jmezo

Well I hit a curb going down hill on a curve. I hit it pretty good and bent the pass side front wheel. The rim was replaced. I took it to Monroe to get it back into alignment but they could only do the tow in. Now the tire is not vertical with the pavement. The top of the tire is about 4 deg off vertical. Did I bend the strut? I dont see any way of adjusting this. ( Need a New strut?) Too cold to get under this thing right now.
Anyone go through this yet?

Thanks,
John

Nad1370

Do you have the Print out of the Alignment?
I reaaly like to see the Caster value.

Sounds like at least a bent strut. Maybe a lower control arm/ball joint.

jmezo

I dont have the printout but I know its not in spec.

Just looking the lower arm it doesn't look bent...

Nad1370

Well, I would start replacing the Strut and see if it brings it in to spec or at least closer to it.
Then re-check the rest of the suspension if it's still out.

sktn77a

iTrader: (2)

Don't replace anything until you know what the problem is. You need to know what the caster and camber of that side of the suspension is. Then you need to look at the other suspension components to see if anything else is wrong (bent/otherwise damage parts). You may be able to use a camber adjustment plate to fix the problem (these can also be used to adjust the caster, slightly, also). If you ultimately decide you need to replace the strut, remember you must replace both front struts.

Nad1370

The shop will of course make the call to replace parts if deemed neccessary.

There is no Camber plate to adjust camber values for the RX.
No Caster adj either. Although changing camber will likely change caster.
There is however camber bolts avail.
But in your case, 4 degrees off is just too much to compensate.
Smallest bolt for camber adj. will only yeild 1.3 degrees.

Australian

I would think the tie rods are bent or your control arm. If the strut was to bend it would usually come apart so i doubt it is the strut alone. Struts when bent don't usually work at all.

code58

I am amazed that the shop didn't tell you what needed to be replaced. Did they do the toe or only tell you that that is all that could be adjusted? I designed and had my talented brother build 2 different gauges that would tell with authority whether the strut was bent or whether the spindle was bent and also whether the steering arm (on the spindle) was bent. I was doing body and frame work then and used them for quite a few years. Not only did they come in handy for me but also to prove to the adjuster when something was bent as I also did front end alignment for the body shops I worked in. It took all guess work out of the equation.
I also say, don't throw parts at it, find out what all is bent 1st., then replace what's needed. My guess is it's pretty much in the strut, but I have seen the spindle bent (some at least) many times in spite of the short coupled nature of the part.
I agree with Nad, there are no caster or camber adjustments (as adjustments) on the front suspension of the RX, only toe. And no plate to give adjustment either. If you replace the strut and still have a small amount of excess poss. camber, I'll PM you about how to easily take care of it.

jmezo

The strut seems to be working and drives smoothly ( no vibration...). Only a slight pull to the right. I will take a pic of this to show you what it looks like tonight. Not glad to hear about "no adjustment plates..."

code58

A pull to the right would be normal with 4 degrees pos. camber, although I would certainly thought it would have been more than slight. If it has a ball joint at the lower control arm, which I'm sure it has, I have seen the shaft in those bent rather severely sometimes from that kind of curb strike, and that may be where most of the pos. camber is coming from. Check that out 1st.! If you take the nut off and break the ball joint loose from the tapered hole, you should easily be able to see the bend in the ball joint shaft. If you put a block under the lower control arm and then jack the frame up just a little to take the weight off the strut, you can pull the ball joint out of the hole to look at it without any danger. You can even leave the nut on 2 or 3 threads to let it pop loose without it coming out. Common sense is advised.

jmezo

Interesting.
Here is what it looks like.

code58

I'm not doubting what you were told but that doesn't LOOK like 4 degrees pos. camber. I still suggest checking the lower ball joint 1st.

jmezo

I just estimated aprox 4 deg. I never got the actual values. I will have the ball joint looked at.
Thanks for the help,
John

sktn77a

iTrader: (2)

Arrgghhh - getting my RX and IS mixed up! Yes, the bolts are the adjustment on the RX. I've seen some that go up to 1.75 degrees but if anything is bent beyond that, it will need to be replaced.

Any decent alignment shop should be able to tell you what the problem is. I don't think a bent strut is the most likely.

code58

Keith- when you say the bolts ARE the adjustment on the RX, do you mean the bolts that require a reading 1st to use the correct bolt, or am I missing something?
Roger