touchy steering

P

paul23122

Member

Jul 30, 2011

32

0

7

Oct 9, 2011

#1

• Oct 9, 2011

• #1

Have a strange problem with my 95 gt. The car tracks straight and no worn tires but on the feeway or some roads the car will want to dart left or right. While changing lanes of freeway instead of gradually moving over it just darts over very quickly (scares the hell out of you). Everything appears very tight. Any thought??? Bad caster angle or????

Thanks for the time.
-Paul

 

N

narcszm

New Member

Oct 2, 2011

9

0

0

Washington, USA

Oct 10, 2011

#2

• Oct 10, 2011

• #2

That's not your car; that's your front tires coming out of the ruts on the freeway. It is especially noticeable if you have wider front tires.

 

wythors

Get off my lawn!!!

Founding Member

May 17, 2000

2,277

35

69

C Addle

Oct 10, 2011

#3

• Oct 10, 2011

• #3

Narcszm is correct. The term for it is "tramlining". A good alignment with the addition of a set of caster/camber plates can probably alleviate a lot of it by adding more caster.

 

Dino Dino Bambino

15 Year Member

Jun 13, 2007

1,672

89

79

Cyprus

Oct 11, 2011

#4

• Oct 11, 2011

• #4

paul23122 said:

Have a strange problem with my 95 gt. The car tracks straight and no worn tires but on the feeway or some roads the car will want to dart left or right. While changing lanes of freeway instead of gradually moving over it just darts over very quickly (scares the hell out of you). Everything appears very tight. Any thought??? Bad caster angle or????

Click to expand...

Caster isn't adjustable and doesn't need to be unless you've lowered the vehicle. If you have lowered it by more than 1-1/4" you'd be well advised to install adjustable CC plates, bumpsteer kit, and get a proper alignment. Check your steering rack bushings for wear and excessive deflection.

 

wythors

Get off my lawn!!!

Founding Member

May 17, 2000

2,277

35

69

C Addle

Oct 11, 2011

#5

• Oct 11, 2011

• #5

Caster is adjustable with caster/camber plates, as I suggested.

 

ttopstang

Active Member

Sep 6, 2007

306

1

28

Birmingham, AL

Oct 11, 2011

#6

• Oct 11, 2011

• #6

that sounds like over steer which is usually caused by worn ball joints. I had a car doing the same thing, alignment didn't really help, changed ball joints, that was it.

 

P

paul23122

Member

Jul 30, 2011

32

0

7

Oct 11, 2011

#7

• Oct 11, 2011

• #7

That helps alot. I know the previous owner had put eibach springs on it but it doesnt appear to be much lower than stock. the other thing i forgot to mention is that when i hit about 60-70 mph the steering wheel tends to shimmy a little but only in that small mph range, any faster or slower it goes away. Does that help at all in diagnosing this darn thing!

Thanks again to all of you!!!
-Paul

 

dgollem

20+ Year Stangneter

May 5, 2004

211

33

49

Waldorf MD

Oct 11, 2011

#8

• Oct 11, 2011

• #8

The shimmy is probably cuased by out of balance tires. You can rotate front to rear and see if the shimmy changes or get everything rebalanced if it bothers you. Over time it may cause some cupping and increase wear but only if you drive a lot at the speed where the shimmy is.

 

ID89GT

10 Year Member

May 26, 2008

1,659

18

49

Spokane Valley, WA

Oct 11, 2011

#9

• Oct 11, 2011

• #9

Could check the rag joint on the steering shaft too, but you said it drives straight normally so I wouldn't suspect it as much. My rag joint was completely shot and my car was all over on the freeway