Chevy & GMC Vans

So I decided to jump a canal the other day, Dukes of Hazzard style, and I messed up the front end. Passenger wheel came up and back, it smacked the fender, pushing the door up and back into the slider. The wheels are splayed out and the steering box bolts broke and the box is flopping. I am not sure but the frame may also be tweaked. I am going to try bolting the box back in place so I can steer it and park it where I can work on it better. I had mechanic look at it on the side of the road, he of course couldn't tell the extent of the damage there and then but suggested I bolt the box back up and then if it steered reasonably I could drive it to his shop for a thorough inspection. I really don't have the money to put into this right now, so I am trying to get it back on the road as cheaply as possible. I am pretty handy with a wrench, but have no experience with front suspension or steering components. If the frame is bent that is obviously something I can't fix myself, and I can see the $$$ adding up to more than its worth if I have it all fixed properly. I'm at work so, more later.......

we reap what we sow.

Inky wrote:My van has always been a classy looking ride, a street machine that is kept tidy and nice.

I can see how well you take care of it. Aren't you a bit old to be jumping cars?

well if the front end is messed up maybe now is a good time to do upgrades while repairing it i sure would like to see some pictures of this damage especially the passenger wheel area

I was going to smooth over that rough draft before posting when I was so rudely interrupted by my job, so I should explain, since some seem to think I am guilty of Astro abuse. I did not "decide" to jump the canal. I passed out. Driving home from work I got dizzy, the world started spinning, and I leaned over and pulled the wheel to the right. I was doing 50mph and I don't think I hit the brakes till after the landing. I am sooo verrrrrry lucky. Not a scratch on me. Here's the canal. That freshly torn up dirt on the right is where the right side of the van took the biggest hit as it sent me flying over the ditch. I landed just to the left of the gates, you can see my left front tire tracks on the cement next to the barracade, starting at about halfway across. The canal at the point I went over was about 14 feet across.
Air cleared? Can we get back to fixing my steering now? If enough force was applied to the box to break the bolts, do you think the gear box is still O.K.? I have to pull it out to remove the broken bolts, how can I check it on the bench? Any tips for removing it or installing it that I should be aware of? I will post more pics later of the damage as work progresses. I am sure to have more questions, thanks guys

Wow! Have you got yourself looked at? I'd want to know what's wrong with me first.

I'd guess the box is damaged. I'd want to replace it regardless, but it might be good enough for the limp to the shop. When you pull it, cycle it all the way through it's movement, it should be smooth. No binding, no catching, no metallic noises.

Steering and suspension components are actually really easy to work on. Worst part is popping the taper fittings used on the ball joints, tie rods, etc. Luckily many parts store offer loaner front end service kits and pickle forks. I usually try to pop the fittings with a press, failing that the pickle fork and hammer come into play.

My main concern for the van right now is the condition of the sub-frame and body. If either is bent you have a lot more work to do. Sub-frame is replaceable, but body damage might not make repairs worth the effort.

i'm a little concerned about the steering knuckle too i've seen bent ones before

True the knuckle is a concern, but so is every other suspension or steering component, all of which are bolt on replaceable.

I would replace the box at the minimum before driving it on a road. You cheated death this time...next time your number may be up and it would be a shame if it was due to a small pot hole! If you got real lucky, the wheel bending back was caused by the control arms bending and/or breaking and not bending the sub-frame. The lower arms are very stout so I doubt you got away with no sub-frame damage. I bet you throw it on a frame machine you'll find it's totaled simply due to the van's value. Call the insurance company and get the check and buy one that won't need lots of money for repairs and hours and hours of labor. I would hate to put a lot of work into repairs only to find you can't go straight down the road or keep tires on the van due to alignment issues.

When it bottomed out, did it bend the rear axle housing too? I would be checking it closely.

Sounds to me that you should be having your self inspected closely, did you have a stroke?
No matter what you drive or how it is aligned, if you pass out again behind the wheel doing 50MPH, there is a very good chance you will wake up dead.
Hopefully you dont collide with an oncoming car next time, and have them end up dead too!!

Astro vans were never intended to survive a canyon jump, heck even Evil KanEvil's vehicle dint survive such a stunt.
Get your insurance to fix or replace the van if you are covered. If not it is probably cheaper and easier and safer to just get another van.
Around here they are getting pretty cheap and easy to find, so the insurance co's tend to write it off if damages get near a grand or more.

The van only has liability insurance, so if I can't get it back on the road fairly cheaply it will be sold for parts. I have much better insurance on myself and have been to the ER, my family practitioner, and had a MRI on my brain done this morning. So far they have found nothing.
The steering horn, (that is the thing the tie rod connects to on the hub right?) on the right seems to be bent inward to me, hence the right wheel splaying outward. The wheels have "polished" the inside of the fender wells, unbending the edges of the fenders. The right side did more than polish. There are marks where the tie rods hit the front/underside of the A arms. I really haven't even checked the rear out, I guess that I just assumed that the front took the big hit and sustained the damage. I don't want to buy a new steering box or put any money into it until I know just exactly how extensive the damage is. So I am going to try the old gearbox and see if I can get it to steer reasonably well enough that I can get it to a shop where they can check the frame. If the frame is bent it may well be a parts vehicle.

Lets huddle.In two words......................"Flatbed tow".

I think I would look for a complete van with a straight body, but not running & being sold as parts.
I see lottsa those for cheep around here too.

If it pushed the pass door back into the slider as you said, then the door-post is gonna be bent.
Its gonna cost you a grand or more to fix it I bet you could get a straight body and frame for less.

Well, I have no trailer and no vehicle capable of towing it with. We had a difficult time getting it on the trailer I borrowed without being able to steer. I do not have the money to pay a tow truck to haul a vehicle that may or may not be scrapped to and from the shop, plus I have a few new medical bills to pay. It will sit where it is untill I can make it driveable, or decide that it is financially beyond repairing. Here's a few shots of the fender and door.



And here you can see the reddish area on the control arm, where it looks like it flexed and cracked the road grime off of it's surface.