Car pulls to one side. Struts damaged???
in [Toyota Camry]
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From: adder1969 on 7 Aug 2007 06:39 On Aug 7, 5:32 am, condor_...(a)yahoo.com wrote: > Dear Experts, > > I have a 97 Camry XLE that I bought in 2000. > > Unbeknownced to me (and the I believe also the dealer), > the car had been in an accident. > > There had been a collision with the right front fender. > The Right front, passenger fender had been changed. > > The car kept pulling to one side. Take it to a laser jig alignment and get them to measure the bodywork/ chassis.
From: John S. on 7 Aug 2007 10:41 On Aug 7, 12:32 am, condor_...(a)yahoo.com wrote: > Dear Experts, > > I have a 97 Camry XLE that I bought in 2000. > > Unbeknownced to me (and the I believe also the dealer), > the car had been in an accident. Did the accident occur in 2000 when you bought the car? Or did it occur recently? Was the dealer repairing the car when the accident occured? > > There had been a collision with the right front fender. > The Right front, passenger fender had been changed. > > The car kept pulling to one side. > > The Tires and passenger Lower Control Arm were changed. > The steering was much better. But not perfect. When were the repairs done and by whom. > > To keep the car straight, I still have to turn the > steering wheel slightly to the right. > > Since then, the right front wheel bearing has also been changed. > There was some play, and the tires became scalloped on > the edges. The tires made strange noises. > > Here are the stats from the wheel alignment the last time I > bought tires. NOte the Caster on the right front. Just within > spec. > > Actual Before Specified Range > > Front Right > > Camber: -1.3 -1.4 -1.4 to 0.1 > Caster 1.4 1.4 1.4 to 2.9 > Toe -0.02 0.04 -0.10 to 0.10 > SAI 13.9 14.0 12.3 to 13.8 > Included angle 12.7 12.7 11.0 to 14.0 > Turning Angle Diff -- -- --- > > Front Left > > Camber: -1.0 -1.1 -1.4 to 0.1 > Caster 2.5 2.5 1.4 to 2.9 > Toe -0.06 -0.13 -0.10 to 0.10 > SAI 14.2 14.4 12.3 to 13.8 > Included angle 13.3 13.3 11.0 to 14.0 > Turning Angle Diff -- -- --- > > I'm wondering if the right front strut might also have been > bent in the accident. And if this could explain the > pull to the left (requiring steering to the right). > Does this make sense? > > If not, does anyone else have any other explanations for > the pull to the left? > > Thanks a lot
From: adder1969 on 7 Aug 2007 11:22 On Aug 7, 12:48 pm, Jeff <kidsdoc2...(a)hotmail.com> wrote: > gazzafield wrote: > > > "Adam H" <adam.t.har...(a)REMOVEntlworld.com> wrote in message > >news:J3Uti.10523$vi3.3179(a)newsfe2-gui.ntli.net... > >>>> I have a 97 Camry XLE that I bought in 2000. > >>>> Unbeknownced to me (and the I believe also the dealer), > >>>> the car had been in an accident. > >>>> There had been a collision with the right front fender. > >>>> The Right front, passenger fender had been changed. > >>>> The car kept pulling to one side. > >>>> The Tires and passenger Lower Control Arm were changed. > >>>> The steering was much better. But not perfect. > >>>> To keep the car straight, I still have to turn the > >>>> steering wheel slightly to the right. > >>>> Since then, the right front wheel bearing has also been changed. > >>>> There was some play, and the tires became scalloped on > >>>> the edges. The tires made strange noises. > >>>> Here are the stats from the wheel alignment the last time I > >>>> bought tires. NOte the Caster on the right front. Just within > >>>> spec. > > >>> Hopefully, you had a 4 wheel alignment and not just a front wheel > >>> alignment. To answer your question, the strut or strut mount may have > >>> been bent in the accident, but it should show up when the alignment > >>> is checked. Also check tire inflation pressure and the condition of > >>> the tires themselves. > > >> Fender? Tire? I thought this was a UK newsgroup? > > > We're the fifty first state of the USA. Did you not know this?! > > Fifty-second. Canada is the fifty-first. And Mexico the fifty-third. > Same day, Peurto Rico may become a state. > I'm lead to believe that *technically* some "states" in The States aren't states at all but are territories therefore there are fewer actual states than most people think. This won't help the car of course.
From: Scott Dorsey on 7 Aug 2007 11:35 adder1969 <adder1969(a)yahoo.co.uk> wrote: > >I'm lead to believe that *technically* some "states" in The States >aren't states at all but are territories therefore there are fewer >actual states than most people think. This won't help the car of >course. No, territories aren't counted in with the fifty states. However, the Commonwealth of Virginia and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts are. --scott -- "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."
From: ChrisCoaster on 7 Aug 2007 12:41
On Aug 6, 11:32 pm, condor_...(a)yahoo.com wrote: > Dear Experts, > > I have a 97 Camry XLE that I bought in 2000. > > Unbeknownced to me (and the I believe also the dealer), > the car had been in an accident. > > There had been a collision with the right front fender. > The Right front, passenger fender had been changed. > > The car kept pulling to one side. > > The Tires and passenger Lower Control Arm were changed. > The steering was much better. But not perfect. > > To keep the car straight, I still have to turn the > steering wheel slightly to the right. > > Since then, the right front wheel bearing has also been changed. > There was some play, and the tires became scalloped on > the edges. The tires made strange noises. > > Here are the stats from the wheel alignment the last time I > bought tires. NOte the Caster on the right front. Just within > spec. > > Actual Before Specified Range > > Front Right > > Camber: -1.3 -1.4 -1.4 to 0.1 > Caster 1.4 1.4 1.4 to 2.9 > Toe -0.02 0.04 -0.10 to 0.10 > SAI 13.9 14.0 12.3 to 13.8 > Included angle 12.7 12.7 11.0 to 14.0 > Turning Angle Diff -- -- --- > > Front Left > > Camber: -1.0 -1.1 -1.4 to 0.1 > Caster 2.5 2.5 1.4 to 2.9 > Toe -0.06 -0.13 -0.10 to 0.10 > SAI 14.2 14.4 12.3 to 13.8 > Included angle 13.3 13.3 11.0 to 14.0 > Turning Angle Diff -- -- --- > > I'm wondering if the right front strut might also have been > bent in the accident. And if this could explain the > pull to the left (requiring steering to the right). > Does this make sense? > > If not, does anyone else have any other explanations for > the pull to the left? > > Thanks a lot _______________________________ Most of the suggestions here are on point(equal tire pressure all around - make sure it's Toyota's recommended pressures NOT the number on the tire, etc). As for your specs above, your front left & right caster specs are a degree off - that will translate to a pull in the direction of least caster(btw you need to tell us is that caster negative or positive?) Your camber(leaning effect of tire) is less negative on the front left - it will pull to the least negative side, hence to your left. Post alignment figures can be within spec but the car can still pull to one side, for reason#1 - bent parts, reason #2, figures for left and right are more than 1/2 degree different - resulting in pull, or reason#3 - car manufacturer over-over-compensates for road crown in designing the suspension, so no amount of adjustment can cure it! **Bring a printout of my suggestion to the shop - if they are a good shop they will already know this and adjust accordingly**. I keep a pound less air in my right-hand tires because although my align. specs are less than 1/2 degree left-right the car insists on pulling left. It's a 2005 Malibu - no accidents, no hard hits, etc. Go figyuh... regards, ChrisCoaster |