WTF!!! Car is all over the place when hitting a bump or on highway
- Thread starter erniet17
- Start date
when driving on the road, if you give the steering wheel some direction and the response is slow, or if you can turn the wheel back and forth starting in small increments and moving to larger ones and the response is slow, or if the car steers itself into truck ruts, the rack is worn and loose. A good system is tight and response is quick. With the car sitting on the garage floor, turn the wheel back and forth and see how far the wheel moves before the tire moves.
LiquidGT
Member
Also, you should look into getting a bumsteer kit, the FRPP alphabet springs are known drop the car more than advertised.
holy smokes...
my 91 coupe does the same thing (and has since I got it about two years ago, although i think it's slowly getting worse)... i had the alignment done about a month ago, no change... stock suspension, i think the springs are well worn and it needs a new rack as well...
lemme know if you figure it out! i'd love to fix mine.
my 91 coupe does the same thing (and has since I got it about two years ago, although i think it's slowly getting worse)... i had the alignment done about a month ago, no change... stock suspension, i think the springs are well worn and it needs a new rack as well...
lemme know if you figure it out! i'd love to fix mine.
67coupe
Founding Member
What you describe sounds exactly like worn inner tie rods. I just went through this a few months ago. Each inner tie rod had a 1/4" of play.
Follow jrichker's instructions to determine if its the rack or not.
Follow jrichker's instructions to determine if its the rack or not.
Okay! I have spent most of the day going around from shop to shop.
1st mechanic told me that he thinks that it is because I do not have quad shocks. I doubt that because this is my fourth Mustang without them and the first with this problem.
Second shop rechecked my alignment and said it was fine and that maybe I should get cc plates to see if it helps. He also checked the whole front end and said it looked good. Again, more money and no guarantee.
Third shop was a rack and pinion specialist shop. They checked the car and found nothing wrong with the rack or rods. They said that it has no play. They even checked the steering shaft.
What a f-ing nightmare!!!
1st mechanic told me that he thinks that it is because I do not have quad shocks. I doubt that because this is my fourth Mustang without them and the first with this problem.
Second shop rechecked my alignment and said it was fine and that maybe I should get cc plates to see if it helps. He also checked the whole front end and said it looked good. Again, more money and no guarantee.
Third shop was a rack and pinion specialist shop. They checked the car and found nothing wrong with the rack or rods. They said that it has no play. They even checked the steering shaft.
What a f-ing nightmare!!!
First Question.... How wide are your front tires and what tire model are they?
Second.. Its DEFINATELY not from lack of quad shocks..
If the car is within spec for alignment, then caster/camber plates are a complete waste of money because they're sole purpose is to give you more adjustability..
SO.. I would personally buy a steeda bumpsteer kit and get it realligned..
Also, make sure your front tires are properly inflated (somewhere around 32#)
Good luck
The only thing that cc plates wil do for me is allow me to bump up the caster setting to about 3 degrees so I agree that they might be a waste of money. I've had a couple of people here in the forums and out here on the street that say it can help though. I have the stock 225's up front and the pressure is at 32#.
67coupe
Founding Member
I know you had two shops tell you rack is okay. I also had mine checked during two alignments (trying to track down problem). Neither shop mentioned an issue with the rack.
Please do what jrichker suggests. It's very easy to check.
1) Put the front end on jack stands (on K-member...not on the control arms)
2) Grab each wheel at 12 & 6 (like the face of a clock) and push with the top hand while pulling with the bottom. Reverse and repeat. If you have any play or hear any noises. The lower ball joint and/or the wheel bearing could be bad.
3) Repeat above procedure at 9 & 3. If any play or noises, check tie rods, steering rack bushing, rag joint, steering shaft.
When my inner tie rods were bad, on jack stands...you could grab the tie rod and push/pull. The tie rod would move a 1/4" while the rest of the system was still. The other tie rod also had a 1/4" of play.
Note: You will feel movement when performing step 3. You are just simply turning the wheels slightly. This does not mean anything is bad. If you feel or hear any clunking. This is an indicator that something in the system has excessive wear. Your ears will be you best tool.
Also, when performing the push/pull check. You sould use low force quick movements. The key is to change directions quickly (from push to pull). If there is play you will feel and hear it.
Please do what jrichker suggests. It's very easy to check.
1) Put the front end on jack stands (on K-member...not on the control arms)
2) Grab each wheel at 12 & 6 (like the face of a clock) and push with the top hand while pulling with the bottom. Reverse and repeat. If you have any play or hear any noises. The lower ball joint and/or the wheel bearing could be bad.
