[s-cars] Tire wear/suspension help needed

[Steve Marinello]

Okay, Peter, now you're scaring me with bigger $$$.  What is the easiest 
way to check the rack?

Steve

On 7/30/2011 9:24 AM, Peter wrote:
> 1. Tie rod end.
> 2. Broken rack.  (from holding tight onto the steering wheel when he 
> was hit and chipping/breaking a gear tooth/teeth and allowing the tie 
> rod to have "slop".)  /Peter
>
> On Sat, Jul 30, 2011 at 7:32 AM, Steve Marinello 
> <smarinello at entouch.net <mailto:smarinello at entouch.net>> wrote:
>
>     The subject car is the kids' '04 A4q Ultrasport.  You may remember
>     that I mentioned he was in an accident while at college.  The car
>     was hit pretty hard at the passenger side rear door and rear
>     bulkhead as he made a left turn and was hit by someone rushing in
>     a new Accord to make the light.  Bad decision/speed estimation or
>     whatever.  The car was hit hard enough to spin him and the
>     original estimate of $4k blossomed to $8.5 k as they worked on it.
>      Still it came out okay, it seemed, with a new door RR door,
>     fender and suspension pieces there.  As the tire was shot, I
>     shipped him out a couple of barely used spares and we drove it out
>     from San Diego to Houston at the end of May.  Since then, he also
>     did a round trip to/from Alabama to visit my father-in-law this
>     summer.  I was in the car with him and heard what sounded like
>     feathering/cupping was going on in the right front.  Checked it
>     out...very localized and significant wear, down to the belt over
>     about three inches on the inside with focused wear extending
>     another couple of inches per side.  This is on one of the tires
>     sent out, not one that was in the accident.  My mechanic did not
>     see anything more than me, which is the engine mount on that side
>     is shot; completely collapsed and split.  So, two engine mounts
>     and the tranny mount will be replaced, but my question is, to our
>     resident experts, is that kind of wear possible without something
>     else bent or messed up in the front suspension?
>
>     I'll deal with the tire today, and order either 034 mounts or RS4
>     mounts from ECS Monday, but what do you guys think?
>
>     TIA,
>
>     Steve
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