Front end Help 14 sportsman
 

Hey

Wife buried her 14 400 sportsman on the right side really bad, came off a guard rail bridge around a swamp. Took like 5 hours and a lot of tugging and it looks like the right side got bent back. Have to hold the wheel like at 11 o clock to go straight now. What's not making sense though is if I hold the wheel straight the left wheel is turned in and the right is straight. Can't see which part is bent but would think the tie rod over the lower control arm. Any one got any ideas.

Thanks in advance

Martin

Tie rod and possible the a-arm itself may be visibly bent or even tweaked. I've often had to replace both on wreck jobs. Sometimes even the cv joint shaft can be bent,but not always. You just have to look it over and replace what's needed and realign the front end. Easiest way we found at the shop to do this was using two people.One to hold the bars tight and straight and the other person to use a straight edge such as a light steel stud against the back tire as a guide for the toe out needed on the front tires.We normally went for 3/8" toe out. Usually first time adjustment on this was spot on after riding.No pulling or tracking one way or the other even if you let go of the bars at low speeds,but occasionally we had to do this twice if not perfect the first time. Several ways of doing this,some still use string and chalk method,others did like we did at the shop. Plus here's a pic of one guys method.