# So... i fell asleep



## Xorti7 (Dec 27, 2004)

while driving. Luckily I only hit a curve. I blew a tire but it was replaced for free under warranty. The wheel is fine, just a bit scratched.

(Just FYI, I know it was stupid. I hadnt slept all of friday night, and it was 1a.m. on sunday morning and I was trying to get home.)

Here's the problem: I took the wheel in, got a new tire and came home. I jacked up the car only to find that I couldnt get the tire on. Also, the spare tire rubbed the crap outa the strut. I put the car on stands and jacked up the suspension part. I finally got the tire one, put the car on the ground, and noticed that the wheel would hit the rear part of the wheel weel. I could only turn the wheel about 20º or so before it would bump. Conclusion: the parts the wheel attach to are bent back and tilted toward the strut.

Also, the body has a wrinkle? so to speak on the outside-top of the wheel well and it bowed out towards the nose of the car. (hard to explain) so im suspecting the frame is bent. Theres an noticable gap between the headlight and the hood now.

I switched back to the spare, cried for a little bit, and took the car to the collision center. They est.'ed about $1000.

My question is, what parts do I need to look into that would need replacing? Different shops say different things. I have pretty close to zero experience with auto-body. If no one can give me advice I would understand. Basically I just want to know what is most breakable and what would be total BS. For example the control arm? Seems unlikely to me. How many tie rods do I have? One shop says I have only one, and one shop says I have two? ect..

This sucks


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## dkmura (May 2, 2005)

*Sorry it sucks...*

Your post doen't really give us enough information to make any suggestions. You say you "hit a curve", but did you really hit something? And what wheel/tire was damaged (left-right, front-rear)? Did the car bottom out, hit a guardrail or what? How fast do you estimate you were traveling when you nodded off? 

It does sound like you have much more damage than just a tire that came off the rim and a little body damage. Luckily, you didn't have a heavy crash, but don't underestimate the amount of damage that could have been done.


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## AZ-ZBum (Nov 21, 2004)

sounds like you bent a bunch of stuff. you should take both tires off and compare all points.


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## Xorti7 (Dec 27, 2004)

dkmura said:


> Your post doen't really give us enough information to make any suggestions. You say you "hit a curve", but did you really hit something? And what wheel/tire was damaged (left-right, front-rear)? Did the car bottom out, hit a guardrail or what? How fast do you estimate you were traveling when you nodded off?
> 
> It does sound like you have much more damage than just a tire that came off the rim and a little body damage. Luckily, you didn't have a heavy crash, but don't underestimate the amount of damage that could have been done.


Sorry i wasnt detailed enough, you're right. It was the front right wheel, I was probably going 40+/-. All that happend (that i can really remember) is that I hit the sidewalk curb (not curve, my mistake). The car 'bounced' back from the curb and I stopped the car. The only thing that made contact was the wheel/tire.


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## Xorti7 (Dec 27, 2004)

AZ-ZBum said:


> sounds like you bent a bunch of stuff. you should take both tires off and compare all points.


Good idea, I took the one wheel off and took a look around, but, without something to compair it to, I didn't do me much good.

Edit: besides the fact that I dont really know what to look for.


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

I would suggest a look in the FSM, in the FA (front axle and suspension) section. Sounds like you might have bent or broken the tension rod or the stabilizer bar. The tranverse link (the piece that holds the bottom of the strut) might also be bent, but if thats the case the tension rod and stabilizer bar most certainly are bent as well. All 3 pieces hold the wheel in position, but the stabilizer bar somewhat less so. It would be a victim simply because of it's attachment point. The tension rod actually physically holds the tranverse link in position, so that it does *not* do exactly what you are describing it as doing now, letting the tire rub on the back of the wheel well. I'd say it's actually pretty likely, given how you are desribing what is happening now, that the end of the tranverse link is bent which is why the wheel now rubs on the strut, and the tension rod is likely bent or broken or the bolts holding it are broken, which is why the wheel rubs on the back of the wheel well.


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## Xorti7 (Dec 27, 2004)

Zen31ZR said:


> I would suggest a look in the FSM, in the FA (front axle and suspension) section. Sounds like you might have bent or broken the tension rod or the stabilizer bar. The tranverse link (the piece that holds the bottom of the strut) might also be bent, but if thats the case the tension rod and stabilizer bar most certainly are bent as well. All 3 pieces hold the wheel in position, but the stabilizer bar somewhat less so. It would be a victim simply because of it's attachment point. The tension rod actually physically holds the tranverse link in position, so that it does *not* do exactly what you are describing it as doing now, letting the tire rub on the back of the wheel well. I'd say it's actually pretty likely, given how you are desribing what is happening now, that the end of the tranverse link is bent which is why the wheel now rubs on the strut, and the tension rod is likely bent or broken or the bolts holding it are broken, which is why the wheel rubs on the back of the wheel well.


