Bent wishbone

Kowalski · Post by **Kowalski** » 06 Jun 2005, 19:48

Anders, when you snapped your BX one, did it bend at all or did it break cleanly?
If it was a clean break with no bending whatsoever, thats what cast does. If it bent first i.e. the two pieces didn't fit together perfect, there is no way it could be cast iron. Cold weather can make metals that are normally quite ductile go brittle...
My mother's old '85 MKII VW Jetta had pressed steel bottom links on its suspension. I don't know whether you'd consider 1985 to be vintage...

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 06 Jun 2005, 22:57

Kowalski, it snapped into 2 pieces [:)]
- one of the "legs" holding the bushes snapped right off.
I have no factual info if it is cast or forged iron. I just assumed it was cast iron by the look of it. But you're right that cast iron presumeably would be "too crisp" as a suspension component, given the forces (and acceleration hereof) existing here.
Mind you the speed at impact was around the 45Mph mark. In fact the offended front wheel ended up pressing against the door pillar - after compressing the rear part of the front wing.

johnlyn · Post by **johnlyn** » 07 Jun 2005, 21:00

Thanks guys, what would the handling be like if I had bent the wisbone or subframe ? Car at still drives and stops in a straight line, have been told to get 4 wheel alignment check done as I would have knocked that way out, got slight wear on inside of front tyre approx 1 inch.

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 07 Jun 2005, 21:08

It is exactly the steering alignment that goes way out. You can not always feel it on the wheel.
The new wear pattern is a telltale.
At least the steering (toe in/out) should be correct. Any other geometry problem may/may not be possible to correct if subframe is bent.

johnlyn · Post by **johnlyn** » 07 Jun 2005, 21:44

In that case a good check on wheel alignment would highlight the problem, meaning they would have difficulty lining up the light beam between wheels.