Technical Front left wheel problem

[TejmaLee]

Hi all,
my car had a small front crash recently, but needed only a cosmetic fix. At the same time i changed all 4 tyres and did wheel alignment.
Few days ago, I noticed that front left tyre is lower than one on the other side for 5mm. Checkd the tyre pressure, and it was the same on all tyres. Swapped the wheels, and again tyre on front left wheel was lower...
When the car was in a garage for tyre change and wheel alignment, they told me that I have slightly bigger camber angle on front right wheel. Anyway, car drives fine, and I can't feel any problem in steering, but I'm bit worried.

Can someone explain/help on this topic.

 

[Hellcat]

Sounds like you have either bent something in the suspension - or bent the front of the car.

 

[TejmaLee]

Well, I though so too.
The car was a bit bent in front, but that was fixed, so it must be something in the suspension... I guess.

 

[PNL]

Have a look at the strut I had a people carrier hit me and it bent the strut I had a camber until I change the strut

 

[TejmaLee]

Thanks!
Definitely something with suspension is wrong... Hellcat also suspect that...
I'll give it a look and iform you about it.

 

[minimad99]

I noticed that front left tyre is lower than one on the other side for 5mm.

Do you mean that the left tyre looks more squashed? or that the left side of the car is lower than the right?

 

[LoBsTeR]

Have you had the suspension recall done? Could be a snapped spring up top.

 

[TejmaLee]

Do you mean that the left tyre looks more squashed? or that the left side of the car is lower than the right?

Yes, it means that left tyre looks more squashed... When mesuering from pavement to the rim it is 5mm more sguased. It looks like a car is much heavier on that wheel.
I didn't have a chance to measure hight of the car on each sides, but I guess it must be lower on left (because of the lower tyre hight).
Springs look fine from what I could see. They will check them on monday at the garage.
Im 'so confused... this guy that was fixing a car after crash told me that all measurement on the front of the car are fine. I'cant believe that something in suspension is not right and that I can't hear or feel a thing...

 

[LoBsTeR]

Now that is an odd one. You tried looking at this on a perfect flat I suppose?

The camber issue is cause for concern. There should be no difference at all. Any adverse camber on an individual wheel can shift the wheight of the vehicle in the opposite direction. I would speak to the people whe repaired the car and ask them to sort it.

 

[minimad99]

can you post your camber figures if you got a print out so we can see how different the are.

 

[TejmaLee]

I have print out, and will retype it shortly, so all of you can check it out.

 

[TejmaLee]

here are the figures:

Back:
Chamber left wheel: -0º47'
Chamber right wheel: -0º46'

Toe left wheel: +0º12'
Toe right wheel: +0º11'
Toe total: +0º23'

Front:
Chamber left wheel: +0º13'
Chamber right wheel: +1º31'

Toe left wheel: +0º01
Toe right wheel: +0º01'
Toe total: +0º02'

I also have some more measurements on front, that I can't translate and they are:
left wheel: +0º48
right wheel: +1º11'
(think that's steering wheel centering; because before centering, while driving on straight line, steering wheel was turned more to the right)

and:
left wheel: +12º45
right wheel: +13º27'
(which is some kind of "side angle" - roughly translated)

 

[TejmaLee]

Thanx to all of you,

it was strut problem, causing camber angle to be too large. I thought that 1º was not so big difference, as it came out to be.
The mechanic just repositioned strut. After all wheel alignment, chamber angles were almost the same, and car sits completely flat.

 

[Argonought]

it was strut problem, causing camber angle to be too large.

Yes; one bonus that came out of my spring saga is that all adjustments are now well within tolerance (before it was slightly out on camber) :spin:

It would seem re-installation of the strut does provide for some small adjustment of camber sufficient at least to get most cars back to tolerance.

Might be a better solution than resorting to camber adjusting bolts