Re: DMC+Speedbump=OUCH

["Harold McElraft" <hmcelraft@xxxx>]

Gus
I think you are right not to drive it until you know what is wrong. 
I would guess that you have either broken loose the front suspension 
link (sway bar) or one of the trialing arm bolts is loose and the 
shims have fallen out and therefore the trailing arm is flopping 
around back there. The symptoms you describe could be caused by 
both. A loose front link would allow the lower suspension arm to 
move back and forth giving a very loose stearing feel and a loose 
trailing arm would be especially squirrelly (technical term) with 
acceleration-deceleration.

Let us know what you find
Harold McElraft - 3354



--- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Gus Schlachter <gus@xxxx> wrote:
> I took a speedbump at a slow speed today (10MPH?) and WHACK, 
something didn't sound right and the steering felt loose, like I had 
a flat.
> 
> I walked around the car several times and bounced all the corners, 
but everything checked out OK so I continued my drive. It was then 
I realized that, to drive straight, I had to hold the steeing wheel 
45 degrees to the right, so I limped it home. I've hit bumps, 
potholes, and dips WAY harder than that before.
> 
> The question becomes: what did I break? I'm assuming what I 
either bent a tie-rod or mangled a suspension part. Could I have 
crunched the front shock tower? There was never any sign of rust on 
the frame, only minor epoxy cracking that I consider normal for a 
100K+ mile car.
> 
> Doh.
> 
> 
> Gus Schlachter
> VIN #4695
> Austin, TX