Big pothole = bad news
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RE: Big pothole = bad news - 1/6/2006 7:14:14 PM
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swartlkk
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Only things I would think that a pothole would bend would be the lower/upper control arms or possibly the steering knuckle, but that would have to be ONE HELL of a pothole to do that... Being a 4x4, you don't have a spindle per-say, but a bolt on wheel bearing that splines onto the half shaft. All of the above would make your steering wheel sit to the side, but a control arm would do it more as it would change the distance from steering knuckle.
The upper control arm shouldn't bend because it doesn't have any form of motion control on it (aka torsion bar or shock) and is free to move. I would compare the lower control arms side to side with a straight edge and ruler. Go from the frame to the ball joint (I think it is a straight shot between the two), then measure up to the control arm in various places.
Also, if you bent the steering knuckle, you'd have brake issues as well. Not to mention that cast iron normally doesn't bend, it breaks. I could see a bent control arm LONG before I would ever think that the steering knuckle would bend/break.
Good luck and keep us posted!
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RE: Big pothole = bad news - 1/6/2006 8:31:32 PM
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93LT
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I agree, to bend something, that would be one heck of a pot hole! There is quite a bit of camber adjustment in the upper control arm. If your lucky, it'll simply adjust out. I've seen the lower control arms bend when hitting a curb hard enough, but generally your wheel would be back more so then in at the top.
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Rod
1978 GMC Sierra Heavy Half
1993 Blazer LT 4Dr 4WD Vortec
1997 Olds Bravada AWD
2001 Silverado LT 2500HD CC 4WD
2001 Yukon SLT 4WD
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RE: Big pothole = bad news - 1/6/2006 9:12:31 PM
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m00nwater
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I also think there's something rubbing because when I come off the highway exits at a high speed, I can hear something that sort of sounds like the tires squealing, but I think it's something rubbing...HOPEFULLY it's not something major.
Getting a second opinion next week will hopefully figure it out. I'm also going to print this thread and bring it with me when I go.
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RE: Big pothole = bad news - 1/6/2006 9:39:24 PM
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93LT
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If your tire is at as much of an angle as you describe, I wouldn't wait that extra week for a second opinion. You can blow a tire in nothing flat (hey, really, no pun intended) with that kind of pressure on it.
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Rod
1978 GMC Sierra Heavy Half
1993 Blazer LT 4Dr 4WD Vortec
1997 Olds Bravada AWD
2001 Silverado LT 2500HD CC 4WD
2001 Yukon SLT 4WD
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RE: Big pothole = bad news - 1/6/2006 10:41:30 PM
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m00nwater
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Well, I have to since it's the weekend now and nothing's open, unfortunately. I'm going to NOT drive it as much as possible until then.
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RE: Big pothole = bad news - 1/8/2006 11:39:23 PM
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Hanr3
Wheels & Tire Moderator
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Did they happen to spin the tire while it was off the ground, or better yet, put it on a tire balancer to see if you bent the rim.
10-1 you bent the rim, only way to tell for sure. Get it "Road Force Balanced". A Road Force Balance and test rim run out. It will let you know if it is within spec. Find a good tire center that also does alignments. Get a free front end inspection, and you will have to pop for the Road Force Balance. We charge $15 per tire. Cost varies by store, call first.
Road Force Balance is a specific type of balance and cannot be performed on any tire balancing machine. It takes a special machine. read throught the pages, it covers all the common problems and how the mahcine fixes them.
Balancer
Use this link to find the nearest machines to where you live.
Locator
_____________________________
"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference.
The Marines don't have that problem."
-President Ronald Reagan
'87 S10-Blazer - SOLD
'93 S10-Blazer 4x4x4 - Sons DD, engine swap is done.
'00 S10-Blazer 4x4x4 - My
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RE: Big pothole = bad news - 1/9/2006 9:15:39 AM
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m00nwater
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Thanks Tim.
One thing we did notice was that the upper control arms were bolted differently. I'll take some pics if I get a chance and show you what I mean. We thought that it MAY have something to do with it. I'm bringing it into my father-in-law's friend's alignment shop this week.
Something ODD that happened over the weekend when I drove it:
My bro-in-law owns a bar and we parked beside it. In order to get into the parking space by the bar, you have to go over a curb. We backed in, and of course there was a little bump as we went over the curb. After we left the bar to drive home (I was sober, don't worry!), the steering seemed to be normal. I let go of the wheel and it drove straight! As I drove a little more, it eventually went back to the hard pull to the left.
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RE: Big pothole = bad news - 1/9/2006 9:17:10 AM
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m00nwater
Posts: 3269
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That locator you linked only shows the States  I don't think I'll drive to NY just to get an alignment 
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RE: Big pothole = bad news - 1/9/2006 1:21:55 PM
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swartlkk
Posts: 15276
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quote:
ORIGINAL: m00nwater
Thanks Tim.
One thing we did notice was that the upper control arms were bolted differently. I'll take some pics if I get a chance and show you what I mean. We thought that it MAY have something to do with it. I'm bringing it into my father-in-law's friend's alignment shop this week.
