R50/R53 :: Hatch Talk (2002-2006) Cooper (R50) and Cooper S (R53) hatchback discussion.

R50/53 R53 pulls to the left after accident repair

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Old Sep 3, 2013 | 03:51 PM
  #1  
swunder's Avatar
swunder
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2nd Gear
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From: New Jersey
R53 pulls to the left after accident repair

Got into an accident about a month and a half ago in my 04 :( collision was in the front passenger side.

So they replaced (all right side):

Ball Joint
Hub and bearing
Lower Control Arm
Knuckle
Strut
Crossmember/align
Rotor
Stabilizer link
Axle
Tire
Alignment

Problem is the car is always pulling to the left. Gets worse at higher speed and with harder acceleration. Also when just cruising with my hands on the wheel on a flat road... the front end feels like its moving to the left for a few seconds... then the right... then the left etc. Its just not stable the way it was before the accident (where if anything the car pulled to the right).

Now could this just be caused by the tire on one side and the worn one on the other? Anything on my list they could have screwed up to cause this feeling? New right side suspension vs old left side?

Thanks!
 
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Old Sep 3, 2013 | 04:44 PM
  #2  
cristo's Avatar
cristo
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From: York, Pennsylvania
My thoughts are:

Check the right front control arm bushing.
Check the right tie rod joints.
Make sure both the inner and outer right ball joints are ok.
Check the top strut bearing.


Then start checking things on the left side.
 
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Old Sep 3, 2013 | 04:46 PM
  #3  
MIKESGREENMINI's Avatar
MIKESGREENMINI
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From: SO CAL
Did you get the alignment checked? With work to the front end maybe they just put it back together and failed to aligned.
 
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Old Sep 3, 2013 | 06:21 PM
  #4  
ZippyNH's Avatar
ZippyNH
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From: Southern NH
Originally Posted by MIKESGREENMINI
Did you get the alignment checked? With work to the front end maybe they just put it back together and failed to aligned.
+1
Or the car is tweaked (bent/distorted)...some say bent frame...but impossible on a uni-body FRAMELESS CAR...should have been checked BEFORE they decided to spend $$ to fix the car...
Car can be put on a "rack" and measured for straightness, and straightened in some cases....
 
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