Hit a deer - wheel is off center

[jsean]

It was raining last night and I was cruising along on the freeway when the deer decided my Focus looked like a prime candidate to wreak havoc on. I saw it last second and was able to hit the brake and swerve some to avoid hitting it head on. However, he clipped my front passenger side pretty good. I got a replacement bumper, fender, wheel arch, fog lights, windshield washer bottle and the under tray from a junkyard - have the car back all together. However, something’s not right with the positioning of the wheel in the wheel arch - it looks pushed back. Is this a sign that my control arm is bent? Or are there other suspension components that are damaged too? Inner and outer tie rods seem visually alright and don’t feel loose. Ditto on the sway bar end link.

Images shown - first one on passenger side pushed back, 2nd one on the driver’s side.

 

[meep]

I’d start measuring the “triangles” from beneath the car to check the dimensions on the lower arm, and whatever else you can for upper suspension parts. I’d also measure consistent points between frame and engine cradle.

 

[IndyIan]

Probably the control arm, maybe it was a bit rusty? They aren't overbuilt really, so I guess a deer could bend one. It might be hard to spot the bend just by looking at the two and comparing. Also check your subframe isn't too rusty although it would have to look very bad before bending, I replaced mine last fall as it was swiss cheese on the bottom, but the top was pretty solid still and probably could've been run for a while longer.

 

[Krieg]

Hit and Run?

 

[Nukeman7]

Could the newly installed replacement fender be a bit off due to distortion of the underlying attachment points from the impact? The new fender might actually be offset forward; thereby giving the illusion that the suspension is pushed back. Even pro body shops struggle with getting fenders aligned perfectly with door gaps and hood gaps.

 

[jsean]

I’d start measuring the “triangles” from beneath the car to check the dimensions on the lower arm, and whatever else you can for upper suspension parts. I’d also measure consistent points between frame and engine cradle.

Can you help me understand what these triangles are? First time I’ve heard about it - are there specific points I need to measure between?

 

[jsean]

Probably the control arm, maybe it was a bit rusty? They aren't overbuilt really, so I guess a deer could bend one. It might be hard to spot the bend just by looking at the two and comparing. Also check your subframe isn't too rusty although it would have to look very bad before bending, I replaced mine last fall as it was swiss cheese on the bottom, but the top was pretty solid still and probably could've been run for a while longer.

Fair point. The underneath isn’t too bad. It had some rust that I wire brushed and have been applying Fluid film / Blaster surface shield annually. The control arm doesnt look bent - at least I can’t tell it’s bent by looking at it visually. Ditto on the front subframe too - crusty but I’ve seen far far worst at the local junkyards. Any way to confirm that it is actually the control arm?

 

[jsean]

Hit and Run?

Yes, hit by a deer and the ran away

 

[jsean]

Could the newly installed replacement fender be a bit off due to distortion of the underlying attachment points from the impact? The new fender might actually be offset forward; thereby giving the illusion that the suspension is pushed back. Even pro body shops struggle with getting fenders aligned perfectly with door gaps and hood gaps.

Possibly? When I swapped the fender over - the attachment point at the bottom didn’t like it had shifted by just looking at it.

But my steering wheel is also cocked off center after the incident, which makes me think something in the suspension on that side is tweaked instead of the fender being misaligned?

 

[LongTime_Lurker]

Check and see if your car’s suspension has any eccentric bolts for alignment adjustments. Oftentimes these can be knocked into a different position due to an impact and there will be witness marks if anything has shifted.

 

[slo town]

Simple solution. Take it in to get it aligned. If it only needs minor adjustments, no big deal.

Scott

 

[TheLastWord]

^^^This.

Let the pros handle this. They have the experience and the equipment for this. I am all for DIY but not here. A good shop.

 

[Lubener]

That must have been one big deer.

 

[IndyIan]

Fair point. The underneath isn’t too bad. It had some rust that I wire brushed and have been applying Fluid film / Blaster surface shield annually. The control arm doesnt look bent - at least I can’t tell it’s bent by looking at it visually. Ditto on the front subframe too - crusty but I’ve seen far far worst at the local junkyards. Any way to confirm that it is actually the control arm?

Good work to keep the rust slowed down. Probably cheapest way to find out is to get another control arm, pull the old one and compare? I think I go through aftermarket ball joint about every 60-80k miles, so you will probably need it eventually, or return it.
I guess the subframe could shift a bit too? I think you could put the car on ramps and loosen all the subframe bolts and shift it a bit. Mine seemed to have not much wriggle room, but it is a chinese reproduction(almost perfect though) and I just bolted it on. I just went out measured the distance from the tires to the fenders, and they are within an 1/8", so I guess I got lucky. But maybe a little subframe shift, out at the wheel it might make a difference?
I just set the toe and go with a tape measure, on front alignments on this car, it seems to track almost perfectly just doing that. I should take out some rear toe in, to save some wear on the rear tires but haven't got around to it.

 

[jsean]

Simple solution. Take it in to get it aligned. If it only needs minor adjustments, no big deal.

Scott

Discount tire here offers free alignment check. Will that help figure out what’s wrong or will they simply give me a readout? Having not had to use an alignment service in a few years, all the mom and pop stores are gone with just the tuffy, Midas, Firestone’s, etc remaining. I’m unwilling to let them do any actual work on the car and would prefer to not pay the alignment cost twice if I don’t have to.

 

[jsean]

Check and see if your car’s suspension has any eccentric bolts for alignment adjustments. Oftentimes these can be knocked into a different position due to an impact and there will be witness marks if anything has shifted.

None that I could see. Seems like alignment on the US Mk2 Focus is quite straightforward. If this was a wheel alignment problem, that wouldn’t result in the passenger side wheel being off center in the wheel well vs. the driver side wheel being centered in the wheel well?

 

[Astro14]

Possibly? When I swapped the fender over - the attachment point at the bottom didn’t like it had shifted by just looking at it.

But my steering wheel is also cocked off center after the incident, which makes me think something in the suspension on that side is tweaked instead of the fender being misaligned?

The steering wheel being tweaked says at all. Something got bent, or damaged. An alignment shop will see it right away.

 

[RhondaHonda]

I vote control arm.

 

[demarpaint]

The steering wheel is a bit off after the hit, bottom line something got messed up. I'd have a good alignment place give it a once over. They'll tell you what needs to be replaced if anything, then you can DIY [if you decide to] and bring it back to them for an alignment.

 

[jsean]

Good work to keep the rust slowed down. Probably cheapest way to find out is to get another control arm, pull the old one and compare? I think I go through aftermarket ball joint about every 60-80k miles, so you will probably need it eventually, or return it.
I guess the subframe could shift a bit too? I think you could put the car on ramps and loosen all the subframe bolts and shift it a bit. Mine seemed to have not much wriggle room, but it is a chinese reproduction(almost perfect though) and I just bolted it on. I just went out measured the distance from the tires to the fenders, and they are within an 1/8", so I guess I got lucky. But maybe a little subframe shift, out at the wheel it might make a difference?
I just set the toe and go with a tape measure, on front alignments on this car, it seems to track almost perfectly just doing that. I should take out some rear toe in, to save some wear on the rear tires but haven't got around to it.

The subframe getting tweaked is an interesting one. I hadn’t considered that, hopefully it’s not the case here. I have a Dorman control arm on order as a backup plan. Going to drive by a chain tire shop around here that does alignments on the way home and hopefully they’ll have some more insight