Steering Issues!
Thread Starter
On The Tree
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 193
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From: Here And There, KY
Steering Issues! I just got my car back up and running after a lot of upgrades. I cam across some great deals on suspension parts and couldn't resist. But now it steers like crap. Even after a front end alignment! Alignment couldn't get perfect but is as close as they could get it. Said one sides caster or camber one, was a little off. Any guidence would be appreciated as search is really helping me much. Here's what is new on the car.
BMR K member
BMR A arms
Flaming River Manual Rack
Strange Single Adjustable Shocks
The car drives like a go kart! It drives straight but when you get up to a higher speed, its dangerous. Steers really quick. All over the road. Car has a lot of weight reduction on the front and the front end is kinda high. I can't adjust ride height down til I get an adjustment wrench.
Other things to note.
Grant steering wheel
Wheel spacers
17" Y2K tires
Tires are kinda old with OK tread and are inflated to about 45 psi to help with the manual rack.
And there's about an inch of play in the manual rack
Any suggestions will be appreciated. Its raining today and will probably tomorrow so I will be trying a few things here and there til I get a dry day to drive it.
BMR K member
BMR A arms
Flaming River Manual Rack
Strange Single Adjustable Shocks
The car drives like a go kart! It drives straight but when you get up to a higher speed, its dangerous. Steers really quick. All over the road. Car has a lot of weight reduction on the front and the front end is kinda high. I can't adjust ride height down til I get an adjustment wrench.
Other things to note.
Grant steering wheel
Wheel spacers
17" Y2K tires
Tires are kinda old with OK tread and are inflated to about 45 psi to help with the manual rack.
And there's about an inch of play in the manual rack
Any suggestions will be appreciated. Its raining today and will probably tomorrow so I will be trying a few things here and there til I get a dry day to drive it.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
iTrader: (3)
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 193
Likes: 0
From: Here And There, KY
If I get any speed at all and touch the steering wheel it kinda darts in any direction and I have to kinda fight it to keep it straight. If I drive it some what normal its okay. But I gased the car some last night and it was scary. After a hard shift, I'm fighting the wheel to keep it in the road. Left, Right, Left, Right, etc.
I guess its "road walking"? Is that the right thing to say?
I guess its "road walking"? Is that the right thing to say?
1) The inch of play would be the primary concern to me. That just seems so incredibly excessive. I'm assuming you are talking about lateral play (side-to-side). This could cause deviations on the order of 20° or more at the wheel. IMO that is probably throwing off your steering like crazy.
2) Assuming 1 is completely normal and all associate bushings are new/unbroken, I would turn attention to your tie rod ends. I am not well versed in the Flaming River Manual Rack but I would assume that the measurements on it are a bit different, requiring different alignment standards and probably different tie-rods. Again, I could be completely wrong but I am just suggesting things I know I would check.
3) Assuming 1 & 2 are good, I would then turn attention to the adjustable shocks and your sway bars (specifically the end links). Make sure the adjustable shocks are adjusted appropriately. I would try different settings to see if this has an effect on the steering, if not you can rule it out. Check for broken SB end links and make sure that the geometry of the suspension hasn't been so drastically changed (a-arms, k-member, etc.) that the factory SB has now become inappropriate for the application. Again, just bouncing off a few ideas.
I also vaguely remember seeing something about using drop spindles when performing such modifications. Certainly something I would look into.
2) Assuming 1 is completely normal and all associate bushings are new/unbroken, I would turn attention to your tie rod ends. I am not well versed in the Flaming River Manual Rack but I would assume that the measurements on it are a bit different, requiring different alignment standards and probably different tie-rods. Again, I could be completely wrong but I am just suggesting things I know I would check.
3) Assuming 1 & 2 are good, I would then turn attention to the adjustable shocks and your sway bars (specifically the end links). Make sure the adjustable shocks are adjusted appropriately. I would try different settings to see if this has an effect on the steering, if not you can rule it out. Check for broken SB end links and make sure that the geometry of the suspension hasn't been so drastically changed (a-arms, k-member, etc.) that the factory SB has now become inappropriate for the application. Again, just bouncing off a few ideas.
I also vaguely remember seeing something about using drop spindles when performing such modifications. Certainly something I would look into.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
iTrader: (3)
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 193
Likes: 0
From: Here And There, KY
I just read where someone tightened their steering shaft and it helped with the play in the rack.
Thank you for the suggestions, I will look into them.
I'm hoping maybe its the ride height. It looks like a four wheel drive camaro in the front. When I recieve the spanner wrench, I'm hoping that will help alot.
When it shifts gears, the nose is high in the air and its hard to keep straight. Guess I won't be going to the track this weekend.
Thank you for the suggestions, I will look into them.
I'm hoping maybe its the ride height. It looks like a four wheel drive camaro in the front. When I recieve the spanner wrench, I'm hoping that will help alot.
When it shifts gears, the nose is high in the air and its hard to keep straight. Guess I won't be going to the track this weekend.
The behavior sounds like a lack of sufficient caster. If it looks like it's high in the front, it may be that your upper strut mounts and lower ends are not properly set relative to one another. Almost like the upper mount points are too far forward and the lower ends are too far back, moving the caster from something like this / toward something like this | Which makes a twitchy wheel that doesn't stay centered well.
Sounds like something didn't compress right or settle properly or is slightly off in the front.
"Wandering wheel"
Sounds like something didn't compress right or settle properly or is slightly off in the front.
"Wandering wheel"
