How bad can this be (suspension damage)

[DaveZ]

OK first time in snow in my legacy, and though I am experienced in snow I've never driven a 4WD in snow, did not expect the acceleration you get even on the slippery stuff...anyway, pulled out of a side street, main street like ice, ended up sideways into a curb. Ouch.

 

Left (strike side) rear wheel is now in a positive camber, while the right is slightly negative.

 

Any experience out there for how much trouble this is likely to be?

[robinlsb]

BIG BUCKS, sorry:( :( Call your insurance agent, now.

[DaveZ]

I'm thinking $500 - $750, looks like the lower arm is compressing the bushing into the lower subframe but neither looks bent, in which case it looks pretty straightforward.

 

I suppose that lower arm could be bent and replacing that'll be on the higher end of cost.

 

Considering I have a $1000 deductible, I'll just deal with this myself.

 

Worst case I suppose would be lower subframe bent, as well as lower arm, in which case, what else do you think would have been messed up?

[whitetiger]

usually this kind of thing is just bent arms of different sorts. the rear suspension is easy to work on. i may be better to do it yourself. id have a mechanic look at it and tell you was bent, and then replace the parts yourself.

[bugblatterbeast]

don't forget the bearing. every encounter with curb I've had to deal with, which bent some control arms, resulted in at least a bad bearing. sometimes it doesn't show up right away, which is a pain because you might have to get a second alignment if the bearing is replaced later.

[bosco]

check the half shaft cv/u-joints also. don't ask. bosco

[DaveZ]

OK - will ask them to check bearings & halfshaft CV joints. This won't be pretty.

[Komodo Wagon]

I had the exact thing happen to me on New Years day! My total bill for the fix was around $600.00. ($800.00 with tow) Bent control arm, wheel bearing noise, bushings,etc. and alignment. I also cosmetically trashed the front rim but it did not bend. after a week of looking at it, I placed an order today with Subydude for a Rota Tarmac 3 pkg.

 

All in all I was pretty relieved that it was "only" $800.00. Hope your mishap costs you less.

[DaveZ]

Hi Komodo - thanks, I appreciate your sharing. Helps to have a ballpark. Heck I can drive my car and no wheel damage, so I'm hoping I'm closer to $500 than $1000. Goes in tomorrow. Will let y'all know...

[turbo2nr]

$3800:lol:

 

(I'm serious!~)

[DaveZ]

Well, it is $70 - had it checked on the way home, no damage, needed an alignment though. Only issues is that I can still hear a bit of a hum from the back, could be a bearing, though the tech checked the wheel and it did not appear to have issues. He said come back in a month if it gets worse.

 

The gasket I saw that looked compacted was the sway bar link, no issue there, it is an articulated link. And the wheel was at a neutral camber, so it really did not get knocked very hard (other side is at a standard slightly negative camber).

 

Looks like may have dodged a bullet. I have to go off on a 2 week trip, then I'll be back driving and I'll see of the noise is for real or just from the snow on the roads.