Ok so here is the story. About a year ago I got hit by a girl in my front passenger side. They thought it was just knocked out of alignment. Turned out it was a bent frame.

The body shop pulled the frame, but it still had to much camber. So I bought a camber kit and coilovers so they could "dial" in the correct camber. Well they got it done and well, they dropped the front. (only had them do the front so they could get it right, didn't see any point in letting them do the back when I can do it myself)

Well fast forward to today. I finally got my OBD1 swap done, runs great! (thanks Rywire and SVOBoy ) Took it out and it runs great. I put SRP 10.5:1 pistons, DC 4-2-1 header, and short ram intake. It's pretty quick for what it is. Way faster than the stock A6. Well it feels really jerky. Like if I hit a uneven spot in the road it kind jerks in that direction. Feels like I'm driving a gocart.

What would cause this? Keep in mind it is lowered in the front, not the back. Still on stock struts, and no sway/strut bars (except the stock Si one)

Cliffs: My car handles like crap. Jerky and kinda scary.

 

you need to take your car to a body shop.

this cant be answered without some professional looking at your car since its been in accident damage. any number of things can be wrong, especially when youre talking frame damage.

 

The frame was only slightly bent. He said he's seen worse damage from hitting pot holes. He pulled the frame back to where it's been.

I'm just wondering if it has anything to do with it being lowered in the front and not the back. I also have bald tires in the front.

 

frame could have gone back out of spec.

 

at the very least, you need to get a full alignment done. come back with toe, camber and caster specs at all 4 corners and wheelbase measurements.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Concept Tuning &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Feels like I'm driving a gocart.</TD></TR></TABLE>

That's what CRX's drive like!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Tyson &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">come back with toe, camber and caster specs at all 4 corners and wheelbase measurements.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Yep, the alignment specs are important.

I have a feeling that some of the problem is bump steer and improper front toe.

Also, what wheel size and what tire size/model are you using? What springs and dampers are on the car?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by djphonics &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

That's what CRX's drive like! </TD></TR></TABLE>

I have a Hatch

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Tyson &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">at the very least, you need to get a full alignment done. come back with toe, camber and caster specs at all 4 corners and wheelbase measurements.</TD></TR></TABLE>

He did an alignment on the front. I'm goint to put the rear coilovers on then get an alignment in the rear.

How do I find out the toe, camber, and caster specs?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Concept Tuning &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

How do I find out the toe, camber, and caster specs?</TD></TR></TABLE>

by paying an alignment shop $60-90 for a 4 wheel alignment.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Targa250R &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Yep, the alignment specs are important.

I have a feeling that some of the problem is bump steer and improper front toe.

Also, what wheel size and what tire size/model are you using? What springs and dampers are on the car?</TD></TR></TABLE>

It's on 17" Exel H50's ( I know I know, 17"s ). Tires are Kumho Ecsta 205/40/R17. I can sqeeze two finger in between the font tires and the fenders (and the front tires are bald) The back I can put four fingers in between tire and fender (tires are almost brand new)

Springs are Wicked Tuning coilovers (not full, just the sleeves). Struts are stock for now.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Tyson &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

by paying an alignment shop $60-90 for a 4 wheel alignment.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I'll have to wait till I install my rear coilovers for that. No point in getting an alingment, then getting another as soon as I install them.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Concept Tuning &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I'll have to wait till I install my rear coilovers for that. No point in getting an alingment, then getting another as soon as I install them.</TD></TR></TABLE>
If you want to know what the specs are, then I say there is a point to getting the alignment/check done.

I had the same problem though, make sure you check out tie rods, hub/wheel bearings, and the steering rack. Any of those things could be fcuked as well.

 

ummm...could it be because he's got stiffer springs than before, causing a more drastic response to road conditions?

just wondering...

 

could be A LOT of things....

 

everyone telling you to get alignment specs is right, but first try driving the car with stock size wheels and see if that gets rids of the darty feeling you're having.

 

Well see it drove fine with the 17"s before. Well that girl hit me and right after that the motor blew. So while I was changing the motor out I put in another axle. So my alignment was fawked. Well I took it to Top Line tires to get an alignment.

Well they first said my tie rods were bad, then they said my LCA was bad, then they said my frame might be bent, then they said they didn't know. So at that time I decided it was time to go.

I took it to a body shop and he pulled the frame a little, but said I needed an alignment kit. Well the alignment kit I got had positve camber to begin with (made for a lowered car). So instead of buying another alignment kit I put on my front coilovers

Now on like a flat road it does fine. The roads that have all the waves and uneven spots in them are the problems.

I think I will get some better shocks, lower the rear, then get an alignment. The tie rods are the original one, so I imagine it wouldn't hurt them to be replaced as well.

Sucks being broke, to much to buy and to little money. I guess I'll have to give up my turbo kit for a decent suspension setup

 

just want to make it clear. A CRX does not have a frame, its uni-body and there is no traditional frame. When you said the frame was bent what part of the car are you talking about and what part did the body shop "pull" ?

 

On the front. Whatever getting hit in the rim bent.

 

it all depends on where you got hit, but i've seen (and experienced) some REALLY hard curbing, and most of the suspension/subframe bent with no damage to the body. i recently helped fix a car that bent the inner front lca on the subframe flat against the bottome of the car, after breaking off the bolted lca- without twisting the car.

either way man, get some alignment printouts. it sounds like your camber was never really corrected (well, not equally anyway) and most of the symptoms sound like toe or tracking (right word? when your fronts are aligned with each other, but not with the rears) issues.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by APEX CRX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">just want to make it clear. A CRX does not have a frame, its uni-body and there is no traditional frame. When you said the frame was bent what part of the car are you talking about and what part did the body shop "pull" ? </TD></TR></TABLE>

i dunno, id have to disagree that unibody construction does have a frame, its just bonded to the rest of the unibody, but there definately is a "frame" if you look underneath the car and see the big C channels that run the length of the car. but i will agree that the OP could have given us more information.

but really, we cant just figure out what the problem is on ppls cars over the internet, any more than just taking it to an actual professional who can examine the car, because we cant. any suggestions we give are just guesses, thats why the best advice is to get an alignment so that you get more information, for yourself and us who are trying to help.

 

frame damage=junk

just go get a shell and put your motor in it. then swap parts and sell watever you dont need.

 

Well like everybody has said, you should get a 4-wheel alignment when you get a chance, but, and I don't think anybody has mentioned this specifically yet, this sounds like it could be your steering rack end bushing going out (really common problem). Does the car/steering wheel vibrate when you hit the brakes, esp. between 30-40 mph?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by roterx7 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">frame damage=junk

just go get a shell and put your motor in it. then swap parts and sell watever you dont need.</TD></TR></TABLE>

How do you figure? I have seen cars with really screwed up frames be bent back out and be fine.

 

not without a lot of work. and from what you described, there wasnt a lot of work put into it. but then again, we dont know what is really wrong either...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by roterx7 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">frame damage=junk

just go get a shell and put your motor in it. then swap parts and sell watever you dont need.</TD></TR></TABLE>

if you really bend a car, it takes a lot of work to get it right, and it probably wont happen or be worth it.

but all suspension is adjustable for a reason, and little tweaks are usually no problem at all, provided everything still goes to spec. most cars that are 18 years old have lots of pieces that are not exactly as they came.

edit: i guess i'm just working away from the hard and fast equals sign you tossed up, since i don't think it's that easy.

&lt;-- greg, who wouldn't consider purchasing a crx with any amount of rust (though i fear i might have to change my mind on the owning aspect of that soon), not to mention frame damage.