YACT: Alignment probs on my Accord?

[GT1999]

I'll make this short n' sweet. I need some help from you guys on this one:

Hit a pothole (actually, a very large one) in my '95 Honda Accord.
It bent/flattened the rim a decent amount. Got a good deal from the Honda dealership on a new one, installed. They said everything looks fine now. If it pulls in any direction, that I'd probably need an alignment. I kept the receipt.

Drove the car home as the dealership closed. Car pulls to the right a decent amount.

They were closed the next day, so I brought it into Midas for an alignment. The car still pulls to the right. 60 day warranty on the alignment.

Total money spent: ~$250 just for hitting a pothole.

Granted, I got a brand new rim, and supposedtly an alignment, plus labor -- but I'm pretty pissed that it's costing this much.

So Monday, I'm thinking I should take it into Midas, and explain that it's still pulling to the right and see if they can recommend something, since it'll be free (60 day warranty).

If they say they've done all they can do and can't offer any advice, I'll ask for my money back, and probably not get it, but then take it to the dealership and explain the situation to them.

So I'm turning to you guys, hopefully to save me some $$$, which I'm short on... :-/

 

[TechnoKid]

which rim bent?

only stock adjusment on hondas is toe (as far as I know); there are no camber or caster adjustments so if a suspension piece got bent, that may be why its still pulling. Hunter alignments machines are pretty much industry standard, however, it takes a good technichian to align some cars especialy eurpean makes; they may have to do bumpsteer, caster, camber, toe in/out etc.

If you alignment is good, and no suspension pices got bent, then you have radial tire pull, however, you'd have had that even before your rim was swapped out.

 

[GT1999]

Originally posted by: TechnoKid
which rim bent?

only stock adjusment on hondas is toe (as far as I know); there are no camber or caster adjustments so if a suspension piece got bent, that may be why its still pulling. Hunter alignments machines are pretty much industry standard, however, it takes a good technichian to align some cars especialy eurpean makes; they may have to do bumpsteer, caster, camber, toe in/out etc.

If you alignment is good, and no suspension pices got bent, then you have radial tire pull, however, you'd have had that even before your rim was swapped out.

it's the passenger's side front end rim that got replaced. it was seriously flat -- I had it jacked up and saw it myself at home.

Do you think it's possible then that the passenger's front tire could be causing this alone? What do you think I should ask Midas? I'm hoping they can take care of all of this.

Thanks for helping out. 🙂

 

[TechnoKid]

your tire probably got damaged too if the rim was that "flat." i'm surprised they even used the old tire on the new rim. also, i'm almost sure somethign got bent in the suspension there.

PS, unless your midas is good (you personally know someone who works there), i would not trust them with my car needs. For suspension and tires, take it to a tire shop (that uses a hunter series 811 alignement machine), and for suspension and brakes, take it to a small local mechanic. I have several good ones in town, and so should you.

 

[GT1999]

Originally posted by: TechnoKid
your tire probably got damaged too if the rim was that "flat." i'm surprised they even used the old tire on the new rim. also, i'm almost sure somethign got bent in the suspension there.

PS, unless your midas is good (you personally know someone who works there), i would not trust them with my car needs. For suspension and tires, take it to a tire shop (that uses a hunter series 811 alignement machine), and for suspension and brakes, take it to a small local mechanic. I have several good ones in town, and so should you.

How much do you think it'd cost to fix bent suspension? Or to fix a problem like this? That's my last question. 😛

Thanks again.

 

[TechnoKid]

Originally posted by: Geekish Thoughts

Originally posted by: TechnoKid
your tire probably got damaged too if the rim was that "flat." i'm surprised they even used the old tire on the new rim. also, i'm almost sure somethign got bent in the suspension there.

PS, unless your midas is good (you personally know someone who works there), i would not trust them with my car needs. For suspension and tires, take it to a tire shop (that uses a hunter series 811 alignement machine), and for suspension and brakes, take it to a small local mechanic. I have several good ones in town, and so should you.

How much do you think it'd cost to fix bent suspension? Or to fix a problem like this? That's my last question. 😛

dunno, your steering knuckle (~$185), upper control arm (~$175), lower control arm (~$160), or the shock (~$110), or the radius rods (~$50) could need replacement. Depending on what got bent, it could be anywhere from $50 to $185 just for the part, plus the labor to install it. Those are all Honda dealer

• retail prices for the parts, you may be able to get warehouse prices, or aftermarket products that serve the same purpose at a lesser cost.
  
  How come you didn't have it cheked out at the Honda dealer as far as bent suspension pieces?

 

[GT1999]

I told them to, but the Honda dealership I took it to wasn't able to do the work themselves, so they took it to a tire place in town to put the rim they ordered on. Kind of pathetic, huh? I'm really pissed about it.

I'm guessing that if they couldn't put the new rim on themselves, because they just sell cars, that they won't be able to work on the suspension themselves, either, and they'll have to send it off again.

If that's the case I'm just going to drive to the nearest Honda dealership that can actually do the job RIGHT.

 

[NeoPTLD]

Don't take it to Midas.
Take it to pepboys or Les Schwab.

 

[TechnoKid]

Originally posted by: NeoPTLD
Don't take it to Midas.
Take it to pepboys or Les Schwab.

les schwab over pepboys or midas anyday. i dont like pepboys near me, they couldn't even press out a wheel bearing properly.

 

[NeoPTLD]

Midas will only use their parts and their parts are OUTRAGEOUSLY priced.

 

[GT1999]

Update:

I pulled out the Honda dealership receipt and got this:

J# wheel service - Tech 08
Customer requested that we sublet ordered wheel to tire store for installation. Find out which wheel to switch. Sublet replacement of wheel and had mounted and balanced.

J# suspension service - Tech 08
Customer request we check suspension. Chcked suspension amnd checked ok. Found one of the passenger front sway bar bushings cracked but ok at this time.

wheel 148.98
install of wheel 18.00
freight of wheel 13.50


So according to this, my suspension is okay... and that alignment was done at Midas. So I'm thinking now that either a) just the tire is bad b) Midas did a crap job on the alignment and I should keep taking it in until it's fixed or c) the tire service that Honda had check my suspension didn't check it properly.

 

[db]

Go to a frame and alignment shop. They know what they are doing, unlike the other hosers out there.

 

[GT1999]

Today I brought it back to Midas, and they said the suspension is bent majorly - the lower control arm, and a spindal. They quote me for the parts, which were actually priced about what they should be, and labor for putting it on, $550 total. I saw the lower control arm for myself, and it was indeed very bent.

I then went back to the Honda dealership and explained the situation, and that they told me the suspension was fine, when it wasn't. They say they're sorry, and that they'll have a suspension specialist look at it tomorrow and that I should drop the car off. Wow - them saying they're sorry makes me feel so much better, let me tell ya!

$700 on my credit card this month plus:

$4100 loan for the car
$200 for a new rim with installation and balancing of tire [Honda]
$59 for alignment [Midas]
~$600-800 for new lower control arm, and spindal for suspension along with installation [To be done at Honda]
~$80 for an alignment from Honda most likely after new suspension parts are installed [To be done at Honda]

Me = not so happy right now.

Hey, I guess I could be dead, though. And I still have my girlfriend.