TheBirdistheWord Posted March 20, 2013 Report Share Posted March 20, 2013 I was doing some spirited driving up on the local twisties yesterday, when my car started to exibit symptoms of what FELT like both front wheel bearing sets unseating from the shaft. Driving it home, I had to wrestle the wheel to keep the car in a straight line, it rocks back and forth about 90 degrees left and right and loosly jolts the car accordingly. Bearings are new and I confirmed I installed them correctly. Tie rods, ball joints are new and dont show any signs they are malfunctioning and I know the idler arm could use a replacement but I was shaking the linkage around looking for loose spots to no avail, everything is tight. checked the steering box, everything moves freely, smoothly, and together when it is in the air. still have the same symptoms, seems I may have isolated it to the right front wheel, but I am still stumped on what to check/ change next any advice on what to try next would be greatly appreciated edit: forgot to mention that the steering wheel is off about 30 degrees since everything happened, and I noticed today that the toe seems to off on both sides. I know those things obviously scream "alignment" but I would like to figure out what happened! Quote Link to comment
mike Posted March 20, 2013 Report Share Posted March 20, 2013 LCA bushings, lugnuts, top strut housing, have you adjusted your steering box... is there any adjustment left? Also... check your lug nuts and make sure they are the correct style for your wheel. If your idler arm is toast it will cause some problems but 90 degrees play in both directions seems excessive for just that... Quote Link to comment
TheBirdistheWord Posted March 20, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2013 lca bushing/ housing look fine, lug nuts have worked for a year with no problems, so i assume theyre fine. Steering gear was the last thing I checked before I posted, seemed like I got some adjustment out of it. Quote Link to comment
mike Posted March 20, 2013 Report Share Posted March 20, 2013 ...Is it in the steering column? Quote Link to comment
TheBirdistheWord Posted March 20, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2013 no definitely feels like something is happening with the wheel/hub Quote Link to comment
datsunaholic Posted March 20, 2013 Report Share Posted March 20, 2013 If the steering wheel is off by that much and wasn't before, you've probably bent something. If it was a wheel bearing, you'd have noticeable wobble once you jacked it up. A balljoint would also have noticeable wobble. Bending the tie rod, the control arms, or other components will screw up the wheel alignment and that can cause wandering. Slop is always a broken or worn out component, usually the steering box or idler arm. An idler arm that's been pulled out of the frame or is excessively loose will cause some of those symptoms too. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted March 20, 2013 Report Share Posted March 20, 2013 lca bushing/ housing look fine, lug nuts have worked for a year with no problems, so i assume theyre fine. Steering gear was the last thing I checked before I posted, seemed like I got some adjustment out of it. Assumed? Don't take chances. Check with a wrench that the lugs are on and tight!!! Raise front end and grab tire and try to push in and out at the top and bottom. Try turning the wheel does the other one turn exactly the same. Try the other side. While in the air, gently turn steering wheel and watch front tires. There should be no play and the wheels turn with the steering wheel. Tension rod broken? That's the long rod connected to the outer part of the LCA and running diagonally to the front of the car under the rad, These have been known to snap from using non compliant polly bushings. Idler arm. Turn the steering back and forth. The idler arm should turn only with no up and down motion. Steering knuckle arm broken or loose bolts to bottom of strut? Quote Link to comment
TheBirdistheWord Posted March 20, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2013 Bearings are fine, it was just my first thought. When I said assumed I meant about being the "correct" kind of lugs, they are on tight, it was the first thing I did! Tension rods look straight, stock bushings could use replacing, although they are still intact. Had it up on a rack and saw nothing immediately out of place, other than the toe in on both wheels being WAY off even with no signs of the tie rods being adjusted or moved as if I hit something. Basically no signs of trauma indicating my alignment should be so extremely off. no play in the hub when I wiggle the tires around, and the wheels turn smoothly and together. so, I tried eyeballing the alignment just to get it to the alignment shop. After I took it around the block a few times it seemed safe enough to get me there. About a mile down the road the alignment had wiggled itself back to the toed in position. and I was back to wrestling it...... Again, im decently acquainted with the suspension of my ride, and nothing seems to look bent, or out of place. Can a failed idler arm really cause this violent of a reaction? Quote Link to comment
izzo Posted March 20, 2013 Report Share Posted March 20, 2013 so your center link came out of adjustment after driving down the road a little bit? Maybe time for new center link / inner and outer tie rods? Quote Link to comment
datsunaholic Posted March 20, 2013 Report Share Posted March 20, 2013 Could have stripped the threads in the center link. Alignment shouldn't change. Quote Link to comment
TheBirdistheWord Posted March 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 ...... lower control arm bolts were back out quite a bit, should have checked those........ i feel dumb. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted March 21, 2013 Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 Steering knuckle arm broken or loose bolts to bottom of strut? These ones? The LCA doesn't really do any steering. Quote Link to comment
TheBirdistheWord Posted March 22, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2013 bottom of the strut. Quote Link to comment
bilzbobaggins Posted March 23, 2013 Report Share Posted March 23, 2013 Dont feel dumb. You figured it out. Didnt just keep on driving it. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted March 23, 2013 Report Share Posted March 23, 2013 bottom of the strut. Right. shit happens. Quote Link to comment
bonvo Posted March 23, 2013 Report Share Posted March 23, 2013 moral of the story use blue lock tight Quote Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.