Alignment issue?

[Revolution996]

I regret to inform you all that during my last tour with the PCA, I went off the road at 80 mph, and spun out into a ditch. Due to having over inflated rear tires which actually did not match the front, due to my old rear tires cording, and I needed a quick replacement until my fronts wore out. Anyways, as soon as I got out of the car, I saw that smoke was coming out from under the engine. Come to find out, my headers were beginning to start a small fire under my engine. So a nice man came to pull me out with a tractor, and I didn't have time to call a tow truck because there was smoke coming from under the car. Small problem though; my front bumper brace was removed in order to fit an aftermarket front bumper. So I had no place to tow the car from, so I decided to pull it out from the front wheel.

Anyways, turns out that the fire didn't cause any damage, nothing was burnt so I guess I was lucky. The problem now is that i have a very noticeable steering shake starting at 50 mph. It still drives straight, and will hold corners well (I kept driving during the rest of the tour after I checked out my engine for fire damage). Do you guys think that I simply need a re-alignment, or do you think it is something more serious such as a bent suspension component?

 

[JFP in PA]

I would at least have it checked.  Just going "off road" can throw the alignment off, and the car was not designed to be pulled out of a ditch by the front suspension.

[Richard Hamilton]

When you say it was pulled out by a wheel, do you mean a rope was attached to the wheel itself? If so, maybe it tore off a balance weight. Either way, I agree with JFP - you should get it checked.

[JayG99]

I regret to inform you all that during my last tour with the PCA, I went off the road at 80 mph, and spun out into a ditch. Due to having over inflated rear tires which actually did not match the front, due to my old rear tires cording, and I needed a quick replacement until my fronts wore out. Anyways, as soon as I got out of the car, I saw that smoke was coming out from under the engine.

Wait a minute!

You were doing a driving tour with corded overinflated tires?

You then kept doing spirited driving after getting pulled out of a ditch and having noticeable steering shake?

Do you have a death wish?

I would definitely say you have an alignment issue, but it's not just with the wheel alignment.

Edited October 28, 2014 by JayG99

[Revolution996]

 

I regret to inform you all that during my last tour with the PCA, I went off the road at 80 mph, and spun out into a ditch. Due to having over inflated rear tires which actually did not match the front, due to my old rear tires cording, and I needed a quick replacement until my fronts wore out. Anyways, as soon as I got out of the car, I saw that smoke was coming out from under the engine.

Wait a minute!

You were doing a driving tour with corded overinflated tires?

You then kept doing spirited driving after getting pulled out of a ditch and having noticeable steering shake?

Do you have a death wish?

I would definitely say you have an alignment issue, but it's not just with the wheel alignment.

 

not quite. I had old tires that matched the fronts, but they corded. so THEN I put on some Pirelli's, which had lower traction than my old, corded, Dunlop Direzza's. And the day before the tour i got my front tires switched to the opposite side and the tire shop set the fronts at 32 lbs and the rears at 34 lbs. And after the accident, I still drove and kept up with everybody, but I wasn't at all going 100%, I was driving about 60%.

 

Anyways, I have an appointment to get the alignment checked today, and will update on the status tonight.

[JayG99]

that sounds a whole lot better

 

Hopefully nothing is broken or bent