wet ground + curb = broken rx-7
 

comin home tonight i was going around a 90 degree turn, took it too quick, and instead of fishtailing like it normally does, i just sent the car straight into the curb, but with the wheels turned left. I bounced off of the curb, and was able to drive her home, but I had to keep the steering wheel turned to the left to make it go straight... I haven't looked at it yet, but there's no visable damage from the outside. Ideas on what I broke and how much it will cost to fix...?

::sigh:: i'm a moron.

shouldnt be to bad,maybe alighnment,maybe more,i nailed a curb harcord once sideways in my toyota truck and only bent a rim and killed the alighnment

Good luck man, I did the same thing on thanksgiving, although the only thing I did was pop a small hole in my tire.

Hopefully it's just alignment, take it somewhere and have it looked at.

Exactly what I did a while ago. I had a broken Sway Bar End Link and a bent Tie Rod. End Link is cheap and easy fix, Tie Rod is not too costly if you can do the labour yourself. I'd say jack up the car, pull the underbelly tray and check the steering rack and end links etc etc

yeah, i'll put her up on jacks tomorrow... seriously, whoever came up with the idea of rain really sucks.

god?

yeah, that's the guy ;-)

also, yakatack, do you have an approximate $ number on the tie rod fix? (I'm pretty sure that's what i bent/broke) And yes, I can do the labor on my own... is it something where like if i bent it one way i could bend it back? I'm still relatively new to cars and don't really know...

Don't bend it back, it'll be too weak to drive on.

I bought an entire used steering rack for $80 Canadian, from a friend though. But the junkyard was gonna sell me the same entire steering rack for $125 Canadian. I don't think Tie Rods are too pricey really. Labour is a PAIN in the butt though as I just found out, friking hard to pull the steering rack out.

The Sway Bar End Link is CHEAP at around $25 Canadian brand new from mazda. Not sure what all these prices would be in USD...and the link is EASY to swap if its broken too. Jack her up and check her out, if you hit real hard might be better off just swapping the entire rack, that way there is no chance of damage to rack internals at all.

yeah, well, i'm on spring break now but i'm normally at college that's 3.5 hours away from here, so it looks like she's just gonna have to sit for a few months till I can get some funds/time to fix her. GAH!!!!!!!! I need to punch something... maybe my mom's honda.

has this happened to anybody else out there? any sugguestions?

i suggest just replacing the tie rod ends and drive it till you can afford to fix the rest. btw tie rod ends fit nicely in your pocket from the junkyard ;)

luckily, I actually have a friend who has two rx7 parts cars, so hopefully I can work out a little deal with him... what should I ask for a used tie rod end? $20? $50? Sorry for being ignorant, I just have no clue

If you're still in Rockville, I'm about 45 minutes from you in Glen Burnie. I can't give you my steering rack or anything, but I am taking my sway bar off my 86 N/A - including the end links that bolt to the control arms. What are the specs on your car? If it will fit you can have it. Email me if you can use it -

crashtestjoey@hotmail.com

e-mail sent, thanks!

The Tie Rod Ends might not even be damaged. The actual Tie ROD itself though is probably bent (or steering arm whatever you wanna call it). Those are a pain to swap, might as well swap the entire rack if you can get a used rack cause its a lot easier that way.

Don't brake during a turn if you think you are going to fast. It will only get worse. Unless you're going off the road no matter what, then try to straighten out the wheels and brake. :D not the type of suggestion you were looking for I'm sure, but maybe it will help you in the future.

That applies especially on dry surface but, he had H2O between the pavement and his tires. Should've been driving LITTLE slower.

I had a problem like that when loose gravel on the freeway entrance didn't agree with the speed I was going and had to replace whole front suspension on my 911.

That sucked big time.

No, I don't think you're morron. Everybody live and learn. Just don't kill yourself while learning.

I did the same thing. Alignment worked alright, but what I need now is a frame pull. ~$300

Without it everything dries up & burns.

Part of the fun of driving is learning how to handle your car under all kinds of conditions.

By the way, what shape are your tires in?

the tires are crappy, that may have been lesson numero uno, don't get crappy tires. Also, as far as braking, i wasn't, i was trying to steer out of it. But what i think had happend was I actually gave too little gas going around the turn, and i was anticipating it to fishtail, or lose grip in the rear, but i think it just grabbed and shot me forward. I'm gonna have her up on jackstands early in the mornin on friday, and see what type of damage I did. Till then, public transportation system here I come. (i'm waiting till friday so my dad will have time to look at it with me, he's a villanova educated mechanical engineer who knows quite a bit about cars)

lol...