's frustrating, however my first suggestion would be to see if you can realign the front suspension from your alignment place of choice. You can also note that your steering wheel isn't straight and let them know what brought the vehicle to this condition. While they're at it, you might want to let them see that pic of the tie rod boot. If your realingment can solve the problem by itself, then you most likely have nothing else wrong. If the alignment can be straightened, but the steering system still has a problem, then most likely the tie rod and tie rod end will need replacement.
Oh, forgot something, sorry. By the appearance of the suspension, I assume you have all OEM items, so I'd suggest what the OEM alignment specs would have.
Last edited by Foxxton; Dec 31, 2005 at 06:25 PM.
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,578
Likes: 49
From: Kissimmee, FL
Ok did the alignment today, the tech said everything else looked fine besides the rim and that my rear tires were at 4/32nds
Here's how the end measurements came out to:
Left Right
Camber -0.4 -.01
Cross Camber .04
Caster 0.1 -0.2
Cross Caster 0.3
Toe 0.01 0.01
Total Toe 0.01
Steer Ahead 0.00
Not too bad, he tried to get it as close as possible. I just thanked him since I know that it could have been alot worse. Just have to change my rim now and I'm all set.
Here's how the end measurements came out to:
Left Right
Camber -0.4 -.01
Cross Camber .04
Caster 0.1 -0.2
Cross Caster 0.3
Toe 0.01 0.01
Total Toe 0.01
Steer Ahead 0.00
Not too bad, he tried to get it as close as possible. I just thanked him since I know that it could have been alot worse. Just have to change my rim now and I'm all set.
12 Second Club
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,273
Likes: 0
From: Bucks County, Pa.
Man, just try to be careful with Nitto Drags in cool/cold temps!! They practically freeze below 45 degrees and it takes a lot to build any heat in them at those temps. When I was driving a Nitto DR back/555 R2 front setup around in cool temps, the front would "chatter" and push straight ahead with any lock dialed into the steering (they have a very similar compound to the DRs). These are NOT cold weather tires, even in the dry!! 
Ouch! I knew that you listed Nittos, however I thought you were running regular street tyres, at least on all fours. Now that I see a rear tyre being a Nitto, you definitely don't want to run that even on the street, or even on the street in warm weather.
As you can see by my location (San Diego, CA, soon to be permanently Brisbane) It's usually dry and warm, somewhat pleasant, but when I was driving around on my NT555 R2's (just driving them home to see what it would be like on the street) on a pleasantly warm sunny day, they had unbelievable grip, until I hit a wet spot. The next thing I knew I was facing the opposite direction, and it was on a 55 mph speed limit road in front of my apartment complex.
6/32 of tread is as low as you want to go on a street tyre, and those Nitto's I believe already start with something near that, and like dailydriver mentions, they need decent heat with dry ground to offer proper grip.
As you can see by my location (San Diego, CA, soon to be permanently Brisbane) It's usually dry and warm, somewhat pleasant, but when I was driving around on my NT555 R2's (just driving them home to see what it would be like on the street) on a pleasantly warm sunny day, they had unbelievable grip, until I hit a wet spot. The next thing I knew I was facing the opposite direction, and it was on a 55 mph speed limit road in front of my apartment complex.
6/32 of tread is as low as you want to go on a street tyre, and those Nitto's I believe already start with something near that, and like dailydriver mentions, they need decent heat with dry ground to offer proper grip.