[Train Wrecked Toast]

So everyone is on the same page as me, drive my fo over to a friends house, parallel park, go to leave 2 hours later and my steering is jacked. There is a grinding noise comin from the front passenger wheel well and the steering wheel is vertical in order to go straight with a severe loss in handling tightness. Checked it this morning after babying it home and see a nice black line comin from the street to driveway only on passenger side. Is it possible that in parallel parking i over rotated the wheel and popped something, what could possibly make just the one side get jacked up? Any ideas on what to check for? Is it a steering issue, or a suspension issue? Any ideas will be helpful.

 

[Train Wrecked Toast]

no ideas huh, everyone as stumped as me?

 

[bringler26]

Whoa that sounds bad I have no idea.

 

[Geezer]

Are both the front tires more or less parallel (where they should be) when you look at them head on. If they aren't, I guessing a tie rod came loose. The black line you mentioned, what is it?.... tire rubber (scuffing)...a leak...please clarify.

 

[Train Wrecked Toast]

sorry i should have clarified the line, definetly rubber scuffing, looking at them head on the passenger side is leaning in like

(pass tire->) \-------| (<-driver tire)

not leaning in that much of an extreme but leaning slightly

 

[Geezer]

Check the condition of shock and spring on the side that is leaning as well as the bearing plate. Those are the primary components that would impact camber. Is the side that is leaning out (per your diagram) the one that is leaving the scuff marks? Needless to say I would not drive this until you confirm what the problem is.

 

[Train Wrecked Toast]

yes that is the side thats leaving the scuff marks, oh yes its parked and not moving until i figure out whats wrong. Proper steering is kind of an important thing to have working correctly i think.

 

[Train Wrecked Toast]

Got it jacked up and appears the passenger side tie rod is rather bent, would this explain the problems? There aren't two different tie rods for each respective side right?

 

[Geezer]

Got it jacked up and appears the passenger side tie rod is rather bent, would this explain the problems? There aren't two different tie rods for each respective side right?

There is a tie rod for each side as well as a tie rod end for each side. If only one is bent you need only replace that one. Its probably smart to replace that tie rod end at the same time.

 

[Geezer]

Here are some instructions if you want to try it yourself. Remember to gset an alignment ASAP.

http://www.focushacks.com/index.php?modid=72

 

[jetrinka]

Why in the hell would a tie rod bend after two hours of sitting? Just curious... Did someone hit you?

 

[Train Wrecked Toast]

nope wasnt hit, and nearest conclusion i can come up with is while parallel parking i manage to wedge that wheel hard enough that when i corrected to go straight and finish the park i over turned it and bent it, because i didnt slam the curb i tend to try to avoid them with my tds and all.

 

[levin.matthew]

hmm....was alcohol involved at anypoint in the night this happen?

 

[Train Wrecked Toast]

ya it would make more sense if alcohol was involved right, but nope stone cold sober actions.