Congratulations on the hard work paying off for that stubborn joint!

Is that Elastomer bushing a part of the sub-frame? Looks like it was pressed in by the crash forces pretty well. Perhaps some good heat with a heat gun (no torch) on it will help and hope that bushing is OK...

 

I wrapped a ratchet tie down (5000lb) around huge pine tree in front of my car in my backyard, and cranked....pulled the F*cker out!
All parts removed, tracking says new ones arrive today.
Wooohooooo

 

Does anyone know-because its too dark and late to go check, but I just got the control arm, will install tomm but I am guessing the sway bar might be in the way of installing the inner control arm ball joint shaft-maybe?
If it is in the way, do you know if I can disconnect the driver side mount and rotate/move the sway bar up a bit? or is it pretty fixed in there on the countryman?

 

Definitely disconnect the opposite side sway bar link until you're ready to install both links back in. Lube up the new control arm really good to get it into the bushing.

 

ok, thanks...did that, and moved bar out of way, awesome. Thanks

 

nightmare continues....
guess I need another tool to get the bushing on
I got it on a bit, but still need another half inch....
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-schwaben.../025770sch01a/

 

Is there a hack substitute for this tool?
I saw a dude on youtube use his trailer hitch to lower/press down hahahaha, too bad I don't have a trailer.

edit-made my own with some long bolts and a piece of metal. got it in!

 

Got everything installed, drove around for a few miles, surprisingly the alignment is pretty damn close-but will still go to alignment shop to have them do a proper job.

Thanks all.

 

Alignment shop told me, there is something still a bit off on the front right passenger wheel. I ended up finding an exact new/used wheel to match as my wheel was so scratched up and it had a wobble to it. So installed the new wheel and looked out window when we were driving and it was much better, but still slight wobble.
Alignment shop suspected the front hub could be bent, but they can't be sure, so they did not do an alignment, nor did they charge me to put in rack and start inspection.

SO-I have the car on jacks, 4 of them, wheels blocked in rear, and I had my daughter get in car and give a little gas with both wheels off the front, I had my eye on the passenger side front to check Hub/Rotor wobble, but only the driver side is turning with gas applied, is that normal? (I am thinking it is, the differential?)...so if it IS normal, how can I get that side to spin to see if its bent? and if its supposed to be spinning I know I have a whole new set of nightmares haha.

I know a level is not an alignment tool but, clearly different leans on passenger side and driver side. So, the inexperienced mechanic that I am (with cars) tells me its the big cast iron looking knuckle - which I doubt, or the shock/strut (is that called a strut? or a shock?)...unless the HUB is actually bent and the splines of the drive shaft shifted or something?

Is there no way to adjust camber in these cars? you could once upon a time on automobiles right?


passenger side-the one that hit curb, bubble level more out of line than driver side.

driver side that was not impacted, the bubble is almost level


And video of the hubs spinning, passenger side with impact, slight wobble
VIDEO HERE

And driver side without impact isn't exactly perfectly straight
VIDEO HERE

 

Are you sure the car is level right to left? If not, that would cause the wheel not to have the correct camber.

To get the passenger side wheel to rotate, you’ll probably need to give the driver side a little bit of rolling resistance. Totally normal for one side to not spin when both wheels are in the air.

 

Nik,
ya, I can't be certain my dopey 'level test' the car was level, but you can visually see the impacted wheel is out a bit compared to the drivers/non impact side. I think the passenger side is "positive" camber-where the TOP of the wheel is sticking out, bottom is pushed in a bit, its all very subtle, but noticeable to the eye.

I can see at the top strut mount, under the hood, the 3 bolts that hold the strut, I loosened one to see under the bolt and it is slotted, so some real slight movement is possible for camber, i think?...and its pushed all the way to the outer most of the slots, giving positive camber, I think if I can push it back, towards the inside of car/engine, I might get the wheel a bit more camber? maybe? but not sure how to move it (Jack it up, wheel off, use a jack on the hub perhaps?).

 

As the wheel droops, it will gain a little bit of positive camber, too

To adjust the top strut mount, remove the three nuts, pull out the plastic nipple, and push the strut top towards the center line of the car. Then, replace the nuts and torque them down.

 

Wow, good job. I had a bit of PTSD looking at your photos of removing that centre ball joint. I even cut mine with a grinder and couldn't get the remaining stub to pop free. I lost a few degrees of sanity on that job.

