curb hit

[THOMAS TAUSKEY]

Greetings all:

For Christmas, my youngest daughter gave our '89 80Q a curb smack on the right front :(

Since the car has 130K, and with this latest hit, it's probably time for new front parts all around.
I'm collecting parts for the job and letting the car rest unitl the weather warms up  Normal maintenance - related parts will be replaced 
(i.e. complete strut rebuilds and balljoints). I was surprised to find out that complete control arms (with all bushings, incl. sway bar attachment) 
can be had for only about $80 ea. (from TPC).. 

Car is still driveable but steering wheel is a good 45 degrees off-center (counterclockwise) so the turn signals won't cancel.
The control arm bushings on both sides are totally worn out (with wheels in the air I can move both front wheels a good 1/2 inch forward and back).
Otherwise (except for a foot-long scrape on the outside radius of  the r/f wheel - it's a BBS latice alloy, of course) there's no obvious damage such as excessive clearance/bent parts/loosed up bolts. 

The r/f wheel doesn't seem to have been bent.  Lateral runout was checked by rotating the wheel (jacked up) against the tip of a wire (afixed to a conveniently placed garbage can with a pair of vice grips). Though I doubt this was the most accurate measurement set-up that could be devised - there really didn't seem to be any runout at all.. 

While driving there's an occasional "clunk" which I think may be the control arms taking a different "set" in response to road forces .

After driving the car in its latest condition several times, however, I have "eyeballed" the front wheel alignment when parked.
This indicates the left front wheel now has obvious and consistent excessive negative camber at rest (i.e. the top of the wheel is canted inwards).  
The camber of the right front wheel (which is the one that hit the curb) appears normal. 

Also - the tie-rod/steering rack assembly is loose in that it can be rotated an inch or more radially (basically up/down) when gripped at the central fitting at the end of steering rack.

Here's the questions (if you've read along so far you know they're coming).... 

Would a hit in the r/f affect the l/f wheel camber?  and    (bonus question)....

What is likely to cure the loosened up steering gear (i.e. radial play at end of steering rack). 

Looking forward to thoughts and suggestions as always...


Tom Tauskey 
'89 200Q (this one with a pax side guardrail body slam administered by other daughter)
'89 80Q
'88 80