I have a 2002 Saturn SL2. It was hit at an intersection on the rear passenger tire. Enough to spin it around. After getting it home it could be seen that the impact was to the top half of the tire, the strut had been bent in. Other than the body panels around that cracking, it is all the damage that I could observe. There were no signs that any of the suspension was moved or bent, nor was there any visible indications that the top strut mount had been damaged. Father in law gave me a strut to replace the bend one, so I installed it. after fully assembling everything back, a full size tire still rubs on the rear strut springs. I have taken it to two alignment shops and neither said that they could align it and neither could see any obvious signs of damage to cause the -4 degree camber that it had. Not sure what to do next since there is no evidence that anything else was bent or moved. Any help would be great. thanks.

 

 

Per Andy and the alignment shop, if you have -4 degrees camber and a rub, bent is bent is bent.
Something had to give in order for the strut to bend.

Try checking the lateral arms that connect the hub to the center line of the rear suspension. Physics says that if the top of the tire was hit hard enough to bend in and bend the strut, some of the stress had to pull outwards lower on the hub, which would involve pulling out on the lateral bar I described earlier..Che Ch the bushings as well. If something is bent out of shape, they will be binding, not cushioing.

Also check the trailing arm alignment and bushings. I would find it hard to believe that the back end of it wSw not pulled outwards/and possibly twisted. Again, look at the bushings.

The trailing arm keeps the hub in the correct plane such that the hub is unable to move forward or back within the wheel well. However, if it twists around it's in axis, it can concievably hold the hub in the correct plane but twisted with the top of the hub inwards... especially if they can still get the toe aligned.

 

I see nothing bent and nothing that would indicate the lateral arms were moved or deformed. The bushings on the trailing arm were fine up front, no major tension on it when I removed the bolts to check on it. The bushings where it attaches to the knuckle are binding and I am having a hard time removing the trailing arm from the knuckle because of it. I will look at all the components again for any clue as to where the issue might be. thought it might be up in the upper strut attachment point since it appears to be the thinnest metal but it has the rubber strut bushing on it to cushion the blow.

Frustrating.

 

 

New trailing arm, new hub and bearing......still 1/4 inch or less clearance between inner tire wall and strut tower.

I suppose I will turn my attention to the inner portion of the suspension next.

 

Just a thought:

Maybe the impact bent the frame itself.
Might try comparing measurements from the centerline of the rear out to various spots. Still might be the rear lateral arms but....

Also, a body shop might be able to tell you if the frame is distorted, but that would be expensive and I would save that as a last resort