Camber is definitely adjustable. Surprised the alignment shop couldn't get it into spec.

I can't imagine the hub itself is bent. The strut might have been jarred at the top mount though...might just be a matter of doing as suggested above. I use two jacks for that...one for the body and another to push the strut up slightly from under the hub to take the weight of it while I undo the nuts. Probably not necessary but I find it easier...YMMV.

Btw, sorry about the bent strut tube comment earlier...I didn't look at mine and was going on memory, which is obviously faulty. *face palm

 

I would kind of be surprised that with both wheels off the ground only one would spin with the diff putting all the torque to just one. Usually with such low resistance on both wheels they should both rotate forward. When I rotate the tires side to side on my other cars you can freely spin the diffs when both tires are off the ground. Maybe there is still some slight binding on the passenger side.

 

It doesn't take much resistance to cause an open differential to only spin one wheel

 

So it is the damaged passenger side that has the resistance it seems then. Would taking the wheel off and leaving the driver side on be enough to over come this potential small resistance bias, and prove the passenger would turn now and fine then? I would expect the driver side to not turn and the passenger side would or at least they would both turn at that point.

 

A slight drag on the brake pad could cause only one wheel to spin

 

I went back and watched your videos, looks like MAYBE there is a slight wobble in the passenger side hub. How does it drive down the road? You should be able to feel that in the ride if its an issue.

 

I guess I would be tempted to pull the wheel and caliper to then run and check to see if things turn and verify all is smooth on the passenger side. Or perhaps just add some friction to the driver side and see how much it takes to get them to both turn...

 

Couple things-thanks all for engagement here.
As for the one wheel spinning test thing, resolved that the other day by blocking the driver side wheel, so it was stuck, which I was told would ive the passenger side movement, it did, hence the videos I posted above showing the hubs/rotors spinning for all of your expert analysis haha.

Nik, you noticed some wobble, as did I, but it is slight? not sure how much wobble a car can take before noticing symptoms but to answer your question, after about hitting 50mph, I can feel a slight vibration or 'hum' if you will. No vibration on braking, no vibration in the steering wheel, but there is a overall car vibration coming from the front end, i'd call it low frequency. I gotta assume or HOPE its from the crooked hub (slightly bent) but not sure. I ordered a new hub/bearing assembly, not sure ill tackle that, I don't want to throw in the towel on the DIY, but, might be time.

I am happy with my quality of work in replacing all the damaged parts, but, might be getting into deep end with diagnosing the hum vibration.

The car was so perfect before this, drove straight, was smooth and quiet (well, that harsh ride you get from a mini haha)....

Check out THIS VIDEO for a look at the wobbly hub of course (I just noticed the brake caliper rocking side to side with the wobble)...but look at the drive shaft-is that supposed to be all nervously jiggling? I guess I should look at the drivers side too to see if that one is shaky like that (shaky meaning, like if you had a wooden dowel on a lathe before you smoothed it out).

 

FWIW, I got a new hub, when I pulled the old one off, the bearing was still in great shape mechanically (I only reference this because I'd imagine I should change both at same time, but I am not going to do that right now) and before I changed, this was remaining part to change (minus the knuckle) so I went for it, Rockauto had the OEM part for a killer price.
Got installed and the vibrations are gone, steers pretty straight now im off to alignment shop and be done with this.
Another discovery, the rear lower control arm, had a slight bend in it I noticed, so I replaced both R and L lower arms, with adjustable arms (again, RockAuto had a great price on a set).

So, for about $550 bucks in parts, and copious amounts of my time, I think we are done and back to normal. Whew.

 

Resurrecting my old thread. Car has been running for 6 months after this repair, very short trips to school honestly, nothing heavy-probably in the chaos of getting it all together, I never noticed that the right front wheel I repaired sits 'further out' or not as 'tucked in' as the uninjured driver side front wheel. I could measure the difference in offset, but, i'd guess a full centimeter?

One would think the impact that was taken (despite every part being replaced) would tuck it IN, not OUT, but, I fear something in my installation that did not press something all the way in. I know, scary i've let it go this long.

I am going to take wheel off today and visually check everything-but any ideas would be helpful-otherwise, ill take it to a pro mechanic tomm.
Cheers