So what's bent when nothing looks bent? (NB Miata Content)

My son slid into a curb while driving in a snow storm. Now the steering wheel is off to the right (CW). He hit with his driver side front wheel, so I'm assuming it hit on the rear side of the wheel. I looked at it and the toe is definitely out and it looks like it might have picked up some positive camber as well, but I cannot find anything that is visibly bent or damaged. Any suggestions? I'd rather not just start replacing parts, and I also don't want to assume it's safe at this point to just align it.

The long bolt for the upper control arm is a common thing to bend in the front.

The control arms like bending if you look at them funny...or crash on the Interstate. Same difference really.

While the car is somewhat lifted, I'd take a flashlight and a ruler and make some comparisons left to right. Look for bending and deformities in the lower control arms. Also look at where the LCA meets the subframe; my subframe buckled "inward" resulting in a degree of positive camber without damaging the alignment bolts.

Worst case scenario, get a multi-pack alignment. I abuse a 3-year alignment at Tires Plus because I'm not done replacing suspension bits but still drive the car.

Bring it in for an alignment using lasers on all corners, they'll tell you what's whacked. It could be something as simple as an adjustor got loosened or knocked.

Dan

I'm gonna say front lower control arm, especially on a curb hit. They're rather organic in shape, so it's really hard to eyeball a damaged one.

By the way, the bent one of mine is on bottom.

I've bent too many front parts in my first couple of years racing Spec Miata... My advice, check:
- Spindle/Upright - it is near impossible to visually see that it's bent w/o matching to a known unbent one which means it is off the car so this may be the last thing you'll check
- ball joint - see my video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5KmvynFgi0
- lower control arm - difficult to eyeball. Get the front on jackstands run your hands along both control arms at the same time and feel for differences. Works for me anyway.

90% of the time in the body shop business we see a bent lower control arm.

Get a tape measure and start measuring points like ball joint to inner bushing, ball joint to rear bushing, comparing good side to bad. Then eyeball the ball joints' position relative to the wheel lip to check for a bent upright.

Normally the eyeball gauge on parts is good enough, paying attention to where paint has bee freshly broken off, but I've seen control arms bent 3/4" back that LOOKED okay, right up until to the point where it was laid over the new part.

Thanks for all the replies, guys. Thinking ahead, does anyone happen to have a lower control arm they don't need? Drivers side for a '99.