Hit a curb, need help identifying problem
 

So the other day, I was driving about 25mph along a road that turned to the left. Through the turn, I shifted my focus to a deer that I thought was about to jump out in front of me, and didn't realize I turned a little short, cut the wheel, and understeered right into the curb.

The car jumped up onto the curb and right back off. The tire is fine, and the rim has some brutal curb rash about halfway around the rim, a quarter inch thick. Now I have a squeaking and grinding sound following me everywhere I go.

I've replaced the bearing/wheel hub assembly, to no avail. Next I will swap wheels and rotors to the front left to see if the problem carries over.

Anyone encounter a similar event? Any thoughts? Advice? Ideas?

Anything is welcome.

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You didn't mention if you had inspected the components in the area. Check for rubbing in the fender well, you may have dorked up the control arm and the grinding may be the tire against the fender. The wheel should sit visibly centered fore/aft in the wheel arch. Also check the strut/spring for rubbing. Have you taken it in for an alignment?

Thanks for the reply. I'm on stock tires, stock rims, stock suspension. No way it's rubbing on the fender. The wheel seems to sit in the wheel well same as the left wheel, the steering wheels doesn't wobble of vibrate. Alignment is next step.

Haven't extensively inspected anything else yet.

The squeaking actually seems to go away for a second when I accelerate. But not the rubbing.

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Edit:

Squeak gets hell of a lot worse when turning left, almost goes away when turning right.

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Could be the Dust shield on the back of the rotor spindle got all bent up or could be a caliper bolt or retainer clip got bent or dislodged.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll give those a look next time I can get my car in the air. At the same time, I'll take the opportunity to swap some parts around and see if the problem follows.

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You might want to check the rear wheel on the side where you whacked the curb.

An alignment shop could check to see if the lower control is bent or the front strut was damaged ..... :popcorn:


humfrz

The rear wheel shouldn't have made contact, and there was no curb rash on the rim or sidewall damage on the tire. But I'll have a look since I guess anything is possible. Thanks.

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Edit: Swapped wheels, rotors, wheel hub assembly and brake pad bracket. And removed the dust shield. Only thing left is the brake caliper, or something more sinister. : (

Noise goes away with weight off wheels, making it very hard to diagnose. Even just the slight front body lift from a quick acceleration is enough to make the sound go away for a split second.

May just give up and let a shop take over from here.

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