Twisted chassis or serious alignment issues?

Green_6er · June 16th, 2011, 05:53 PM

While i was waxing my car the other day i noticed that there is a significant amount of spacing between my hood and headlight on the drivers side over the passenger side. the rear is the opposite of the front. The car was rear-ended before i bought the car but the car did not have a salvage title, and when my sister was driving it one night she hit someone but it was at like 10 mph and there was not much damage so she didn't fix it

. I was hoping that it was just horrible alignment instead of the body being twisted. it passed inspection yesterday so i know that the headlights are in the correct position.

Passenger side: 0616111557a.jpg picture by Green_6er - Photobucket

Drivers side: 0616111557a.jpg picture by Green_6er - Photobucket

Jetflo · June 17th, 2011, 02:01 AM

It sounds like it may not be cosmetically correct but are there any symptoms of poor alignment?

I'm not sure why you are worrying about unibody or sub frame damage at this point.

Mach Stang · June 17th, 2011, 02:18 AM

why wouldn't he? it could easily get worse if the frame is twisted.

can you post a front end view of the car?

mustangmike! · June 17th, 2011, 06:03 AM

thats what im thinking, more views ... these pics are useless lol

Six Banger · June 17th, 2011, 08:37 AM

Nothing to worry about, my cars the same way and its never been in an accident. Alignment would mess with your tires, not the body of the car, and a twisted frame would be noticeable driving it.

Green_6er · June 17th, 2011, 01:52 PM

well the steering wheel jumps really badly at low speeds and the whole car vibrates at high speeds. the front bumper looks like it doesn't line up with the hood well either. when i pull the wheels off Tuesday for paint prep i'll take it all apart and see whats wrong. i had the front bumper off before to repaint the grille in it so i might have gotten the bumper back on incorrectly or something. i will take a front end pick in a pit.

Green_6er · June 17th, 2011, 02:55 PM

i meant like alignment of the body panels not the alignment of the wheels XD. but i just went out and took the front bumper off and the headlights out and i found out that the car has been in a few wrecks and the front bumper is just drooping pretty badly. for the 2 years that my sister owned the car tore the stock front chin spoiler that was held under the front bumper and the bumper is drooping from those holes, so nothing to worry about.

Jetflo · June 17th, 2011, 09:45 PM

Originally Posted by Green_6er

well the steering wheel jumps really badly at low speeds and the whole car vibrates at high speeds. the front bumper looks like it doesn't line up with the hood well either. when i pull the wheels off Tuesday for paint prep i'll take it all apart and see whats wrong. i had the front bumper off before to repaint the grille in it so i might have gotten the bumper back on incorrectly or something. i will take a front end pick in a pit.

Are the wheels straight and balanced?

Even if the car is WHACKED you can still put on a set of caster camber plates and get it aligned pretty well.

Is the wheelbase the same on each side? That'd give you a clue if the chassis is bent or not.

Given that few of us on this forum are certified in measuring car wheelbases, you're probably good for maybe + or - a quarter inch. So if you measure the two sides within one half inch, then odds are slim anything important is bent.

Get an alignment done and look that the thrust angle. That is another good indicator of how "straight" your car is.

Good Luck!

Green_6er · June 17th, 2011, 09:54 PM

i know that the wheels are straight because when i had my exhaust done i had all 4 tires replaced and everything aligned, and that was like 1-1.5k ago. im guessing that it is just worn-out rubber in the suspension? because after about 35mph the steering wheel stops jumping, so i have no clue.

Jetflo · June 17th, 2011, 10:09 PM

Originally Posted by Green_6er

i know that the wheels are straight because when i had my exhaust done i had all 4 tires replaced and everything aligned, and that was like 1-1.5k ago. im guessing that it is just worn-out rubber in the suspension? because after about 35mph the steering wheel stops jumping, so i have no clue.

Can you bring it back to the tire store? At <2K miles it seems more than fair to ask them why the tires they sold you are behaving this way.

Green_6er · June 17th, 2011, 10:21 PM

it started before i got the tires, i was hoping that the new tires and alignment would ix it but it didn't. I went through and i tightened all of the lug nuts down on it and it stopped for like 20 miles then it started again. On my back right wheel when i bought the car it only had 4 lug nuts on it because one of the studs was basically rusted away, do you think that could be the culprit?

