I hope someone can help! As a front end mechanic, I make a better engine mechanic!!!

My 91 RS has had more than a slight wander, off center, anything above 50 MPH since I can remember. I replaced the ball joints, springs, idler arm, and both outer tie rods, and front tires, and had it aligned - twice.

Without moving the wheel, it steers from the left to the right. It's driving me crazy! My dad's Camry handles better right now!

Anything I may be missing?????

 

Im also having the same problem, Ive replaced the struts, centerlink, ball joints, tie rods, idler arm, aligned by two different places and it still leans to the right, highly annoying

 

my last 2 camaros leaned to the right like that, it even did so when i myself aligned it.....

only my current 1 needs front end parts tho the last 1 was fully rebuilt. My current 1 also wonders like crazy. Only thing thats been replaced on it is balljoints tho.

 

Do you have alot of crowning in your roads? If so, they might have set the allignment dead center and gravity and angle of the road is pulling the car to the right.
I have a rebuilt front end and mine drives straight forever... it even did a pretty good job before I rebuilt the front end.

 

I would agree on the road crown. Especially if you have wide tires.

I don't know if it helps, but my idler arm is a little sloppy causing my car to wonder a bit. It could also be a sticky brake pad. If you can't find it, I'd have someone else take a look. Sometimes a fresh pair of eyes can spot things you look over.

 

The car does this even on the fresly paved, 6-lane wide section of Interstate 10 in downtown Phoenix.....

It doesn't pull, it wanders. While holding the wheel solid, it steers itself left, right, or both.

 

What is your alignment? Slight toe out or 0* will make it wander.

When the car is stopped on pavement and the engine off, is there slop in the steering wheel or is it tight? Its not a loose steering box is it?

 

Thank you for your brainstorm!!
The last alignment was aby 3/32 toe-in.....

Nobody's thought of checking the steering box yet!

 

Word. Just doing what I can. Lol.

When you are checking the box (assuming everything is tight) you should feel or see the tires twisting. This slop feels like your stretching a rubber band. Dead center though the box should have very little unrestricted movement.

3/32 is stock I believe and should be fine. Just as long as its not 0 or toe'd out you're fine.

 

You guys are crazy!!! Sloppy steering boxes in a 3rd gen.
(I hate mine)

 

Mine only wanders to the right, hold the wheel straigh dont feel it pull it just sways away.

how much is a new steering box.

 

I can't remember. Napa and Advance carry remanufactured ones. I think the one new ones you can get are from Flamming River or something like that.

 

Checker is $135.00 lifetime warranty - Cardone reman.
I'm going to do a little more shopping first.

I also want to see if the fast ratio IROC box is a direct swap.

 

The rag joint is another common cause for loose steering. This is the rubber coupler between the lower steering shaft and the box. There are several options for replacing it. Including Flaming River parts, Astro van parts, and an off the shelf replacement (motor mite?). Those words in a search should bring up the threads.

RBob.

 

Do you have a strut tower brace?

I replaced parts on mine from the box to the wheelbearings. And the car still had a wandering feel to the front end. Even at slow speeds put on the strut tower brace and it was a night and day difference.

 

Before shelling out 150 or so on a reman box, you may want to try to bench adjust yours first. Should really be pulled to properly bench adjust with fluid drained. There's a tech article on montecarloss that explains the procedure.

My experience with reman boxes is limited but not positive. I went the reman route years ago to swap from a 4 turn box to a 2.75 quick ratio (they'll swap right in). 1st box locked up within a thousand miles or so, 2nd replacement turned out to be a 4 turn box w/an incredible amount of play and the 3rd box just didn't have the right 'feel'. I finally pulled a JY quick ratio box for $35 and put a $30 'rebuild' kit in it, basically a set of seals, and I'm much happier.

Best way, imo, to check for slop in box and rag joint is to turn the steering shaft with the rag joint cover pulled back and make sure everything moves as a unit all the way to the pitman arm, engine running. The bolt in the shaft joint near the MC can get loose as well, although that's rare (unless someone's messed with it). Tighten that tilt if it's loose too.

 

The iroc "quick turns" are 2.25 turns lock to lock. The normal ones are 2.5. They should be a direct swap though.

Another thing to check would be how tight the steering box is to the frame. The "Wonder Bar" connects the left and right frame right by the steering box to help stop it from flexing the frame. If your frame is rusted or cracked it could be a problem. With the car off, have a friend turn the wheel over while you watch the steering box from underneath. If the chassis is flexing bad, it could be your problem. You can buy wonder bars for under 40 or just make one like I did.

 

The box ratio was 2.75 turns to lock. Once installed with 16" bump stops on vehicles so equipped you may only see 2.25 turns at the wheel. 4 turns for my 87 SC.

I can't say that's a universal truth, but it has been the case with the boxes I've seen and worked with.

 

Interesting. Both my 89RS's came stock with 2.5 power steering l-t-l boxes. The 2.5 is observed at the wheel.

 

Do our cars use the same steering shaft as an Astro van?

 

Update:
I don't know haw much slop is in the box yet, because the rag joint has more play than a model T!!!!!

...So far, it looks like a new steering box is easier to find than that stupid rag joint! Who sells them???

 

No, however, the parts from an Astro Van can be used to eliminate the rag joint. And, the upper bushing can be replaced with a bearing from same. Please do a search on the topic. There is at least one good thread on this, possibly two or three.

RBob.

 

check the idler arm position they are adjustable and can be mounted in wrong position causing a bump steer condition iset mine so everything is level

 

Here's what looks like a better solution.....

Solid, and only $36.00!
http://www.unbalancedengineering.com...Rag_Joint_3rd/
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That's very true!
My idler was 1/4" lower than the pittman arm, and it had terrible bump steer.

 

Did a search and found another post with all the relative threads linked to it. I had never seen this mentioned before-interesting stuff.

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/susp...ro#post2690347

 

The rag joint eliminator isn't a good idea from what I've seen. It creates a point in the steering where the steering binds. The joint needs to flex, just not as much as they do after 20 years.

 

my firebird dose the same thing from about 50 to 70 or it feels like its shimmying left to right a tad......wonder what that could be?

 

This is what it ended up being!



I found a brand new, NOS steering shaft on eBay for $100!
I won't say it's as tight as a Porsche, but it IS as tight as a new Camaro now!!!!

Problem solved!