S13 Suspension in an Ae86 - Bad for low impact crashes (Bent Rails)

[maxhag]

Yeah Pat, This is what we believed has happened....... All the forces were equally transferred thru the arms and joints and finished at the x member......

[fantapants]

do i get a lollipop?

[maxhag]

It's a bit strange that the X member didn't bend tho.....
I changed the crossmember to another one, and it still bolted up to the holes on both sides........ Now if the rail has moved on one side, shouldn't something else give/move/bend too if a differant x member still bolts up????? Ie; x member or rail on other side?

Anyone more cluey than me explain this?

[fantapants]

engine mounts? the other rail is fine?
the xmember should be plenty strong, so maybe the force pushed the crossmember forward or backward on the impacvt side, therefore shortening one chassis rail contact, but not the other?

[meadan]

Have you had the car measured properly yet?

Because if the crossmember bolts up, even a bent rail shouldnt really affect the alignment. The control arm pivots off the crossmember, so yeah it sounds like a fun conundrum.

Did you gain any extra camber on the other side? Maybe both rails moved over?

[maxhag]

Good points, I dont know anymore..........

Obviously, I need help with this

[meadan]

Yeah sounds like a bit of a mission to figure out.

Maybe see if someone is willing to chuck it on a measuring system for cash. Ill ask around at work if my boss knows anyone who would do it cheap and help you figure it out.

[maxhag]

The plan was to just take it to a place that does chassis aligning.......... I dont do ANY bodywork myself.....

[ae8zn6]

Except ghetto flares on wagons, right?

[maxhag]

hahaha, yeah..... Thats about the extent of it........ lol