June 16th, 2011, 05:53 PM	#1
Green_6er Hardcore Enthusiast 2000 Mustang 3.8 ehh w/e the mostly stock time is Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Hickory, NC Posts: 2,757 iTrader: 0 reviews	Twisted chassis or serious alignment issues? While i was waxing my car the other day i noticed that there is a significant amount of spacing between my hood and headlight on the drivers side over the passenger side. the rear is the opposite of the front. The car was rear-ended before i bought the car but the car did not have a salvage title, and when my sister was driving it one night she hit someone but it was at like 10 mph and there was not much damage so she didn't fix it . I was hoping that it was just horrible alignment instead of the body being twisted. it passed inspection yesterday so i know that the headlights are in the correct position. Passenger side: 0616111557a.jpg picture by Green_6er - Photobucket Drivers side: 0616111557a.jpg picture by Green_6er - Photobucket

June 17th, 2011, 02:01 AM	#2
Jetflo Regular 2001 3.8L w/ 5spd Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: California Posts: 198 iTrader: 0 reviews	It sounds like it may not be cosmetically correct but are there any symptoms of poor alignment? I'm not sure why you are worrying about unibody or sub frame damage at this point. __________________ Are you absolutely certain you're not pregnant? Last edited by Jetflo; June 17th, 2011 at 02:02 AM. Reason: change from "frame" to "unibody or sub frame"

June 17th, 2011, 06:03 AM	#4
mustangmike! I Post Entirely Way Too Much 2004,1994,1967 14.37 @ 96 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 6,018 iTrader: 1 reviews	thats what im thinking, more views ... these pics are useless lol __________________ 227whp N/A V6 Now w/ 8th Mile 8s ! How To Jmod Your Late Model 4R70W

June 17th, 2011, 08:37 AM	#5
Six Banger Hardcore Enthusiast 2001 - 3.8 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 2,978 iTrader: 1 reviews	Nothing to worry about, my cars the same way and its never been in an accident. Alignment would mess with your tires, not the body of the car, and a twisted frame would be noticeable driving it. __________________ Look on the bright side: If you're reading this, you're alive. And that's fucking awesome.

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June 17th, 2011, 01:52 PM	#6
Green_6er Hardcore Enthusiast 2000 Mustang 3.8 ehh w/e the mostly stock time is Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Hickory, NC Posts: 2,757 iTrader: 0 reviews	well the steering wheel jumps really badly at low speeds and the whole car vibrates at high speeds. the front bumper looks like it doesn't line up with the hood well either. when i pull the wheels off Tuesday for paint prep i'll take it all apart and see whats wrong. i had the front bumper off before to repaint the grille in it so i might have gotten the bumper back on incorrectly or something. i will take a front end pick in a pit.

June 17th, 2011, 02:55 PM	#7
Green_6er Hardcore Enthusiast 2000 Mustang 3.8 ehh w/e the mostly stock time is Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Hickory, NC Posts: 2,757 iTrader: 0 reviews	i meant like alignment of the body panels not the alignment of the wheels XD. but i just went out and took the front bumper off and the headlights out and i found out that the car has been in a few wrecks and the front bumper is just drooping pretty badly. for the 2 years that my sister owned the car tore the stock front chin spoiler that was held under the front bumper and the bumper is drooping from those holes, so nothing to worry about.

June 17th, 2011, 09:54 PM	#9
Green_6er Hardcore Enthusiast 2000 Mustang 3.8 ehh w/e the mostly stock time is Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Hickory, NC Posts: 2,757 iTrader: 0 reviews	i know that the wheels are straight because when i had my exhaust done i had all 4 tires replaced and everything aligned, and that was like 1-1.5k ago. im guessing that it is just worn-out rubber in the suspension? because after about 35mph the steering wheel stops jumping, so i have no clue.

June 17th, 2011, 10:21 PM	#11
Green_6er Hardcore Enthusiast 2000 Mustang 3.8 ehh w/e the mostly stock time is Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Hickory, NC Posts: 2,757 iTrader: 0 reviews	it started before i got the tires, i was hoping that the new tires and alignment would ix it but it didn't. I went through and i tightened all of the lug nuts down on it and it stopped for like 20 miles then it started again. On my back right wheel when i bought the car it only had 4 lug nuts on it because one of the studs was basically rusted away, do you think that could be the culprit?

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