Something ODD that happened over the weekend when I drove it:
My bro-in-law owns a bar and we parked beside it. In order to get into the parking space by the bar, you have to go over a curb. We backed in, and of course there was a little bump as we went over the curb. After we left the bar to drive home (I was sober, don't worry!), the steering seemed to be normal. I let go of the wheel and it drove straight! As I drove a little more, it eventually went back to the hard pull to the left.
So from the sounds of it, something is moving in the suspension... That's not good! Hopefully you'll get it looked at ASAP!
Tim, I can't see a bent rim causing it to pull. It would vibrate like a bastid, but it would pretty much have to be bent all the way around (not really possible) to make it pull like m00n is describing.
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RE: Big pothole = bad news - 1/9/2006 1:22:26 PM
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swartlkk
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quote:
ORIGINAL: m00nwater
That locator you linked only shows the States I don't think I'll drive to NY just to get an alignment
Awe... Come on, you could come visit me!
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RE: Big pothole = bad news - 1/9/2006 5:31:09 PM
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m00nwater
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quote:
Awe... Come on, you could come visit me!
Well, if it's as bad as it seems to be, a road trip might be the death of me! 
Ya, I'm pretty certain it has something to do with how that bolt is placed. They said it was a bit loose at the shop as well.
I'll hopefully have answers by Wednesday.
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RE: Big pothole = bad news - 1/9/2006 5:35:16 PM
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m00nwater
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I know...it's sitting in the driveway as much as possible...I think I need to buy another Blazer just to have one for when the other breaks. Hmm...I DID see a '92 for sale down the road 
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RE: Big pothole = bad news - 1/9/2006 5:48:02 PM
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swartlkk
Posts: 15276
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quote:
ORIGINAL: m00nwater
I know...it's sitting in the driveway as much as possible...I think I need to buy another Blazer just to have one for when the other breaks. Hmm...I DID see a '92 for sale down the road
And that right there is where the addiction starts!!! Soon m00n will have a blazer for every season plus ones for backup incase her winter blazer goes down!
LMAO!
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RE: Big pothole = bad news - 1/9/2006 11:09:59 PM
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Hanr3
Wheels & Tire Moderator
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Are you talking about the cam bolts being loose m00nwater, or the upper control arm bushings? Where are those bolts located?
check that link again. Should say something about if your looking for a place in Canada click here.
Canada: If you are looking for a GSP9700 in Canada, click here.
The alignment shop will be able to tell you what is broken. They told me when my upper control arm was broken. The upper mounting bolt holes had wobbeld out and every time I hit a bump it would make a noise.
< Message edited by Hanr3 -- 1/9/2006 11:11:11 PM >
_____________________________
"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference.
The Marines don't have that problem."
-President Ronald Reagan
'87 S10-Blazer - SOLD
'93 S10-Blazer 4x4x4 - Sons DD, engine swap is done.
'00 S10-Blazer 4x4x4 - My
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RE: Big pothole = bad news - 1/11/2006 12:34:49 PM
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m00nwater
Posts: 3269
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It was the cam bolts.
Turns out, it was a simple little thing that caused such a huge problem. The bolt was loose on the right side, which actually STOPPED any major damage from happening when I hit the pothole. Because it was loose already at the time, they are assuming, nothing was bent when I hit the hole. It only further loosened the bolt from the impact, which caused the huge steering problem. Ironic how I got lucky from someone's sloppy work.
All they had to do was tighten up that bolt and now it is as it was before.
They only issue is that there is a little bit of play in my steering column. I've had my gear box adjusted just a few months ago as well, and I have VERY tight steering, which isn't necessarily good. It may be over-adjusted, but because of the play in the column, I don't think it would be a good idea to loosen it off. Ideas?
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RE: Big pothole = bad news - 1/11/2006 12:39:46 PM
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swartlkk
Posts: 15276
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Wow, glad it was a quick fix. Thought for sure that it was going to end up being something larger.
So you have tight steering, but you have play in the column? Typically, the column is not the place where play would be found, rather in the pitman arm. If you lay under the truck with the front splash guard off, and have someone wiggle the wheel back and forth, look at both the joint on the end of the pitman arm where it connects to the steering linkage, as well as where the pitman arm splines onto the steering gearbox.
Also, I wasn't aware of an adjustment in the steering to firm it up... Please explain further cause I would like to firm up the steering on my Bravada.
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RE: Big pothole = bad news - 1/11/2006 2:18:01 PM
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m00nwater
Posts: 3269
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Oh. The garage made an adjustment on my gear box. I'll ask what exactly they did. It may be that the adjustment simply allowed for the tightness to be felt because of other factors that were already in play. I'll inquire further, but I'm going to guess that there isn't a way to do it, like you said.
I'll get back to you when I talk to the garage.
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RE: Big pothole = bad news - 1/11/2006 4:06:13 PM
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93LT
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Yeah, you can take slop out of steering if the gear box is loose on GM vehicles. If you look at the top of the gear box, you'll notice a sloted (sometimes hex) stud with a nut on it. You can loosen the nut and tighten or loosen the gear box then snug the nut back up. It's very common to do, we do it all the time on our alignment rack. These gear boxes can get loose enough to that a person might think a tie rod or other part is getting worn.
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Rod
1978 GMC Sierra Heavy Half
1993 Blazer LT 4Dr 4WD Vortec
1997 Olds Bravada AWD
2001 Silverado LT 2500HD CC 4WD
2001 Yukon SLT 4WD
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