Body flex Corolla cross.

[shDK]

Hi all.

After owning our Corolla cross for 9 month, I had a weird experience yesterday.

Luck was that the only parking space available was one where the left rear wheel was sitting on a curb while the other wheels was on the road. When opening and closing the tailgate, it felt different, and was harder to close. A closer inspection showed that the locking mechanism and hook was no longer alligned.

The way I see it, it can only be body flex pushing the lock and hook out of allignment.

Can having one wheel on the curb really flex the body so much it effekts the tail gate allignment? I was a bit stunned when it happened.

Thanks
Have a nice day.

 

[DirectRejection]

Hi all.

After owning our Corolla cross for 9 month, I had a weird experience yesterday.

Luck was that the only parking space available was one where the left rear wheel was sitting on a curb while the other wheels was on the road. When opening and closing the tailgate, it felt different, and was harder to close. A closer inspection showed that the locking mechanism and hook was no longer alligned.

The way I see it, it can only be body flex pushing the lock and hook out of allignment.

Can having one wheel on the curb really flex the body so much it effekts the tail gate allignment? I was a bit stunned when it happened.

Thanks
Have a nice day.

Not sure. One thing I will say is that AWD & FWD have different suspensions.

 

[Dave9]

Can having one wheel on the curb really flex the body so much it effekts the tail gate allignment?

It seems that you have already answered your own question.

 

[shDK]

It seems that you have already answered your own question.

You are of course absolutely right

What I i should have asked is. Is it normal or might I have an issue with my car.

 

[dishdude]

You are of course absolutely right

What I i should have asked is. Is it normal or might I have an issue with my car.

Yes, bodies have flex, it's not uncommon for a door to not close properly if one wheel is jacked up or parked on a curb.

 

[supton]

Bit odd, not surprised—but I am, as the doors on my cars work when I jack up to remove a wheel. I get it, body flex, but cars seem so tigid today, what with the efforts to stiffen for handling and crash safety.

Must just have more flex than what I do to my cars. Plus maybe the flex is worse at the hatch, longer xis of twist.

 

[Dave Hess]

My old Fox body Mustang if I had the front wheels on ramps for oil change, the doors would not close properly unless I ‘lifted’ the doors shut.

 

[Oillover]

Cars with better structural rigidity have almost 0 flex when jacking up on one side or one corner.
On my Honda, despite being hatchback the doors all open and close as though all 4 wheels were on the ground.

 

[shDK]

Cars with better structural rigidity have almost 0 flex when jacking up on one side or one corner.
On my Honda, despite being hatchback the doors all open and close as though all 4 wheels were on the ground.

In my case all the doors also close perfectly. It's the tail gate that tvists.

 

[wag123]

By design, uni-body vehicles have different levels of chassis flex in different parts of the vehicle. The center passenger compartment section is the stiffest.

 

[Rogueman2016s]

Front wheel or all wheel drive?

 

[shDK]

Front wheel or all wheel drive?

Front wheel drive

 

[Rogueman2016s]

Front wheel drive

If it has a solid torsion beam rear suspension that could be the cause. These newer cars have taught suspensions, my past two vehicles with torsion beam rear suspension’s were tight when pushed hard on twisty roads the inside rear tire would lift a bit

 

[shDK]

If it has a solid torsion beam rear suspension that could be the cause. These newer cars have taught suspensions, my past two vehicles with torsion beam rear suspension’s were tight when pushed hard on twisty roads the inside rear tire would lift a bit

It doesn't. It's got independent suspension

 

[eljefino]

I noticed this on my Mazda 323 when I was changing snow tires.

My 3rd gen Firebird with T-tops, holy moly, that set the bar for flex. I jacked it up by the engine crossmember and put jack stands under the firewall. There was a lot of movement when I lowered the jack and the stands took weight. I wouldn't dare open its doors in that state!

 

[Oliveoil2]

All cars flex in a situation like yours, especially with a light-weigh unibody car. My Honda Fit would be the same. I try not to open doors or the hatch when my car is on jack-stands.

 

[Rogueman2016s]

It doesn't. It's got independent suspension

That’s odd Toyota says torsion beam on front wheel drive models.

 

[wag123]

Not sure. One thing I will say is that AWD & FWD have different suspensions.

Correct.
The FWD gets a torsion beam semi-independent rear suspension while the AWD gets a multi-link fully-independent rear suspension.

 

[KrisZ]

My grand caravan doesn’t experience this and it is a much larger and longer vehicle, also a torsion beam in the back.

This is simply a very cheaply made car. This day and age, with CAD design, the use of high strength steel in strategic places, reinforced crash areas, etc. This should not be happening to the extent where the doors or hatch cannot be closed.

 

[shDK]

That’s odd Toyota says torsion beam on front wheel drive models.

It comes with different rear axles depending on the engine.

We only have hybrid variants. The 1.8 hybrid has a torsion beam rear axle. Mine is a 2.0 and has a independent suspension rear axle.

I believe the reason for that is that you can buy the 2.0 hybrid with electric 4wd. And the independent suspension rear axle makes it possible to fit in the electric motor on the rear.