I Hit a Kerb too! Not so lucky!

[TokyoPhil]

My mate works in a place that can repair drive shafts. He's quoted the steering rack arm as £30 including next day delivery if that's any good to you?

[Gizmo]

Twisted wishbone, and bent steering arm. Suspect a deranged driveshaft too.

Agreed, but I would say the CV joint is gone too, do you still have drive?

Also a new tyre needed.

[Rob.]

Thanks TokyoPhil, I'll get back to you if needed but my guy has loadsa contacts that he knows and trusts so think I'll let him use who he wants unless he gets stuck.

Gizmo, I was about to swap out the tyres anyway... those were rubbish "cheapest of the cheap" budget ones (previous owner put them on all 4 corners)... Seems I shoulda paid more attention to my thoughts off "Hmm, these tyres aint very good"

I've got a whole set of spare wheels that came with the car, 2 of them mint that I planned to fit when I changed the tyres. They've got conti2's on but they're covered in age cracks!

Oh, and yeah... still got drive (well, I think I have.. coulda been pulled along by one wheel i guess when i limped round the corner)

.

[Gizmo]

Oh, and yeah... still got drive (well, I think I have.. coulda been pulled along by one wheel i guess when i limped round the corner)

.

That rules out a completely broken CV joint then, on car with a std diff the power goes to the wheel with the least resistance ONLY, so most 2wd cars have power going to just 1 wheel at any one time.

But i agree with Ken something doesn't look right with the driveshaft/CV.

[KenONeill]

It could just be that the driveshaft's in a funny place because all the locating arms are bent, but I'd want it checking properly.

[Rob.]

Well, just waiting on the car to be picked up some point this week.. will report back once mechanic has had a poke around.

God I hope this doesn't go over a K to sort as I really don't wanna have to claim and loose my bonus.. the first year alone is worth 35%.. and I've got 2 years!..but not 4, so I'm unprotected!

.

[ELI_VRS]

In December when we had the first load of snow I skidded into the kerb at about 10 mph but nothing other than kerb damage to the wheel. Just took it to get tracking done and it was fine - odd how these things can end with completely different results! (I don't mean to rub it in by the way lol!)

[Rob.]

In December when we had the first load of snow I skidded into the kerb at about 10 mph but nothing other than kerb damage to the wheel. Just took it to get tracking done and it was fine - odd how these things can end with completely different results! (I don't mean to rub it in by the way lol!)

No, I totally agree.. it all seems to come down to the angle, kerb hight and of course speed. To look at my wheel I wouldn't have thought it could cause all this damage. I've seen much worse wheels on cars that have just hit a pot hole and needed a new wheel.

It's like that statistic that says if you hit someone at 30 they have a gizzilion more chance of surviving then at 40.

.

[KenONeill]

I'm saying get it checked properly, because I don't know that/if I can see all the damage, and I'm more scared about the prospect that I can't and you've bent the chassis or subframe than about the damage I can see.

[Sy.]

you've bent the chassis

You wont have bent the chassis at all.....

Hence why the wishbone is so bent. If anything the subfame will bend and I doubt you've done that as it'll crack first

[Kablam]

I bought my car with similar damage and it had bent the bottom arm, steering rack arm and drive shaft. Just to give you an idea of what you might have to replace.

Do you have full comp insurance? How much is your excess?? Might be cheaper to go through them to get it repaired, but I’d get the wheel off and have a good look to assess the damage before making the insurance aware of it.

I had the same thing and my car was written off as there was a chance of gearbox damage, but exploratory surgery on my car was not an option apparently :(

[Rob.]

I'm saying get it checked properly, because I don't know that/if I can see all the damage, and I'm more scared about the prospect that I can't and you've bent the chassis or subframe than about the damage I can see.

I appreciate your concern I'll be sure to mention to my Mechanic about checking the chassis for any damage that may not be obvious.

Edited 5 February, 2009 by reflex88

[strong bow]

if it makes you feel any better my repair just costing £400 new steering arm and front bushes and 4 wheel track the also tried to flog me another £500 worth of work at his point I kindly delined thier offer! Fair play caffins in Tonbridge formerly tunbridge wells quick friendly service will pick up this evening hopefully!

[Rob.]

Kablam, yours was wrote of becuase of possible Gear Box Damage? Oh God that sucks. I Hope mines ok.

It gets into 1st ok, with the damage it has I haven't got it any higher yet. Drove it round the corner on the anti stall, didn't use the accelerator at all. I prob crashed in 2nd (can't remember tbh)... but 99% sure I had the clutch on the floor at point of impact because it didn't even stall... another reason why at first.. I really didn't think I'd done any damage.... by no means as much as I have. Thought I'd just bounced up the kerb and maybe bent the wheel.

Cars still outside here (work) My Mechanic is a one man show so not the quickest at responding.. but worth the wait for the confidence I have in his work, and fair prices.

Oh, I had a question for the more technical minded as well.