3) Repeat above procedure at 9 & 3. If any play or noises, check tie rods, steering rack bushing, rag joint, steering shaft.
When my inner tie rods were bad, on jack stands...you could grab the tie rod and push/pull. The tie rod would move a 1/4" while the rest of the system was still. The other tie rod also had a 1/4" of play.
Note: You will feel movement when performing step 3. You are just simply turning the wheels slightly. This does not mean anything is bad. If you feel or hear any clunking. This is an indicator that something in the system has excessive wear. Your ears will be you best tool.
Also, when performing the push/pull check. You sould use low force quick movements. The key is to change directions quickly (from push to pull). If there is play you will feel and hear it.
Beasty306GT
Active Member
The wider the front tire is more of a crappy ride...They grab every imperfection in the road and just wants to take the car....Look into skinny tires
hotcobra03
Active Member
wander
read thru all these replys and no one said rear end,,,a loose rear bushing can do that also as it also burns ujoints ,,always overlooked
read thru all these replys and no one said rear end,,,a loose rear bushing can do that also as it also burns ujoints ,,always overlooked
hotcobra03
Active Member
alignment specialist
Most dont know that you rear controls your car..the front only steers..I was a ford twin I-beam guru,,but also did tractors ,,,with dual rears the front rear does the contol of staying straight,,,maybe this sheds alittle light on the subject
Most dont know that you rear controls your car..the front only steers..I was a ford twin I-beam guru,,but also did tractors ,,,with dual rears the front rear does the contol of staying straight,,,maybe this sheds alittle light on the subject
The bushings on the diff are new as well. I also have aftermarket lower and upper control arms. As far as the tires go, I know that wider tires tend to follow the imperfections on the road but that's not what the car is doing to me. I mean, it does do it but that's normal.
On another note, I noticed that the front control bushings didn't look right. The bushings that I had installed are red and normally you can see the red polyurethane on both ends of the bushing insert. Well, on the driver's side control arm, you couldn't see the red on one of the ends. I went over to my mechanic and we were able to slide the control arms on the bushing. The original ones were pretty worn. I don't know if that will solve the problem but I definitely don't think that those control arms should slide on the bushings. I am going to try and upload pics of it. I had to take them in weird angles cause I barely fit under there. The second pic shows the passenger side which looks fine but still slides a bit.
On another note, I noticed that the front control bushings didn't look right. The bushings that I had installed are red and normally you can see the red polyurethane on both ends of the bushing insert. Well, on the driver's side control arm, you couldn't see the red on one of the ends. I went over to my mechanic and we were able to slide the control arms on the bushing. The original ones were pretty worn. I don't know if that will solve the problem but I definitely don't think that those control arms should slide on the bushings. I am going to try and upload pics of it. I had to take them in weird angles cause I barely fit under there. The second pic shows the passenger side which looks fine but still slides a bit.
hotcobra03
Active Member
red bushings
thats why i wont use them,,the frame mount sway bar bushings do that too,,they have them for ford twin ibeam also,used on radis arm for more caster..fords powersteerings leak bad and i have learned it eats them up fast,,they all look nice but i perfer stock bushing anyday...something else i have noticed with poly-bushings..you feel everthing..they are stiff..hope thats your problem
The bushings on the diff are new as well. I also have aftermarket lower and upper control arms. As far as the tires go, I know that wider tires tend to follow the imperfections on the road but that's not what the car is doing to me. I mean, it does do it but that's normal.
On another note, I noticed that the front control bushings didn't look right. The bushings that I had installed are red and normally you can see the red polyurethane on both ends of the bushing insert. Well, on the driver's side control arm, you couldn't see the red on one of the ends. I went over to my mechanic and we were able to slide the control arms on the bushing. The original ones were pretty worn. I don't know if that will solve the problem but I definitely don't think that those control arms should slide on the bushings. I am going to try and upload pics of it. I had to take them in weird angles cause I barely fit under there. The second pic shows the passenger side which looks fine but still slides a bit.
thats why i wont use them,,the frame mount sway bar bushings do that too,,they have them for ford twin ibeam also,used on radis arm for more caster..fords powersteerings leak bad and i have learned it eats them up fast,,they all look nice but i perfer stock bushing anyday...something else i have noticed with poly-bushings..you feel everthing..they are stiff..hope thats your problem
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