Alignment Issue

[F8d2blk1]

No matter what I do, as soon as I drive my car off the lot, my alignment starts going away. I am guessing it is in the passenger side. In order to go straight I have to turn my steering wheel 90 degrees to the left. When the steering wheel is straight, driver side wheel is pointed straight but passenger wheel has toe out.

 

 

Before I had this problem. It would almost seemed every time I jacked up my car and the wheels weren't pointed ahead. When I lowered it back down, the alignment would be off. Sorry if my grammar is off, my eyes are heavy and my bed is calling me.

 

I am running 280z struts, ground controls with eibach,and bumpsteer spacers.

 

Jeff

[flatcat19]

Who's aligning it?

 

Is everything tight?

 

Are all of your steering components in proper working order?

[ggzilla]

Take it back to the alignment shop, because they missed something. They are supposed to inspect the chassis for other problem that may affect the alignment.

[DREWSDIME]

Is one of your tension rods bent?

 

 

[F8d2blk1]

Well its my father in laws old shop. I pay a guy $30 cash to align my front wheels. Not much you can do with the rears. He has always done a fair job. I will throw the jack under it tonight and see what the heck is going on. I have replaced the lower ball joints about a year and a half ago. But I have put about 20k miles on them. Plus being lowered might have caused premature wear. I will report back what I find.

[flatcat19]

Go pay a real technician, who takes pride in his work, to do the job for you.

That way you have a warranty, and a reason to bitch.

[banzai510(hainz)]

I took mine to Les Scwab and they did it.

 

I tried doing it my self but notice when I jacked the car up the wheels would go way out. then lower it they would go tow in.

 

I just took it to the shop and they do it with the car on the ground or on the pads so the weight is on the car/struts.

 

it will be fine.

 

If your tech did it I assume its car on the pads and he aligned it. Just dont look at it when its jacked up as they will look OFF esp on a really lowered(shorten strut/spring car

[510spaz]

Yeah, I would make sure its all tight. I can do them, altho I have it easy because I work at les schwab and have a alignment machine and a pit to use... Lol

[F8d2blk1]

Replacing both sides of tie rods and I noticed this. Is this normal gap? A buddy of mine said yes but I want to make sure.

 

Thanks for all the comments. The car is aligned sitting down on suspension. Once I drive it for more than 200 miles the alignment starts to go away. More info: Front suspension is 240z struts, bump steer blocks, adjustable strut rings, lowering springs, camber kits

 

[datzenmike]

Looks like the pitman or idler arm? Normal. They are a tapered spline. Once on it takes a puller to get them off.

 

 

200 miles and the alignment goes away?

 

How do you know this?

What does the car do to make you think this?

What does the shop adjust to correct it?

[F8d2blk1]

Went around town for a few things, went to a car meet 80 miles. Went out for some car parts.

 

Come back, Steering wheel and driver side wheel are still pointing straight. Passenger wheel is pointed inwards toward the front. Have to hold steering wheel to the right to go straight.

 

Its the first arm that comes off the steering column.

[ggzilla]

What kind of a car is it?

 

 

arm that comes off the steering column

If your column is one piece with the steering gearbox, that's called the pitman arm.

 

It looks normal to me.

 

 

[when stopped] Steering wheel and driver side wheel are still pointing straight... [when moving] Have to hold steering wheel to the right to go straight.

 

Yes, that is a problem if it generally happens. Sometimes that will occur on an uneven road, but shouldn't happen all the time.

 

 

Passenger wheel is pointed inwards toward the front.

So your next task is to figure out why the wheel position has moved. When the left wheel is pointing straight ahead, so should the right wheel. If not you need to find out why. There is more than one cause for this. Here are some potential cause:

* Bushing for the tension rod (castor rod) is rotted

* Threads for the tension rod are damaged

* Bushing in the lower control arm is rotted

* Sheet-metal bracket for the tension rod is cracked/loose

* Idler arm bushings are shot (often accompanied by a 'tap' sound when going over bumps)

* Tie-rod adjusting sleeve is loose

* Wheel bearing is not adjusted properly

And there could be many other causes. Have someone wiggle the steering wheel while you are looking underneath. Make sure that only the wheels turn, and that none of the rods move up/down.

[F8d2blk1]

I'll try that tonight, do the steering dance, while it is still in the air. It's a 510 sir. Hence the post in the 510 forum. Not trying to be a smart ass. I appreciate any and all help.

[ggzilla]

510 has a steering column that is separate from the steering gearbox. But that arm is still called a pitman arm, or as nissan calls it the "steering arm".

[datzenmike]

Well its my father in laws old shop. I pay a guy $30 cash to align my front wheels. Not much you can do with the rears. He has always done a fair job. I will throw the jack under it tonight and see what the heck is going on. I have replaced the lower ball joints about a year and a half ago. But I have put about 20k miles on them. Plus being lowered might have caused premature wear. I will report back what I find.

 

Seen this before. Go (and I mean no offense) .. to a real alignment shop. If this was done right you wouldn't be posting here about it. Take some money because they are going to find stuff wrong.