I just took it to a shop for a much better look and it sounds like you're right on the money. The control arm(traverse link) is definitely bent and the tension rod needs to be replaced. The stabalizer bar looks fine. The big money is the cross member; it's all bent and broken too. The part where it connects to the control arm is messed up. 

It totals to about 720 in just parts.
Control arm - 210
Cross member - 450
Torsion bar - 60

Labor (including straightening out part of the frame) is 600.

If anyone has these parts laying around and could sell them to me, i would really appreciate it. Im not looking for dirt cheap, just trying to take the edge off of the $1550 repairs. If i end up paying that full amount, my repairs will be over the total amount I bought the car for... That wouldnt be so bad if I didnt have to live with knowing its my own fault....


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

You're probably getting off lucky considering the age of the car. The damage could have been a lot worse. I hit a curb with my '70 Dodge 300C and ripped the whole cross-member free of the front subframe. Damage repair would have cost me over $3000, and that was 13 years ago. So grin and bear it and consider yourself lucky. And be more careful next time. If you get that tired, pull over and take a short nap. It's free.


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## Xorti7 (Dec 27, 2004)

So I got the crossmember and control arm from a guy in canada for 160 shipped. I asked for 3-5 day shipping, and it came in about 8 days... I heard canadian postal services kinda sucks (or maybe it got stuck at the border; who knows). I sanded the living crap out of them, painted them, and gave them to the shop. They had it all done and tried to do an alignment but told me the part where the strut attaches is messed up, and the top of the wheel is still tipped towards the car. I was told it was safe and drivable so i drove it to work; where I'm at now. It pulls a little to side and Im putting money on it wearing out to much of the inside of the wheel, but otherwise it seems ok.

Are they total BS, or do I really need to replace the strut? If so is it something you guys think I could do myself? I don't have to compress the spring or anything like that do I?


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## ICP Sux0rZ! (Jan 10, 2005)

if its pullling its not fixed take it back and have them fix it, and i would say tell them to do it for free but since they told you and you consented to take the car its not their fault


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## Xorti7 (Dec 27, 2004)

ICP Sux0rZ! said:


> if its pullling its not fixed take it back and have them fix it, and i would say tell them to do it for free but since they told you and you consented to take the car its not their fault


They said i would need the housing for the strut before they could do anything but that right now its driveable. All i've paid for right now is straightening out the frame and replacing the three parts. Actually, they didnt even charge me for the tension rod, but I wasn't gonna say anything.


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## ICP Sux0rZ! (Jan 10, 2005)

well if u feel safe drive it, me i like being 95-100% sure that my car is road worthy


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## Xorti7 (Dec 27, 2004)

ICP Sux0rZ! said:


> well if u feel safe drive it, me i like being 95-100% sure that my car is road worthy


Yea, I know what you meen. Unfortunantly Ive been without my car for about a month now and I'm not sure how much more I can take of not having it. It was so nice to be able to drive it again.


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## ICP Sux0rZ! (Jan 10, 2005)

Xorti7 said:


> Yea, I know what you meen. Unfortunantly Ive been without my car for about a month now and I'm not sure how much more I can take of not having it. It was so nice to be able to drive it again.


well u got ur fill no take it back and get it safe, we dont wanna loose another Z or a driver :thumbup:


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## dkmura (May 2, 2005)

Xorti7 said:


> So I got the crossmember and control arm from a guy in canada for 160 shipped. I asked for 3-5 day shipping, and it came in about 8 days... I heard canadian postal services kinda sucks (or maybe it got stuck at the border; who knows). I sanded the living crap out of them, painted them, and gave them to the shop. They had it all done and tried to do an alignment but told me the part where the strut attaches is messed up, and the top of the wheel is still tipped towards the car. I was told it was safe and drivable so i drove it to work; where I'm at now. It pulls a little to side and Im putting money on it wearing out to much of the inside of the wheel, but otherwise it seems ok.
> 
> Are they total BS, or do I really need to replace the strut? If so is it something you guys think I could do myself? I don't have to compress the spring or anything like that do I?


If you keep on driving a misaligned car, it'll only end up costing you money. The tires are wearing in an irregular pattern and other suspension parts are being stressed in ways that could lead to eventual failure. As you've mentioned, if the strut mount is damaged you'll need to have the shop replace it (but they should have picked that up). I'd also consider replacing the strut itself and yes, you will need a coil spring compressor tool to do it safely!


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## Xorti7 (Dec 27, 2004)

dkmura said:


> If you keep on driving a misaligned car, it'll only end up costing you money. The tires are wearing in an irregular pattern and other suspension parts are being stressed in ways that could lead to eventual failure. As you've mentioned, if the strut mount is damaged you'll need to have the shop replace it (but they should have picked that up). I'd also consider replacing the strut itself and yes, you will need a coil spring compressor tool to do it safely!


Thanks, I guess Ill start looking for a used one then. (new is 900$ or something). :thumbdwn:


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