Please help! I hit a curb :(
Please help! I hit a curb :(
Abstract: I took a hard right turn, and I skidded into a curb going about 15-20 mph




Note: These are pictures of the wheels with the steering wheel directing them straight.
Questions:
What might be the damages?
Are the damages major?
Will the damages be costly to repair?
Thank you very much
Regards,
cona
Note: These are pictures of the wheels with the steering wheel directing them straight.
Questions:
What might be the damages?
Are the damages major?
Will the damages be costly to repair?
Thank you very much
Regards,
cona
Last edited by cona; Jul 21, 2013 at 01:29 PM. Reason: added pictures
If you think a good mechanic is expensive, try hiring a bad one
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 32,017
Likes: 256
From: Midwest. Aiming about mid-chest
Rep Power: 518 










Re: Please help! I hit a curb :(
First pic shows the wheel is no longer aimed straight ahead?
You have suspension damage.
Something is bent.
If YOU can't tell what is bent, you need to go to someone that CAN tell what is bent.
Typical scenario is a visual inspection first, fix the obvious damage found, then do a wheel alignment and see if everything still can be aligned properly. If not, then more investigating and replacement may need done.
I can tell you right now that sometimes it is nearly impossible to see when a component is only tweaked a few millimeters using the naked eye. That can be more than enough to cause a problem, and sometimes the only way to figure it out is to put it on the alignment rack. I've had others with frame/subframe damage that I had to send to a trusted and competent body and frame shop to figure out.
First call your insurance company. Let them call the shots if they will cover the damage.
Second call if you have to take care of it yourself would be a trusted mechanic/shop that is good with suspension.
You have suspension damage.
Something is bent.
If YOU can't tell what is bent, you need to go to someone that CAN tell what is bent.
Typical scenario is a visual inspection first, fix the obvious damage found, then do a wheel alignment and see if everything still can be aligned properly. If not, then more investigating and replacement may need done.
I can tell you right now that sometimes it is nearly impossible to see when a component is only tweaked a few millimeters using the naked eye. That can be more than enough to cause a problem, and sometimes the only way to figure it out is to put it on the alignment rack. I've had others with frame/subframe damage that I had to send to a trusted and competent body and frame shop to figure out.
First call your insurance company. Let them call the shots if they will cover the damage.
Second call if you have to take care of it yourself would be a trusted mechanic/shop that is good with suspension.
7th Gen Civic DIY Enthusiast!
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 784
Likes: 5
From: Honolulu, HI USA
Rep Power: 186 



Re: Please help! I hit a curb :(
In the one picture you have it looks like the compliance bushing on the lower control arm is kind of angled upwards which would indicate to me your lower control is bent inwards. You might have bent your wheel rim as well. You may have damaged your lower stabilizer bar link as well. That may be all that's damaged, but I highly recommend your follow ezones advice and get your insurance company involved or find a good body shop/mechanic to take a look at it.
If you think a good mechanic is expensive, try hiring a bad one
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 32,017
Likes: 256
From: Midwest. Aiming about mid-chest
Rep Power: 518 










Re: Please help! I hit a curb :(
2nd group of pics looks like the bottom of the LF wheel has been pushed in and the whole thing is shoved back.
Lower control arm is most likely bent, it takes the brunt of the impact. Hard to tell what else may be damaged.
Wheel should be easy to tell if bent. Spin it.
Someone who knows what they are doing needs to be under there checking it out.
No point in attempting to align anything until the obviously bent parts are replaced.
I would expect that wheel bearing to go bad in the near future too.
Lower control arm is most likely bent, it takes the brunt of the impact. Hard to tell what else may be damaged.
Wheel should be easy to tell if bent. Spin it.
Someone who knows what they are doing needs to be under there checking it out.
No point in attempting to align anything until the obviously bent parts are replaced.
I would expect that wheel bearing to go bad in the near future too.
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 15,176
Likes: 1,605
From: TN
Rep Power: 367 










Re: Please help! I hit a curb :(
what is obvious right here already:
LCA is bent
Sway is not connected anymore.
many more other parts could be damaged, including wheel.
just take to the mechanic and have them check what else could be damaged. posting these pics does not help you too much. if repairs seem too much, come back here again with more pics with stuff disassembled and pointing what the mechanic says is done for.
LCA is bent
Sway is not connected anymore.
many more other parts could be damaged, including wheel.
just take to the mechanic and have them check what else could be damaged. posting these pics does not help you too much. if repairs seem too much, come back here again with more pics with stuff disassembled and pointing what the mechanic says is done for.
Thread
Thread Starter
Honda Civic Forum
Replies
Last Post
Balkos
Archive - Parts for Sale
2
Sep 11, 2015 11:39 PM





