So Portland goes and has one of the worst snow storm in quite some time.

I go and decide to try to drive in it.

In the end I ended up with new chains, but in the process I ended up slaming into a curb.

The mini-mall near where I live (Tanasbourn Town Center if anyone's around West Portland) has an entrancethat invovles a short turnout off the road followed by a 90 degree turn onto a one lane road behind a Blockbuster that leads to the parking lot.

I maneuvered onto the turnout, starting off at around 20 mph, slowed down to about 10 and started to turn. BAM.. no traction.

In retrospect I probably should've let off the brake and gave it some gas so I'd turn and not just slide, but in the end I ended up slaming into the curb at appox 7 mph, I'm guessing.

I pull into a parking spot to assess the damage and fint my hubcap jutting out at a 45 degree angle, held in place by the rim of the stock wheel that's been bent inwards by the impact.

A simple yank removes the hubcap which then snaps back into place as there's no damage by a scuffed edge to it.


I then proceeded to Les Schwab where I got chains and had them check the tire. All they had to say was that it wasn't leaking any air and that they could not fix the damage without replacing it.

Put the chains on (what a pain!) and drove home. Left the chains on, went to work today and took the chains off at the work parking lot after work as the snow's melted enough to make the roads clear.


So I hit the freeway and what do I find? The steering wheel quivers like my washingmachine when all the clothes it in end up on one side of the drum.

There's no pull and I can let my hands of the wheel and it'll keep going straight, but it didn't take long for the vibration to get annoying while holding onto it properly.

Could it be that it's just the dent in the wheel that's causing this? Can that be fixed? Or did I screw up my alignment, and how much does it usually take to get the fixed?

 

You should buy a new wheel. You coud maybe get that one fixed but the cost wont be that much less than a brand new one from Scion. Best deal would be find someone that has a factory takeoff wheel lying around after they put on their sport maxs or whatever.

 

Hrm.. well, I'm just worried that the alignment is messaed up.

Would stink if I bought a new wheel and had the vibration continue.

Hopefully the slush in my parkinglot will dry up so I can try putting my spare on and seeing if the vibration is gone then.

 

Vibration could be alignment as well. But you said the wheel was bent inward. If the wheel is bent it needs to be straightened or replaced. If it is bent and then replaced it will cure at least part of your vibration and if you are lucky all of it. If not get alignment and then if still got vibration look for bent suspension parts.

 

That's what I figured.. hopefully I can test it out myself soon.

 

Sounds exactly like the steering wheel shake I had when my alignment was out.

Go get it aligned, if it still wiggles, replace the wheel.

 

I'm sure your toe and camber are jacked up. Get an alignment and have the wheel/tire balanced. Balancing it will also show whether the rim is bent

 

Alignment. An impact like that would definately throw off your suspension geometry. Im sure you'll have to replace the wheel also.

 

First any good alignment guy should go over ur entire susp before he takes a wrench to it . second once the car is on the macjine he will be able to tell right away if something is wrong (if there is no visible damage under the car ) . Sometimes you can look at a susp and not be able to tell if somethings bent but dont worry the michine will ring the alarm.Third our cars dont come with adjustable camber and thats sounds like its ur problem (once camber is out the toe is out also) . Dont worry the smart guys at toyota kinda thought this might happen so there is a kit available to fix it from the dealer . I just wish they did the same for the rear and not just a shim kit but an actual adjuster.But all in all you should be ok . (sorry for the long post).

 

LOL for making the front camber adjustable they just use smaller bolts in the lower strut to allow some slop so it can adjust You could do about the same thing by elongating the holes in the lower strut as well.

 

Yep....these are the easiest and cheapest ways to gain camber adjustment.