Apart from the spring and shocks, Brakes and wheels, is there anything else I might have broke that is vRS specific?

.

[gadgetman]

I really wouldnt be driving it myself especially above 30mph. Tyre & wheel damage alone needs urgent attention.

Could get serious is something fails whilst being driven.

[JVOB]

Did almost the same but at 40 mph. also without touching the front wing..the n/s/f wheel went back exactly as yours but in my case the very low tyre on my GT 130 PD gave up on a rock out of a dry stone wall, but the wheel then came up against the end of an unmovable wall and the car pitch poled right over its nose and landed on its side pointing in the other direction. Like yours the wishbone had just bent backwards allowing the wheel to go back..I don't know if this is by design (to maintain driving cell integrity), but having previously restored and closely involved with classic cars, In my opinion this is not a likely thing to happen on earlier vehicles. But maybe it is that these ultra low profile tyres that don't have the capacity to absorb or shrug off such common incidents and are therefore not really fit for purpose on anything other than smooth roads. I certainly will never have them again.

Edited 4 February, 2009 by JVOB
Word duplication

[markyvrs]

Have you lifted the bonnet and checked the strut for damage. This being bent back looks like it may cause some damage at the top.

Unless of course it is designed to have a pivotal tolerance

[jonnycatbiscuit]

looking at the pics and having repaired a few different makes of car with almost identical wheel positioning, I would say that you are going to need a new lower wishbone, steering arm (used to be called track rod arms) and you'll probably find your wheel can be refurbed.

Not too bad...

[Rob.]

I really wouldnt be driving it myself especially above 30mph. Tyre & wheel damage alone needs urgent attention.

Could get serious is something fails whilst being driven.

I'm not driving it, so don't panic .. I didn't have much choice in the early hours on Monday, I had got all the way to work but was literally around the corner, I had to do something with the car As I was stuck blocking the gates to the Fed-ex Depot and the AA were rushed off there feet.

Have you lifted the bonnet and checked the strut for damage. This being bent back looks like it may cause some damage at the top.

Unless of course it is designed to have a pivotal tolerance

Oh man, hadn't looked at that yet, but yeah, the shocks at a funny angle so think that's very likely.. is that a write off (shell damage) or can it be fixed?

looking at the pics and having repaired a few different makes of car with almost identical wheel positioning, I would say that you are going to need a new lower wishbone, steering arm (used to be called track rod arms) and you'll probably find your wheel can be refurbed.

Not too bad...

Let's hope so!

[KenONeill]

Oh man, hadn't looked at that yet, but yeah, the shocks at a funny angle so think that's very likely.. is that a write off (shell damage) or can it be fixed?

Well, the top mount will absorb some impact loads anyway (by design), so there are a number of possibilities (best to worst case):-

New top mount; wing and strut ok.

New top mount and strut; wing ok.

New inner wing; strut and mount ok. May or may not need chassis rail straightening.

New mount, wing and strut required.

[jonnycatbiscuit]

does it look as bad as this.....

which is what I'm doing next...

[KenONeill]

You're going to need the giant economy size tin of T-cut for that one, aren't you?

[jonnycatbiscuit]

You're going to need the giant economy size tin of T-cut for that one, aren't you?

I was thinking maybe the damage to the bonnet will polish out...

[national]

Seriously think of the consequences before you claim on your insurance

You not only lose your no claims, but pay way way extra every year for five more years because you have made a claim

(I foolishly jumped in as I was fully comp,and I had been hit and run outside my house by a 4x4, the damage cost £300 to repair for insurance, since found out IF I had paid said garage it would have been £220 I would have kept my no claims and subsequently not had to declare a claim for the next five years Hit and run is classed as an at fault claim? for insurance purposes ! )

To save £220 has cost me over £760 so far and still three more years at extortionate insurance to go

Insurers are licenced THIEVES the lot of them

I knew who had done it, he was seen but reg no not taken, Police not interested as it was heresayI waited until he got his brandnew 4x4 before I satisfied myself, apparently vandalism is also an at fault claim for insurance purposes

So if you are hit and run it is YOUR fault, if you are Vandalised it is YOUR fault, and if you make a claim on fully comp you pay more than the full amount anyway in increased insurance costs

I have driven for thirty years with no claims and driven over 1.5 million miles, then some Twxx hit and runs me and I have to pay for five years more than the cost I claimed

Best not to insure, save the money, "IF" You get caught it is £200 fine (yea saved a grand) and if you kill someone tough they can not take money you have not got RANT over I hate insurance companies the lot of them

Put the money in a bank every year then after thirty years you will have about £20k

If you have an accident repair after only a couple of years then take a loan from a bank it WILL be cheaper

Bitter me?

National

[vicount]

i feel for ya big time,i did the same thing,, i burst both wheels on passenger side, not pretty, had it a quick fitters and they re alligned the wheel but after posting it here i realized i need to get this checked good n proper,booked in on wed for the out come,, fingers crossed!