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Alignment off after a wheelstand

Posted By: an8sec70cuda

Alignment off after a wheelstand - 10/16/23 12:42 PM

Last run I made w/ my cuda had a hard landing when it stood up. Smashed the oil pan pretty good, but I didn't see any witness marks on anything else, so I think the pan was the only thing that hit the ground.
Drove the car a few weeks ago and it's pulling to the RIGHT. Found a sticking brake caliper on the LEFT. Just got the brakes fixed and back together this weekend, but haven't been able to drive it due to rain and too many other things to do.
I don't see anything that looks bent or obviously damaged, but I know that it would have to be pretty bad to actually be able to see it. The steering wheel is no longer centered when straight. I don't think the car is damaged as far as frame structure b/c all the door gaps still seem fine.

My question is what have yall found damaged in the suspension after a hard landing? I'm hoping to get it aligned this coming weekend and hopefully they'll be able to tell me what happened. I would like to have an idea of what to look for if any of you have had this issue.

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Posted By: 71Demon528

Re: Alignment off after a wheelstand - 10/16/23 12:58 PM

We had to replace my dads idler arm after he did the same thing, then re checked the tow and can’t remember if he had to adjust it much or not.
Posted By: SportF

Re: Alignment off after a wheelstand - 10/16/23 12:59 PM

Steering box mount, or even a cracked mount on the box itself.
Posted By: pittsburghracer

Re: Alignment off after a wheelstand - 10/16/23 01:24 PM



When my son did the 330 foot wheelie last year it bent the strut plate that connects to the rack. Not sure what type of set up you have.
Posted By: an8sec70cuda

Re: Alignment off after a wheelstand - 10/16/23 01:28 PM

Forgot to add that the car still has all stock front suspension and steering. up
Posted By: J_BODY

Re: Alignment off after a wheelstand - 10/16/23 02:05 PM

Yeah….. we got an alignment after the wheel stand all right.

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Posted By: gregsdart

Re: Alignment off after a wheelstand - 10/16/23 04:07 PM

If there is a good front end alignment shop near you that specializes in race cars, they can check your car over and set it for the track.
Posted By: B1duster

Re: Alignment off after a wheelstand - 10/16/23 04:08 PM

I would put the car on ramps or a drive on lift.
Put the steering wheel perfectly straight and eyeball down each side of car.
Most likely one wheel will be straight and the other toed in or toed out.
Take a good look at side that doesn’t look right
Posted By: dvw

Re: Alignment off after a wheelstand - 10/16/23 04:55 PM

Start by checking the toe. If the wheel is off the toe has changed. Usually a toe change is caused by a camber change. It doesn't take much. Look at the front tires. Are they layed in? Check with a digital level. If the wheel has only moved 1/8 turn or so nothing has probably moved very far.
Doug
Posted By: Tig

Re: Alignment off after a wheelstand - 10/16/23 05:10 PM

Yeah we've done that a few times now, last time was the worst after bending the wheelie bar mounts. After starting to move right it came down hard enough to buckle the pan, bend the QA1 cross member where it touched the floor and spring the spot welds off a little panel that attaches to the shock mount and fender on the RHS (it wasn't that good in the first place by the look of it). We have engine bars tied to the cage, I can also remember hurting my back.
The steering was a little toed out after that too, we checked stuff and re-assembled after replacing the QA1 cross member. The cross member was a little tight width wise to get in so we may have tweaked the frame rails a little. Then I spent a day with a castor camber gauge and a toe gauge, had to add some +ve camber on the LHS which meant adjusting the castor all over again but we got it in the end after going back and forth with the settings. Car ran OK with no issues on return but we had to wait some time for the QA1 stuff.

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Posted By: n20mstr

Re: Alignment off after a wheelstand - 10/16/23 05:44 PM

Stock K frame ? Don’t forget the idler arm and the lower arms locate off the K . If it touched one or all of this could move . Check the alignment settings where they are now , that will be best indicator of what moved
Posted By: 340Cuda

Re: Alignment off after a wheelstand - 10/16/23 05:53 PM

My car, a 69 Barracuda, cracked the mount for the left front upper control arm bushing after it started doing wheelstands, however this was before the giant smash the pan and headers wheelie it had pre wheelie bars.
Posted By: Thelma133

Re: Alignment off after a wheelstand - 10/17/23 02:53 AM

Mine was not quite as high as yours is in the picture. I put an alterkation on my dart. It’s bullet proof. Have you thought about wheelie bars?
Posted By: an8sec70cuda

Re: Alignment off after a wheelstand - 10/17/23 12:26 PM

The steering box and mounts all look good. Idler arm doesn't look bent, but I'm not 100% sure b/c I didn't take it apart. I held a good one up close to it to eyeball it, lol.
The rear UCA cam bolt on the driver's side looks like it may have moved, but I don't see any damage to anything around the UCA bushings.

Gonna take it in for an alignment and see how it goes.

No wheelie bars allowed in the usual classes I run. This car is going way faster than it should be for what's done to it. Seriously considering either making some changes in the near future or just hanging it up for a while.
Posted By: TheBlackCar

Re: Alignment off after a wheelstand - 10/17/23 12:50 PM

I put reference marks with a paint pen on the UCA adjustment bolts/washers for a quick visual check in the future. Also look at the Upper BJ cup if you have aftermarket UCA's, stretched a couple of those.
Posted By: HEMI472

Re: Alignment off after a wheelstand - 10/17/23 04:50 PM

its all ways going to happen till you get rid of the cam bolts
Posted By: DoubleD

Re: Alignment off after a wheelstand - 10/17/23 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by dvw
Start by checking the toe. If the wheel is off the toe has changed. Usually a toe change is caused by a camber change. It doesn't take much. Look at the front tires. Are they layed in? Check with a digital level. If the wheel has only moved 1/8 turn or so nothing has probably moved very far.
Doug


That's a good idea - never thought about using a digital level - just ordered one!
Posted By: JERICOGTX

Re: Alignment off after a wheelstand - 10/17/23 05:01 PM

Originally Posted by TheBlackCar
I put reference marks with a paint pen on the UCA adjustment bolts/washers for a quick visual check in the future. Also look at the Upper BJ cup if you have aftermarket UCA's, stretched a couple of those.



I did that with my car. No huge wheelstands, but so far nothing has moved.
Posted By: an8sec70cuda

Re: Alignment off after a wheelstand - 10/23/23 12:49 PM

The driver's side rear cam bolt moved a lot and rounded out the hole in the cam washer. Also both upper ball joints were in rough shape.
Replaced both upper ball joints and all 4 UCA bushings. Going to get it aligned ASAP and hopefully be good to go for the KOS race on 11/18 in Rockingham.
Posted By: ValiantRich

Re: Alignment off after a wheelstand - 10/25/23 11:44 AM

I have had similar problems and the cure is to have a roller bearing idler arm. Mine was done by MR2 performance. The upper control arm cams were tack welded to the body after front end alignment. I do have to set the toe in periodically but nothing drastic like it used to be. Hope this helps.
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