Cleft_Asunder

iTrader: (1)

So my car, if I hold the steering wheel perfect, wanders L/R very badly, randomly. You would think there's a bunch of slack in my steering rack. But after doing a test, there is no play in the rack/wheel relationship or the wheel bearings. The suspension components are all tight. Could it be a problem with the brake system? Maybe the proportioning valve? I don't know how to test the tie rods. What am I supposed to check?

Note: I disassembled, cleaned, lubed and added a new piston seal to the calipers recently, so don't assume any binding in those areas.

Thanks.

Mad Dog Tannen

Alignment

GolNat

iTrader: (7)

If it does it while driving at highway speeds could be the ball joints. My car wondered when my ball joints went bad.

You shouldn't be able to twist the tie rods easily. Just grab them and twist and look for any leaking grease.

ezone

Assuming the suspension is tight ....and stock wheel offset....

Alignment. Or anything related to alignment (loose suspension). Excessive Toe-Out can make a car feel "darty" and "wandery". Good for handling curves, but horrible tire wear and crappy for holding a straight line.


When did this problem begin?

ezone

Jack it up by the body, let the front wheels hang free. Grab a tire at 3 o clock and 9 o clock positions. Wiggle it side to side, there should be zero free play. (Free play would be any "easy" movement that does not move the steering wheel. Also could be called "slack".) If free play is felt, then you start looking for where the free movement originates.
Play felt in this is usually tie rod related.

Same thing with your hands at 6 o clock and 12 o clock. Zero free play. Checking for ball joints and control arm bushings.

If you have equal play in BOTH hand positions, it WAS usually wheel bearing related on old rear wheel drive cars with adjustable front bearings..

Then you can get into checking for up and down movement on the ball joints-- if they passed the wiggle test.

Repeat on the other side of the car.

BlueEM2

iTrader: (1)

Sounds like inner or outer tie rods to me.

Cleft_Asunder

iTrader: (1)

Thanks, I will do some tests. It has been like this for a while, even after an alignment (a long time ago). So it's some mechanical problem.

Cleft_Asunder

iTrader: (1)

Yeah I did that test a while ago and just repeated it. Tie rods and ball joints are good. There's no play anywhere. I'm thinking of taking it down to sears and doing an alignment.

Mad Dog Tannen

Anyone could get an alignment done, and knock it back out of alignment the same day, potholes are vicious. If you have done ANY work to your steering or suspension you need to get an alignment. Alignment should be done at regular intervals for fuel economy, tire wear and other parts it may affect. Also check your tire pressure if one side is lower than the other it can cause it to wander. Having different tires on different wheels can cause this too.

Cleft_Asunder

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, all that stuff is good, thanks.

ezone

How about a real shop? Not a chain store.

Any monkey can be trained to stick a car on the alignment rack and get the readings all "in the green"..... Far fewer actually understand alignment theory and are capable of doing a quality alignment job, complete with pre and post-alignment test drives and suspension inspections. And have a clue about what to do when something doesn't go "according to the machine"......And care about the results.


A fancy expensive alignment machine can turn almost any idiot into a revenue generating alignment man. They make it so nobody has to know **** about the job they are doing, just make all the readings "green"....(OTOH, I can look at a "green" alignment sheet and tell why the car still pulls.)
A real, capable tech could get the job done with almost any alignment equipment available... (bubble level heads and string, if that was the type of equipment available).
Kids be scratchin their heads sayin,"Whut?"

From the stories I have heard from ex-employees, Ron Whites' routine about Sears is not all that far off the mark. And I've seen first hand some of the work that was allowed to roll out their doors locally. I shouldn't dog on them though, it seems like crummy work can roll out of almost any shop.

Ask for their rocket scientist to take care of your car!


That brings up another thought:
Mismatched tires can cause all sorts of complaints.
Are the front tires a matched pair?
Identical sizes, brands, styles, tread patterns, tread depth, pressures?

Are the rear tires a matched pair too?

Cleft_Asunder

iTrader: (1)

Hey ezone, when you replace the rear brake shoes on a drum system, is it mandatory that you resurface? I always do it with the front, but didn't with the rear.

Mad Dog Tannen

I would. It depends on what kind of rotors but it's about the same price the get new rotors nowadays. That is usually what I do.

-I know I am not ezone and I don't care.

ezone

Hell no.
I don't machine drums unless there is a damn good reason.

Even though it is a shop policy where I work, the reality is that it can cause more hair pulling problems than anyone bargained for.

(Alternate answer: You must have no idea how often Hondas really need rear shoes replaced!)

I do resurface rotors on normal brake jobs at work....But I would not resurface my own rotors, IF there was no need to.



There is published criteria from almost all manufacturers regarding their policies on machining brake parts.

Here is one I found from Honda: http://www.mediafire.com/download/ct...800-088%29.pdf

?

http://www.mediafire.com/download/ct...800-088%29.pdf