Assessing steering/suspension damage

[mrscalex]

Guilt has got the better of me and I'd now like to restore the blue 2.2 I have rather than use it as a donor for the silver 2.2 with the seized engine. It's a nice car apart from the damage and I think it deserves another chance.

I bought it as a write-off so I don't know how the damage was caused. The main knock was to the offside front wheel area, there are small signs of damage to the underside of the nearside of the car but the most weird thing is severe damage to the nearside track rod even though there's no apparent damage in that area.

I intend to replace the entire steering rack, suspension and subframe for a clean start.

But the question is with this sort of damage do you think something I haven't come across yet could be whacked out of line?

There are some small scuffs to the chassis rails under the cabin but nothing structural I can see to the inner wing, turret tops or engine bay chassis rails. I suppose my main concern is offering up the new bits and finding out they won't sit properly due to unapparent chassis damage.

Overview of main impact area. Wheel is well set back into wheel arch.

Badly twisted wishbone is the reason why.

Unexpected severe bend in nearside track rod.

 

[BMBabe]

Wow nice one really looking forward to seeing the progress
I get rather excited when someone says they are saving a Zed

 

[mrscalex]

I've got a nice 2.2 Topaz Blue Sport already so this has to be sold on when finished. But I don't think I'll be making a penny out of it, in fact it could cost me. I'm doing it for the love of Z3s and saving an otherwise nice car.

As it could be financially (and time) perilous that's why I'd like to get some other views before I start.

 

[BMBabe]

Hopefully you will get some great advice, make a few quid and make a new Zedder very happy

 

[hard top]

WTF did that car hit?

 

[colb]

Surprised you didn't find any deformation on the top strut mounting might bear a closer look with the strut removed from the underside. Remainder of damage in pics looks fixable and would agree on your plan re strut, wishbone and rack replacement.

 

[mrscalex]

It looks like a single car accident. I don't think it hit any street furniture as the damage is all too low. There was some sods of earth/grass stuck under the chassis brace and the original wheel and tyre were a mess. So I suspect it hit a kerb, possibly a grassed central reservation on a dual carriageway and mounted/grounded on that. I just can't think why that nearside track rod end is damaged though as there's no obvious impact damage on that side.

No obvious damage to the engine bay side of the strut top. But such that any damage may exist on the inside and not the outside I will check it when the strut comes out.

I suspect the chassis brace did a job here so that will get changed as well. Fortunately most of the parts are common across all Z3s so will come straight off my 1.9 breaker. I've just bought a pair of the correct struts (only done 40k) for £30 which is good as this has to be a cheap job while cutting no corners. I'm going to replace the sway bar as well but a 1.9 is no good. That will be borrowed off the silver 2.2 until I can pick one up cheap (budget £10!).

 

[Brian4]

The damage looks as if it is straight on impact to the front offside wheel and side impact to the front nearside. Perhaps hit a curb front right and then bounced across and hit the opposite curb side on left hand.

As @colb says check for damage to the strut towers, Try some measurements from the other zed you have to compare and see of any movement.
I would think the subframe mounts should be ok as they are substantial to take suspension and engine loads but still only 2 points and a chassis brace where most current cars have 4 points and a chassis brace.

 

[t-tony]

When you get the o/s suspension changed and the s/rack set the car on a flat level surface and measure the centres of the wheels on each side and compare the measurements. That should give you an idea if there is any damage you haven't seen yet.

Tony.

 

[mrscalex]

I was going to pick the bits from the breaker first so I have everything ready. But I think the sensible thing is to strip the damage out first. Just trying to be sensitive to the neighbours who must be fed up with seeing my cars on axle stands (the breaker is at my Parent's and the only neighbours there think it's all great!).

Either the strut is bent and I can't see it and/or the inner wing strut top is. I suspect (hope) it's the strut as it must be designed to have up and down strength rather than to resist high lateral force. You'd imagine it would give way quite easily with a hard low front impact.

Yes, let's get it stripped down to examine properly. I'll know better when straight parts are offered up. And I can indeed check measurements. It will also get a 4-wheel alignment. I may even treat it to brand new wishbones and track rods etc rather than use them from the breaker

 

[mrscalex]

Here's the strut top.

 

[spurs fan in a coupe]

PM sent

 

[Uncle_Clanger]

All the very best with this restoration , I think it's great you are bringing this one back from the brink just for the hell of it rather than setting your sights on making profit . . . Good on you , hope some of the guys can help source the bits you might not have.

 

[colb]

Strut tower looks ok no damage to the surrounding welds top side, see what its like underneath with the strut out, reckon you might be lucky and the strut gave way before the top started bending. As to cause I was thinking kerb or hard verge, possible car got bounced off the kerb/verge resulting in the nearside sustaining that bent track rod as the wheel gripped the road surface as the car was being slid sideways or it hit the opposite kerb as said before.

 

[mrscalex]

possible car got bounced off the kerb/verge resulting in the nearside sustaining that bent track rod as the wheel gripped the road surface as the car was being slid sideways

That is a very good thought as there's no damage to the wheel on that side or to the bodywork. I guess the car may even have launched up in the air by a few inches and landed on the nearside wheel and the track rod being one of the weaker components gave way.

I feel like we need one of those video graphic reconstructions!

 

[t-tony]

It's highly unlikely that the strut can have moved anywhere near far enough in any direction to have caused any damage to the top mounting area of the turret. Just try mounting a bare strut to the top mounting and move it laterally, you will see what I mean. We see this type of damage to cars every year starting anytime soon, always the weak part takes the damage. Lower arms bend, track rods bend (sometimes, rarely, the rack gets damaged) and the struts themselves bend right above where they pinch mount to the hub castings.

Tony.

 

[t-tony]

It would have taken the tyre off the rim before bending the track rod just sliding across the road surface. Some force is needed to bend a track rod.

Tony.

 

[mrscalex]

1. the struts themselves bend right above where they pinch mount to the hub castings
2. It would have taken the tyre off the rim before bending the track rod just sliding across the road surface. Some force is needed to bend a track rod.

1. I'd like to think you're spot on there. That said if that's the case I must have missed it when I assessed it
2. That's why I think it may have launched off a kerb a few inches into the air and come down on the nearside as opposed to bouncing along/skidding over the road surface after hitting the kerb.

 

[t-tony]

That would make more sense to me.

Tony.

 

[madleemark]

just a thought, did the nearside track rod get damaged when the car was recovered?