I have an '89 vert that slid into a curb on ice. It pushed the passenger side wheel in at the bottom. Instead of the bottom of the tire setting out from horizontal, the bottom is now pushed in from horizontal. I am not sure which is negative/positive camber. The wheel is pushed in about the same as it should be out-approximately 1/2".

I have the engine out and was inspecting the subframe. I cannot find any place that looked like the metal was bent or crimped. I have a subframe from a coupe that I was going to use as a replacement. I measured the distance from the engine mount holes and they were the same on both subframes. I have looked at the shock tower and lower portions of the body and again no crimps or bends in the metal. The struts do not appear to be bent and they worked as normal after hitting the curb. Almost all of the other parts-A arms, lower strut attachments on the hubs-are cast and not broken.

I would think that hitting a curb hard enough to break a wheel and push the camber in would leave a crimp in the metal somewhere. Looking for thoughts on something to check next before I change out the subframes

Thanks.

 

a-arms

 

Aren't the A-arms cast? They would break or crack, not bend?

 

The A-arms in FCs are forged aluminum, not cast.

 

If they are forged wouldn't that be the same-break not bend?

 

Not in my experience. A forged piece should generally be stronger than a cast one.

 

From experience, a-arms will bend ALOT before they break. I understeered into a curb doing about 40mph.

Replacement is on the bottom, of course. It only cracked on the skinniest parts of the piece.