A curb jumped into my 02 Xtreme's left front wheel last week. It took a few days but finally the tire went flat. Meanwhile the steering wheel is pointing to 12:30. Everything else seems okay. The car seems to be tracking normally, no pulling that I can tell... But I have the feeling something is not right down there.

I'll jack it up and get underneath, what should I look for?

 

I'd schedule for a wheel alignment test. I had an experience with a car that had wheels off the alignment and I also haven't had any pulling to the side either. I have realized there is something going on to the alignment after months, when the front of my ride was getting vibrations on a low speed. The reason were the unbalanced and unequally worn off (=damaged) tires due to an alignment problems. I got that fixed, but had to get another tire set.

Cheers, Mike

 

Why I ran into a hill last year my steering was all wonky. I took it for an alignment and there was no damage, it just knocked it out a bit. It might be no big deal like mine was.

 

What did they do to fix it? What i wonder about is the usual cure is screw the tie rod end in or out. But does hitting a curb actually unscrew the tie rod? So the real problem must lie elsewhere, something broken or bent?

 

From the sounds of it , you probably bent a tie-rod...Just an assumption though...Can't really say much without taking a look.

 

Tie rod will not get unscrewed by hitting a curb, no worries. Usually, when a tie rod gets bend, the bend itself is nothing critical and to be worried about. On a wheel alignment process they just adjust the rod length and it's done. You may also ask them to check out the rod ends too. Anyway, save Yourself an unnecessary job, just schedule for alignment. That process will give You more feedback than a forum guessing.

Cheers, Mike

 

Ahh, that makes sense. And if it's a control arm that's bent there is no need to replace it either, the alignment moves the wheel into the proper position and it's done?

 

Exactly that was my point.

 

I wanted to mention that there are auto companies that specialize in repairing damaged and bent rims. I don't know how hard it is to find that rim. is it OEM or an after market wheel?

 

Here's a replacement:

ALY5069/5153 Blazer, Jimmy, S10, S15, Sonoma Wheel #9593841

Just wanted to pass it along..