TA_Freak

I've been chasing some front end issues. Lately the steering has been feeling weird and unstable especially on the highway when changing lanes. I've also been feeling some vertical play at times when the highway roads aren't smooth.

I may have found the culprit. The front L lower A-arm bushing (horiztontal) has pulled out about a 1/4". I also noticed that the bolt wasn't even torqued all the way. Thanks alignment shop. I pressed those in maybe a year ago.

What are my options ... pull and press in new bushings ... and another alignment?

leadfoot4

iTrader: (1)

Since the bolt wasn't tightened properly the first time, you really don't know what your camber setting really is, so you'd need an alignment anyway. I'd be tempted to snug it up first, and see if it helps your situation. If it does, then pop a new bushing in, and take it to a REPUTABLE front end shop.

TA_Freak

That's exactly what I did - torque it down. I tell ya I don't know what's going on .... but I absolutely hate my suspension. It may come down the alignment.... it also could be the firestone firehawks ... which I hate as well. Hell ... I used to have a Pinto that felt better than this.

leadfoot4

iTrader: (1)

I wouldn't be so quick to blame the tires, as an out of alignment front end can make a car all squirrelly....

TA_Freak

True ... it was one of those days that I was pissed at the TA. It was windy and on the highway was real work to keep the damn thing in it's lane. I need to find a decent alignment shop in Woodstock, GA that understands that a little toe-in is a good thing; two shops had me at a slight bit of toe-out which causes me to twitch the fricken wheel back and forth when on the highway.

leadfoot4

iTrader: (1)

As much as I used to trust the front end shop I've been going to for the last 30+ years, I think the new alignment machines are causing part of the problem. I feel this way for 2 reasons...First, the common reply to an alignment question is now, "Well it's in the green". And secondly, the "sharpies" doing the alignment know that the increments of being "in the green" are pretty small, so they think that all they need is to simply get in the green.

A particular customer, such as myself, is still able to tell the difference between being "right on the money", and simply "in the green". And it annoys the crap out of me when I want .2* of toe-IN, for road feel, and NOT 2* of toe-OUT, simply because a little toe-out is still within the accepted range. I paid my money and didn't argue about it, so I want what I want......

If I was 20 years younger, thus being able to get my money's worth of use from it, I'd be looking at buying my own front end machine!!

joecar

My tire/alignment shop dials in the settings I specify, they let me sit with the alignment technician and give him directions.

trans_am7935

iTrader: (15)

This is funny and sad at the same time, but 100% true. After going the the alignment shop and letting them do it, coming out with positive camber and a caster setting of 3*, i told them to stick it and went somewhere else. their reasoning was, "its with in spec". Ok, well your an idiot so i went somewhere else, did my research and gave them my own specs for alignment, and what do you know, this thing handles great.