Spun into curb.... What broke?

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Mar 22, 2010 | 11:59 AM
  #1  
Well it snowed this weekend, and I was headed to class this morning, driving the speed limit, not being stupid. I ended up letting the car get into the snow that was closer to the curb. The car hit it, slid about 300 degrees counter clockwise and nailed the curb. Front passenger wheel hit first, then the rest followed. Looked at the dash, and the car was still running, so I got out to see the damage. All the rims were fine as well as the tires. Went to move it off the curb, but it was stuck, so after a guy helped me push it into the street it looked fine so I drove to school. The suspension looks fine, but the steering wheel is turned about 45 degrees to the right. Does it need only an alignment or did I bend/break something? Also if I take it to be aligned, will they tell me what broke if something did?
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Mar 22, 2010 | 12:05 PM
  #2  
Yeah if you take it in and ask them to check it out they will. I had a transam and in the rain slid straight into a curb bent the wheel down and bent the lower control arm... That sucked! But yeah a shop should tell ya if you jacked anything.
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Mar 22, 2010 | 12:11 PM
  #3  
tie rods probably... Yes, an alignment shop should be able to tell you.

I have no idea how you Texans can suck at driving in snow so much. I drove a Camaro in many snow storms with no snow tires and never curbed it or otherwise got in an accident.
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Mar 22, 2010 | 12:23 PM
  #4  
I'd look at the control arms too - have them check everything. You may have one part that bent a lot or several with minor bends. As for the snow driving, it's not always the driver - Texas isn't likely to have much snow-handling equipment so even a little snow can make it bad, even for an experienced driver. Make sense?
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Mar 22, 2010 | 12:36 PM
  #5  
+1 to that, Jeremy. They don't have much in the way of snow removal equipment down here, so the fix-all seems to be gravel. It doesn't work all that well as you might guess lol

OP, I'm surprised no one has mentioned this yet, but I'd avoid driving your car. Have it trailored or taken on a flat bed to the alignment shop or your mechanic
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Mar 22, 2010 | 12:40 PM
  #6  
Yeah no doubt - don't drive it until you know it's ok. And my brother said the same once he was stationed at Quantico. He's driven in NY winters all his life and said in NC when the weather got snowy it was awful. Sometimes it's conditions that cause wrecks, not incompetent drivers.
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Mar 22, 2010 | 01:35 PM
  #7  
I just went out and looked, and it seems that the upper arm is bent back about an inch Would there be any frame damage?
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Mar 22, 2010 | 01:58 PM
  #8  
can you post a pic?
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Mar 22, 2010 | 02:12 PM
  #9  
I hit a curb in my first Camaro and totally jacked up the alignment. The steering wheel was upside down but drove straight, lol.
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Mar 22, 2010 | 02:16 PM
  #10  
damn thats harh mikey i hit a curb at 60 in mine the car was sidewaye the main arm was replaced and the long lever bar was and now the car is fine
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