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Jim Grant's Tech Tips
'95 Chevy Lumina, Missed a Turn
Q:
I was wondering if
you could help me with a problem I have with my ' 95 Chevy Lumina front
wheel drive sedan. A couple of days a go I made a really bad sharp turn
at about 25 MPH, lost control of my vehicle and ended up hitting the bank
on the passenger side. That hit caused my steering wheel to be off center,
bent my rim, and now my tires wear down more on the outside part of the
tire. What is it that I need to replace? Is it the stabilizer bar, because
it seems to be out more on one end than the other? Or could it be that
I need to replace the tie- rod ends?. I'm not a mechanic so your help
will be deeply appreciated.
A:
It's likely that you've
bent something, but the stabilizer/sway bar will not cause the steering
wheel to be off center or the tires to wear in the manner you're describing.
If you bent a rim it is likely you bent another suspension or steering
component. Tie-rods maybe, but more likely it is the strut, spindle or
lower control arm that has been redesigned in your off road adventure.
The best thing to do? Get your vehicle into a garage and have the suspension
and steering inspected. From your description, your vehicle will be eating
tires at a rather pricey clip. If you're worried about cost of parts,
don't forget used. Used parts will work just fine and save on the repair
bill. You just have to find whatever else you bent besides the rim.
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