96 Cefiro creaking noise on turning since crash

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Morkalin - 20 Sep 2006 22:31 GMT

Hi all,

Firstly I don't know much about car internals - I'm mostly just a
driver...

I was in the middle of a 3 car pile up a few weeks back. I've had all
the repairs done - luckily nothing in the engine was damaged, all
bodywork - it's roughly quite a tough car! Had to have a new bonnet,
front and back bumper and front and back bumper frames.

Now since right after the crash there has been a weird "creaking" /
knocking / groaning noise towards the right at the back every time I
turn left. And it's only when I turn left. This also happens if I go
over speed bumps. I was hoping that after all the repairs were done
that it would be sorted out but it's still very much there. I'm taking
it for new tyres in the front (was going to have this anyway before the
crash) as well as a wheel alignment. All the panelbeater suggested was
to get the wheel alignment done.

Any ideas what this might be?

Regards,
Wayne

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E Meyer - 20 Sep 2006 23:32 GMT

My guess would be that something structural was bent and it is causing
something in the suspension to bind. A wheel alignment is a good start, but
you probably need all the angles checked throughout the suspension. Look
for a frame alignment shop.

(for others who might want to jump in, a '96 Cefiro is what we would
recognize as an I30 in the US and a Maxima in other countries.)

On 9/20/06 4:31 PM, in article
1158787903.749982.32170@i42g2000cwa.googlegroups.com, "Morkalin"
<wkoorts@gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi all,
>
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
> Regards,
> Wayne

Reply to this Message

Morkalin - 21 Sep 2006 02:56 GMT

> My guess would be that something structural was bent and it is causing
> something in the suspension to bind. A wheel alignment is a good start, but
> you probably need all the angles checked throughout the suspension. Look
> for a frame alignment shop.

Thanks for your reply. I have looked at the Yellow Pages and the
closest thing I could find to frame alignment was chassis
straightening... at least I think its the same. And under this was
just a whole list of panelbeaters - would this not be the job of a
panelbeater? I would expect that if the bodywork gets damaged
("something structural bent") this would be something they should
correct? I did ask the guy what he thought about the noise this
morning when I picked the car up and he said he didn't have any idea
what it could be and just suggested I have the wheel alignment checked.

Would frame aligners be different to panelbeaters?

Regards,
Wayne

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E Meyer - 21 Sep 2006 03:17 GMT

On 9/20/06 8:56 PM, in article
1158803814.666370.277220@k70g2000cwa.googlegroups.com, "Morkalin"
<wkoorts@gmail.com> wrote:

>> My guess would be that something structural was bent and it is causing
>> something in the suspension to bind. A wheel alignment is a good start, but
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> Regards,
> Wayne

If they advertise themselves as frame straighteners then you would expect
that they would check it. Apparently from the response you got, maybe not.

Around here (Dallas), there are specialized shops that only do alignments
and frame straightening. The panelbeaters outsource the precision work to
them.

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