"Nasty" <nastymychain@tampabay.rr.com> wrote in
news:CTCQg.1709$Rr.1427@tornado.tampabay.rr.com:

> Apparently for some reason, after 7 years and 130K miles, the left
> front brake caliper and wheel decided to make contact. The top
> outermost points on the caliper are making contact with the wheel but
> not evenly all around. This happens with either of two wheels mounted
> on the left front.



Then both wheels are bent. And badly. Don't you feel it in the steering
wheel while on the move?


>
> My wife clearly slammed into a pothole hard enough to dent the left
> rear rim and ruin the tire. Could this same, or other pothole, have
> done some damage to the front to cause this?


Yes.


> If so, what do I look
> for? There's nothing obvious to my untrained eyes.
>
> Can I safely run the car with spacers on the lug nuts to move the
> wheel outward about 1/8 to 1/4 inch?
>


Sure, until the excess offset wrecks the wheel bearings. What you
propose is called a "Band-Aid fix", AKA "cover-up".

You have something very, very wrong here. You do not fix this sort of
thing by applying spacers. That is a very *bad* thing.

You need to have a professional check out your ride. Something is badly
out of kilter here. I think you have either two damaged wheels or
(more likely) one very bent hub. It's a wonder your wheel bearings
aren't howling.

--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/