[s-cars] Tire wear/suspension help needed

[Steve Marinello]

Well, took a closer look at the tire.  Had noted the one very worn spot, 
but it was at the top, as the car sat, without any other apparent wear 
around the perimeter, but... After thinking maybe bent tie rod, I rolled 
it forward a bit and sure enough, another not-quite-as-bad worn patch 
180 degrees opposite on the other side.  So I'm guessing something is 
definitely bent in there.

Of course, I'm out of town this coming week and he planned to head to 
San Diego around the 17th or 18th.  Always a freakin' time crunch...  
Had Discount Tire swap out another spare on there, but they informed my 
that the rears are much more worn on the inside edges, evenly and 
equally.  They really messed up the alignment on this thing after the 
accident.  Wear had been even beforehand. Now I have to deal with an 
insurance company who is cancelling his insurance as of the 26th.  That 
should be interesting.  They may get awfully close to paying out more 
than I paid for the car.

Steve

On 7/30/2011 10:26 AM, Peter wrote:
> Jack the one tire off the pavement with the wheels pointed straight 
> forward, shake the tire manually with yours hands back and forth to 
> see if there is "slop" in the tie rod. Then move the steering wheel a 
> little each way and try it again.  It should be covered as a 
> supplement to your insurance claim. /Peter
>
> On Sat, Jul 30, 2011 at 9:11 AM, Steve Marinello 
> <smarinello at entouch.net <mailto:smarinello at entouch.net>> wrote:
>
>     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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>>
>
>