2002 Galant Possible Axle Issues
 

Hey guys,

I was heading out to for some errands earlier today and like an idiot wasn't paying attention. I ran my car up onto the curb, which popped the front tire and bent the s**t out of the outer rim of the front wheel on the passenger's side. The back wheel, tire, and hubcap are all okay (some marks, but nothing too bad / the front hubcap is screwed up like everything else).

Naturally this isn't the best way to leave to neighborhood...so I jacked up the car and threw the doughnut spare on and did my errands.

Now, replacing the wheel, tire, and hubcap isn't the issue I'm worried about...I'm worried about possible damage to the axles, suspension, and any associated components when the car hopped onto and off of the curb...I know at the very least I'll need a good alignment done once I grab the new wheel and tire.

Driving the car around the neighborhood and around town I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary in the way it was driving and handling (no funky noises or anything) except that I have to hold the steering wheel a little to the left to go completely straight...again, probably the issue with the majorly screwed-up alignment.

Just wondering about any possible issues that may have resulted from the incident and what I should look for when I have some time to inspect the car. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

*FYI I was doing roughly about 25 MPH and didn't hit the curb at a very sharp angle.

You most likely bent the strut, the control arm, and the hub/wheel bearing. I would replace all of these. The axle is usually pretty stout.

I would recommend getting a wheel alignment performed.

This will identify any settings out of the norm and will stop you replaceing parts you may not need to