What's wrong?
What's wrong?
(OP)
I like some expert opinion from one engineer to another (Aerospace-EE) on what's going with my car. I was rear ended, lady that hit me was going 30mph or so. In anycase, there's something wrong my car alignment/steering system. My car is a 2008 Acura TL. It has been to 4 different shops, including the an Acura dealer, and a suppose "suspension expert". No one been able to fix it. They would align the car, and then a week later, the car alignment would be completely hosed( i.e alignment would fall out of specs again).
Signs I've noticed:
1. Steering is really tight.
2. Rear Right Camber is out of spec after the accident. Suspension expert put in an adjust control arm to compensate for the camber angle.
3. When I make a right hand turn, the car wants to keep going right and does not return to center. Left turns are fine.
4. Car always wants to go to the right. No road crown issue. It will traverse 3 lanes of highway.
5. Car pulls to the right at low speed (30mph) and high speed (60mph).
6. A week after an alignment, my car feels like there's tremendous drag at 60mph.
7. The shop pretty much swapped out all the arms on right rear wheel and the cradle of the car. Nothing.
Any ideas?
Signs I've noticed:
1. Steering is really tight.
2. Rear Right Camber is out of spec after the accident. Suspension expert put in an adjust control arm to compensate for the camber angle.
3. When I make a right hand turn, the car wants to keep going right and does not return to center. Left turns are fine.
4. Car always wants to go to the right. No road crown issue. It will traverse 3 lanes of highway.
5. Car pulls to the right at low speed (30mph) and high speed (60mph).
6. A week after an alignment, my car feels like there's tremendous drag at 60mph.
7. The shop pretty much swapped out all the arms on right rear wheel and the cradle of the car. Nothing.
Any ideas?





RE: What's wrong?
It should have been totaled and scrapped.
Your lawyer will probably insist that you not drive the car in its current clearly unsafe condition.
Yes, you should talk to a lawyer; you may have to sue, or present a credible threat of suing, one or both insurance companies to make anything happen.
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
RE: What's wrong?
I have tons of paperwork and emails that I kept just in case I have to go the lawyer route. I never hired a lawyer before but it sounds expensive, if you lose or win.
I bought brand new tires for the car after the accident, because they say it was my tires. I called another shop I wanted to bring my car into and told them my story, the manager I spoke with didn't want to touch my car at all.
RE: What's wrong?
You can talk to the lawyer about recovering the cost of the tires, and something for your time, renting another car, all that stuff.
Upon further reflection, I wouldn't drive the car at all. The behavior you report, going out of line after it's been aligned, suggests that the geometry of the car is changing. .... as in, there's a crack somewhere important that hasn't yet grown big enough to be easily discovered, or to turn into a total fracture. You don't want to be driving when that happens.
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
RE: What's wrong?
RE: What's wrong?
You car could have a dragging rear brake piston, too,
RE: What's wrong?
RE: What's wrong?
A chassis hard point is moving due to crack or broken welds.
A bolt is not gripping because:-
1) The thread bottoms out before the joint is clamped.
2) A washer is not gripping because of wear or dirt.
3) A required washer or spacer is missing.
4) A bush is pounded out.
Not mentioned, but a bolt of to small a diameter is in a hole so the part moves within that clearance.
You need to know exactly what aspect or aspects of alignment is changing. Is it always the same thing.
Then put it on a hoist and look and think about every related part and where it might move to create the result.
Regards
Pat
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RE: What's wrong?
Unfortunately there doens't really seem much choice but to find another 'expert'.
Cheers
Greg Locock
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RE: What's wrong?
I missed the part where the rear ended caused a front end alignment issue.
Only way I can see that is if the front of the car was pushed into a kerb during the incident.
Regards
Pat
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RE: What's wrong?
Cheers
Greg Locock
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RE: What's wrong?
Jay Maechtlen
http://www.laserpubs.com/techcomm