Noticed my tires are out of place. 

"NKato" (NKato) 08/28/2018 at 20:29 • Filed to: killer queen

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Left front sticks out more by about an inch. Right front looks fine. Bent frame? Bent control arms? What do you guys think?

Edit: just took another look and it seems like the front wheels may be toed out, too... What the heck?

Nibby > NKato 08/28/2018 at 20:38

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maybe it wants to be lifted with 40" tires

NKato > Nibby 08/28/2018 at 20:42

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No jokes please. I want to make sure I'm not going to have a sudden failure during the oppo meet this Saturday. 

atfsgeoff > NKato 08/28/2018 at 20:44

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The kind of frame damage required to push in the whole steering knuckle by an inch, would cause the car to drive really wonky and probably noticeable crabwalking.

Easy way to see if they line up with the rear tires symmetrically, is to drive slowly and perfectly straight through a big puddle and then stop 50 feet past, then compare the water tread marks from side to side.

NKato > atfsgeoff 08/28/2018 at 20:46

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I think the problem is more about the left front. Why is it sticking out so much that the tire could potentially interfere with the fender? 

Urambo Tauro > NKato 08/28/2018 at 20:52

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I think you need to confirm i t f r om underneath first. N o t s u r e I ’ d t r u s t t h e b o d y a s a p o i n t o f reference.

NKato > Urambo Tauro 08/28/2018 at 20:54

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 Good point. This car has definitely been through some rough contact, like a pit maneuver. 

MM54 > NKato 08/28/2018 at 21:07

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The fenders of a panther are not square to the chassis, they taper in towards the front. This looks completely normal.

Nibby > NKato 08/28/2018 at 21:10

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ok ok 38"

sony1492 > NKato 08/28/2018 at 21:13

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Are you sure both steel wheels are the same offset? I would not be surprised to hear that there is a police stockpile and the offset is different for a given year(guess)

As for toe, you can't really tell visually with this car since the front bends forward before the bumper(and the front is bent to one side judging front the bumper alignment)

I own dead car brands only > NKato 08/28/2018 at 21:18

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Looks like the front bumper is the one tweaked. The bumper seems to be more in (comparing the headlight and the bumper fitment) on the left side while the right side bumper sticks out more. Unless that’s photography 

NKato > sony1492 08/28/2018 at 21:22

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That’s a possibility. Can only be confirmed by swapping the front tires around.

NKato > I own dead car brands only 08/28/2018 at 21:23

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 photography. There are signs that it's been used in a pursuit though. The pushbars are offset to the driver side by half an inch, which suggests the possibility that it tossed a suspect in a PIT.

NKato > MM54 08/28/2018 at 21:24

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 I'm aware, but the left (driver) side is definitely sticking out a bit. 

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > NKato 08/28/2018 at 21:27

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Are the tires and wheels the same on both sides? The left front tire looks meatier on the rim than the right front.

sony1492 > NKato 08/28/2018 at 21:29

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While your in there inspect the suspension mount points. To me, if everything looks how it should and it’s not the rims I wouldn’t worry about it from a safety standpoint.(because having one wheel stick out wpild probably be caused by a bent frame or an obvious problem)

MM54 > NKato 08/28/2018 at 21:30

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so the steering isn’t centered

NKato > MM54 08/28/2018 at 21:34

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I centered it just now. Still sticks out. The sidewall of the left tire is perfectly in line with the outside of the fender. The right tire is around an inch inside. That concerns me.

atfsgeoff > NKato 08/28/2018 at 21:46

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D o the puddle test, and get back to us.

MM54 > NKato 08/28/2018 at 21:53

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When was it aligned last? Caster and camber will move the center of the tire around relative to the fender, and toe will move the front of it in/out.

NKato > MM54 08/28/2018 at 22:29

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February. It's been through a bit since. Planning a new alignment when I get my winter tires. 

MM54 > NKato 08/28/2018 at 22:37

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I wouldn’t worry about it, but if you must, measure from the frame, not the body. It isn’t exactly unheard of for car’s bodies to not be exactly centered on the chassis (body on frame only, of course) .

NKato > MM54 08/28/2018 at 22:43

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 okay. Planning on getting her on a lift at Stew's this Friday. 

NKato > atfsgeoff 08/28/2018 at 22:49

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 Hard to do the puddle test at work or home, no water hose.

atfsgeoff > NKato 08/28/2018 at 22:53

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just fill a pitcher with tap water and pour it in front of both front tires, then drive through it.

NKato > atfsgeoff 08/28/2018 at 23:05

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I managed to get a five gallon bucket for the test. But the water track only lasted 6 feet, and from what I could tell, it was negligible. Didn't help that the parking lot was sloped so the water drained out. 

wafflesnfalafel > NKato 08/28/2018 at 23:06

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NASCAR

Die-Trying > NKato 08/28/2018 at 23:26

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the fender is warped...... the one that looks like it is poking out, just grab the inside lip of top of the opening, and give it a solid tug until it twists back out to where it ought to be........

Tristan > NKato 08/29/2018 at 00:25

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It’s a panther thing. Lack of attention to detail in panel alignment and the positioning of the body on the frame. NBD.

NKato > Tristan 08/29/2018 at 01:13

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How do you know this for sure? :p

Tristan > NKato 08/29/2018 at 02:08

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I’ve seen it on many old BOF Fords from Panthers to f-150s.

NKato > Tristan 08/29/2018 at 03:18

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Even if that is the case, this feels a little out there to be just a case of body panel misalignment.

E92M3 > NKato 08/29/2018 at 06:53

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Maybe it’s just the toe, and the steering wheel wasn’t perf ectly dead center when it was al igned last.? Most cars don’t h ave the toe set at 0, but that looks excessive.

NKato > E92M3 08/29/2018 at 16:01

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I’m thinking it’s actually a combination of factors -- body panel misalignment, possibly old control arms that are getting sloppy, and sloppy alignment. That’s my best guess. It’s nothing serious, but it will bother my eyes for a while.