How can I tell if my front wheel struts are bent or not

[Woodsman444]

I have VY with tyre fitting problems and it has been suggested that one strut might be bent but the bloke cannot tell if it is or not,is there any way I can know for sure?

 

[rambunctious]

I have VY with tyre fitting problems and it has been suggested that one strut might be bent but the bloke cannot tell if it is or not,is there any way I can know for sure?

Explain what you mean by tyre fitting problems.

 

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

The only real way to tell is to get a wheel alignment done and have them check all the angles, including SAI and IA, this will tell if a strut is bent or not.

 

[vc commodore]

I have VY with tyre fitting problems and it has been suggested that one strut might be bent but the bloke cannot tell if it is or not,is there any way I can know for sure?

As asked, what do you mean by tyre fitting problems? And the bloke that's suggesting the strut might be bent obviously is clutching at straws. It is very rare to bent a strut in this era commodore.....Generally what bends first with these is the lower control arm and the K-frame where the lower control arm bolts.

A good way to check for a bent strut, is look around the bolt holes, (where it bolts to the stub axle) for signs paint cracking....Also check the strut tower, in the engine bay, for signs of paint cracking too.....These 2 spots are the quickest and easiest ways to see if the strut is bent or not.

 

[_R_J_K_]

Is this fitment issue happening on both sides?

Money is on the tire size being wrong.

 

[Woodsman444]

Explain what you mean by tyre fitting problems.

My r/h tyre rubs under the strut but not on the left side, I took it to a tyre place and alignment as I was told it might be a camber issue. I was told both sides looked about the same camber setting but he did not want to put the machines on to be sure,long story.Both tyres are the same size but for some reason on the right side the tyre rubs

 

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

You can't really tell just by looking, if there is a substantial difference in camber you will see it, but if it's touching like that on one side and not the other then it may well be a camber issue as the adjustment is where the lower strut mount is.

You need to get it on a machine to measure it.

 

[vc commodore]

My r/h tyre rubs under the strut but not on the left side, I took it to a tyre place and alignment as I was told it might be a camber issue. I was told both sides looked about the same camber setting but he did not want to put the machines on to be sure,long story.Both tyres are the same size but for some reason on the right side the tyre rubs

Generally tyre joints charge a lesser fee just for an alignment check and I gather you didn't want to stump up the coin for this service......Unfortunately, you'd be better off doing this, posting up the report and wait for replies....

Or as I previously suggested, check for paint cracking around the strut bolt up points

 

[vc commodore]

You can't really tell just by looking, if there is a substantial difference in camber you will see it, but if it's touching like that on one side and not the other then it may well be a camber issue as the adjustment is where the lower strut mount is.

You need to get it on a machine to measure it.

Not necessarily......Generally looking for signs of paint cracking is enough to confirm or deny something is bent....

 

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

The alignment check would confirm it and to what extent though. Someone that knows what they're doing needs to measure it, anyone can hook a machine up and tell you it's out. It takes an experienced aligner to read all the angles and determine what, if anything, is bent.