I had my alignment checked on my car(92 z28) awhile ago because it pulls to the left and REALLY hard to the left when I brake. Well, camber and toe were fine but caster was WAY off, here's the reading:

Caster

left front right front

actual .45 actual 5.15
before .45 before 5.15

The guys at the alignment shop said they couldn't do anything to the caster because it was so far out of spec. So I adjusted the struts when I got home and I got it to drive pretty straight. So my question is even though the car drives straight would caster being off still cause the car to pull hard left only when I brake?

When I bought the car the guy said his wife had hit a curb and gave me the old rim, which was only slightly dented, still driveable, but he got a new rim anyway. The front left wheel sits about 3/4" inch farther back than the front right. The front left lower control arm looks slightly bent where it connects to the K-member.

The real problem is when I brake, it pulls much harder when I brake than just normally driving. I replaced the right front caliper and brake hose, still does it. What are your thoughts? How much should I pay for a used control arm from a salvage yard?

 

If something is bent, you'll never get the car to drive right.

I paid $30 for a pair of control arms last time I wanted some. I took them to a local shop at around closing time on Sat. and slipped the tech a $2- to put new bushings in them, and I changed the ball koints myself; then I changed them, the springs, the struts, the sway bar bushings, the tie rod ends and sleeves, the center link, the idler arm, and the rag joint; and I rebuilt the steering gear. All in one afternoon.

Needless to say, the car drove much better.

You may also find that the parts of the K-member that the CAs bolt to, are also bent. A frame shop can straighten those, for not too much $$$$.

Once you get all the parts straight and the right length and all that, you'll find it alot easier to get it to drive in a straight line.

 

When my car was hit, the cross member bent instead of the control arm. I'm thinking that's the culprit.

 

here's a pic of the only place I can find that looks bent... I made a pic with an arrow pointing to it but couldn't get it uploaded for some reason...hopefully you see where it's bent a little, right where the LCA connects to the k-member.

Can you tell from this pic if it's the control arm or the K-member that's bent?

 

I don't have access to a lift so this is as far away as I could get.

from underneath...
EDIT: now that I've taken pics of both sides and flipped one around to match the other I can see in the top pic where the k-member looks like it's been slightly bent back.

 

There could be a chance that the bushing is shot, and that is why the geometry is all off. I would look into that more before I go changeing other, more expensive parts.

 

That control arm is bent!! If the car hit a curb then that would definitely cause the problem. Like RB said, replace the control arm and then go from there. Where did you take the car to have the alignment done?

If you want some real performance out of the car then get some del-a-lum bushings. They have 0 deflection and are greasable. Whatever you do DONT GET POLY CONTOL ARM BUSHINGS. I can't stress how much they suck. They have horrible binding problems, I don't care how much lube you use. If you can't afford del-a-lum then just get stock replacements from Napa.

BTW-I have some control arms for sale If your interested. Not trying to make a sale because I was going to box them and use them. But I'll help you out.

Good luck,

 

Would it be possible to post a pic of the other bushing, as in the rear if those were the front. I think that would help us see the whole picture then.

 

I keep thinking brakes are more my problem...Today I took it for a short drive, when I got back home I touched the front left rotor and it burnt my finger! So I go over and touch the passenger side rotor and it's hot but I could hold my finger on there without it getting burnt. Would a bent LCA or K-member cause one rotor to get hotter than the other?

Like I said it drives down the road pretty straight but when I brake it pulls real hard to the left and I replaced the front right brake hose and caliper. And now I know the front left rotor is getting LOTS more friction...I just don't know why. I had both front wheels off the ground the other day and I spun them both...the passenger side wheel spun easier and longer than the driver side, it didn't spin a whole lot easier, just enough to notice. So I took off the driver side pads and caliper, checked them out, they seemed ok, I put them back on and spun the wheel and it spun easier, about the same as the passenger side. Could the driver side caliper maybe have a dragging brake? I do notice more brake dust on that wheel. But would a dragging brake cause it to pull to one side when I brake? Maybe the hose has collapsed on the side it pulls to and holds more pressure on that side?

I'll take another pic later I just got all cleaned up and don't want to go crawl under again.

 

which way does it pull when braking, does it pull the other way when you take off?

 

It pulls to the left really hard when I brake , no it doesn't pull the other way when I take off.

 

A)You have a bent control arm. whether or not you want your alignment specs in is another problem. your specs are wack! Caster always pulls to the more negative (or in your case the left). You have almost a 5 degree cross caster!! This is a major problem. I can almost imagine your SAI angle.

B)Maybe the sliders are frozen. This is very common. Is there more wear on one of the pads compared to the other?

 

Fix what you already know is wrong, before you descend into "maybe it's this, maybe it's that" hell. Your car will never, ever, drive right with the control arm bent, There's no telling how wacked the car as a whole is from the damage. You could be fiddling around with your brakes from now until hell freezes over, and never begin to make a dent in the problem; just lighten your wallet a whole bunch.

Fix what you know is wrong first, then move on to figuring out what's left wrong after that.

 

1st time i heard this complaint. your sure you dont have polygraphite?

 

Yeah, they're energy suspension bushings. But I've seen other brands do the same.

 

well i have the poly bushing that i ordered frome summit, they were good for like the first month then when i would go over a speed bump or carving a corrner i could feel and hear them not giving enough. i dont like them so much that i am planning on removing them for delaloom bushings. also we greesed the HELL out of them during instlation and still now i have them for my sway bar and they work sweet, but as for a arms :nono:
just some of my experience i like the poly for some things but for others they are too stiff, witch dose not allow for enough
Suspension travel witch intern binds up going into a corner.