krazy steering after 5 lug swap

KENS89LX · Jan 4, 2007

I replaced my 4 lug with 5-lug off of a 94 v-6 now it wants to track all the grooves in the road and in WV that is a chore. What do I need to do now. I have had it lined up already

86mustang5.oh · Jan 4, 2007

maybe its the tires my car did that all the time on the road after burning my tires off i put the ones in the front on the back and not different tires up front doesnt happen anymore

millhouse · Jan 5, 2007

I'd say the best the to do is to get used to it. The problem your having is often referred to as "trammeling". This happens with wider tired vehicles. The tires are to wide for the grooves in the road which causes the vehicle to wander side to side. Often times different brand tires have an effect on this as well to some degree…and in time you will barely notice it's happening.

seijirou · Jan 5, 2007

You get used to it, you sorta learn how to keep the car up on the edge of the groove as it were, rather than down in the channel. It helps alot.

KENS89LX · Jan 5, 2007

I have 96 cobra wheels and 225/45/17 up front which is low profile, I also heard that I might need a "tie rod end kit"?

Vinnietbird · Jan 5, 2007

My car did that and it was the inner tie rods that were in need of replacement.

seijirou · Jan 5, 2007

Loose tie rods will allow the front wheels to wiggle with the contours of the road, and make the car steer itself. If you have this problem, it will make the trammeling worse, but trammeling is ultimately tied to a wider tire not loose tie rod ends.

vristang · Jan 5, 2007

My experience agrees with the comments of Millhouse and Seijirou.
Wider tires won't fit in the standard wear pattern of the road.

If there is a mechanical problem with the tie rods, get it fixed. But wider tires will have this affect.

The only time I notice it in my GT is after I have been driving my LX for a couple of weeks.

superhuaman · Jan 5, 2007

Also you may need what is referred to as a "bump steer" kit which replaces your outer tie rod ends. It changes the tie rod angle so that the car does not steer itself when going over bumps.

Snikt89GT · Jan 5, 2007

You probably need a bump steer kit.

Only the 91-93 guys can really get away with 94-95 spindles without a bump steer kit.

I'm currently going through all of this:

trbkrb · Jan 5, 2007

After getting new tires (old ones were the stock Mustang Goodyears), my car ran quite a bit better over the grooves. It is a stock 87 replacement rack & tie rods with 95 spindles. I never had a problem with the 225 or 235 tires on my 15" wheels. But it has just recently started it again, after 2 years. I almost sideswiped a truck last night. But my car runs perfect on flat surfaces and has virtually no bump steer.

I'd say check everything to make sure no parts are worn out, then swap tires if you can to see if it improves any. Unless you are having the car jump or steer itself over bumps, then I don't think a bump steer kit would help with your problem.

Good luck!

Mustang5L5 · Jan 5, 2007

Tires can also cause this.

My GT came factory with 245 series goodyears. WHen i was having a friend mount my new Bridgestone Potenza S-03's on the OEM bullitts, i swapped my '97 Cobra wheels over to the GT temporarily. They are 235 series Kumho's. They tramlined like crazy!!

When i put the bullitts w the bridgestones back on, it went away.

getusummm · Jan 5, 2007

Do a quick, easy check. Look at the tie rod to bottom of the a-arm. If it is pretty darn even, then you dont need a bump steer kit. If the angles are different, then you need a bump steer kit to make them parallel to each other. Just make sure to check this with the car on the ground, or at least the tires on ramps or blocks to make sure the front suspension is loaded.

millhouse · Jan 5, 2007

getusummm said:
Do a quick, easy check. Look at the tie rod to bottom of the a-arm. If it is pretty darn even, then you dont need a bump steer kit. If the angles are different, then you need a bump steer kit to make them parallel to each other. Just make sure to check this with the car on the ground, or at least the tires on ramps or blocks to make sure the front suspension is loaded.

That pretty much sums up how to check if you need a bumpsteer kit.

A bumpsteer kit however will not fix his problem...as it is not bumpsteer that he's encountering. You'll know you have bump steer when you hit a bump in the road and your steering wheel jerks out of your hands. You'll then soil yourself while gazing at the tree in front of you that used to be visibal only through the passenger window....all while wonder WTF just happened. Atleast thats what I've heard.

Snikt89GT · Jan 6, 2007

millhouse said:
That pretty much sums up how to check if you need a bumpsteer kit.

A bumpsteer kit however will not fix his problem...as it is not bumpsteer that he's encountering. You'll know you have bump steer when you hit a bump in the road and your steering wheel jerks out of your hands. You'll then soil yourself while gazing at the tree in front of you that used to be visibal only through the passenger window....all while wonder WTF just happened. Atleast thats what I've heard.

Bump steer is exactly what the poster described that is happening to his car. Tracking all over the road with the grooves, bumps, etc..

I think pretty much any 87-90 car with 94-95 spindles will have bump steer issues. 96+ is even worse

getusummm · Jan 6, 2007

I used to have bump steer because my car was lowered 1.5" before I purchased it. With 93 cobra rims and 245/45/17 tires, it was all over the road, whether it was a grove, bump, or whatever. Really scary. A bump steer kit fixed it 99% of the time. It will still wander on really really bad roads( roads that any car wanders on, lol). Just check you tie rod angle. If it is parallel to the bottom of the a-arm, then you dont need a bump steer kit, but do have other problems.

millhouse · Jan 6, 2007

Snikt89GT said:
Bump steer is exactly what the poster described that is happening to his car. Tracking all over the road with the grooves, bumps, etc..

I think pretty much any 87-90 car with 94-95 spindles will have bump steer issues. 96+ is even worse

Nope...his car is trammeling. Any vehicle with tires that do not properly fit the road groove will exhibit this behaviour. Bump steer is different alltogether...which is why I described it's behaviour above to distinguish the two.

getusummm · Jan 6, 2007

Well, if he checks his a-arm to tie rod angle, then we wont be guessing. I was told my car was tramelling also, but guess what??? I live in a rural area with alot of farm tractor and 18wheeler traffic on black top roads. New tires and alignment didnt help, but I did have an angle, thus bump steer. The bumb steer kit made my car seem brand new.

millhouse · Jan 6, 2007

getusummm said:
Well, if he checks his a-arm to tie rod angle, then we wont be guessing. I was told my car was tramelling also, but guess what??? I live in a rural area with alot of farm tractor and 18wheeler traffic on black top roads. New tires and alignment didnt help, but I did have an angle, thus bump steer. The bumb steer kit made my car seem brand new.

No one is really guessing. His car has a trammeling issue. If it's lowered and doesn't have a bump steer kit or offset rack bushings...then he also may have a bump steer issue. You can fix the bump steer....but not the trammeling. I'm just trying to make the realization to not get his hopes up. I myself had bumpsteer...and corrected it with a bumpsteer kit. Now that that's fixed...it still trammels just the same. Once I drive it constantly for a couple of months...I notice it only on the most severe roads. Come every spring when I get her back out though...it's noticeable as all getup. It's just one of those things you get used to.

KENS89LX · Jan 10, 2007

I have replaced one of the inner tie rods before I could get it aligned. The other side was fine, I want to try the bump steer kit who has the best kits? I seen one where yo had to widne the hole in the spindle..don't want that! I will swap my brothers fronts to see of that changes anything, he has bullitts with 245's.

krazy steering after 5 lug swap

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