Car was fine till I replaced all the suspension. Now I have an issue that when I turn the wheels much to the right or left, the tires start binding up. If I jack the front off the ground, the front end turns beautifully lock to lock.

The best way to describe it is that somehow when half-way through a right or left turn (parked or moving), it's like the tire grabs and won't move till the suspension loads up and 'pulls' it loose. So you can watch the front corners bounce/jerk up and down. Initially, I had the bottom edge of the Koni struts hitting up against the top corner of the swaybar end links. The front edge of the tires was hitting the inside of the fenderwell so I added shims. BUT the binding action happens Before full turn, around half way or more. I've run out of ideas... Any front end experts have any idea's? I do have an aggressive front alignment and the stock 16" IROC wheels (1988 with Hotchkis springs/Koni yellows/generic new strut plates/all new Moog and UMI parts)
HELP!!!! Nitro-Nicky

 

Camber or toe causing rubbing? Check the tires and look for more wear.

If its only dragging while car is on ground, are the springs too soft?

 

The toe is set 1/16ths and the rest of the alignment is the set performance figures that they highly suggest here on the board. I never thought about the springs being to soft, so I appreciate you throwing that out there, however in my case I have brand new Hotchkis springs on all four corners.

When I turn the wheels half way while pulling into my driveway, the tires actually leave drag marks from whatever is pushing on the front wheels. Nitro

 

It sounds like you have a tire rubbing problem to me. I've heard that the performance alignment makes the rubbing worse and that it makes it happen before full lock.

 

Check the placement of the inner tie rod ends I had this problem and its was because I had the tie rods ends placed on the wrong side of the centerlink I believe the grease zerk goes tward the back of the car

 

this is true i did the same thing, Installed the center link BACKWARDS. the grease fittings should be facing back so it is harder to access them

 

UNFRICKING BELIEVABLE!!! You mean I spend 6 long agonizing- hair tearing out months, dozens and dozens of hours, paid for 3 alightments, replaced parts unnecesarily, and it's because the speed shop that bolted those parts together, and I'm too Dislexic to see that it's been reversed all this time....

Wow!!!! That's all I can say is WOW!!! Son of a black beaver.......

If you lived near by, I'd throw you a hella'va kegger party; no lie.



Honest Serious; this has relieved an ongoing huge load of stress on my back and no matter how I've described it or how many different posts I've made, no-one's had the answer. I've had front-end specialists look at this, and spent probably as much as 100 hours on 'SEARCH' for an answer. I can't thank you enough for chiming in!!!!
WOW!

 

I had the very same problem, tire rubbing inner fenders in the turns. Plus mine seamed to wonder a little at times so slighly you weren't sure if it was the road or not. I tighten the wheel bearing(helped a tiny bit) while doing the brakes, looked at everything, made sure everything was tight. My friend is a realy good frontend man. Told him my problem and he told me we need to put it on the lift. Before I could it too him.....well at 70mph in L.A.So.Cal. traffic. I hear a loud BOOM, and started sliding side ways...on the freeway...in traffic. once I got the car to the shoulder off the freeway and took a deep breath. I thought my passager side front tire came off and the front quarter was toast. THAT WAS ONE HEART PUMPING RIDE. What happen was the castle nut and cotter pin came off the lower a-arm and slide to a stop with the tire holding up the car on the inner fender. I could not see the nut was loose because of the rubber boot that covers it and the coil spring keeps the nut bottomed out so it looks tight. You must take out the cotter pin and put wrenches on the castle nut to make certian it is tight. If your tire rubs or you hear a noise from the frontend you can not find. please check these to cost is time and a new cotter pin. I was luck as a four leaf clover I was not next to semi or bridge. sorry for the long post I needed to share that.

 

Once I put the funds together to build a top end suspension I thought it would be an easy switch. I had no idea how much I'd end up spending on upgrades, brake system, chassis strengthening, stuff that was no longer compatible. My wife has started pointing out that instead, I coulda (almost) just bought a new dodge challenger or waited for the new camaro! And mine is still worth less than $5k!!!! (ouch:^)

Now that I finally know what it is, I'll make sure the shop checks & retightens every part & inch of suspension. Plus, I'll have to figure out what the suspension binding has stressed over the summer & fall. I should insist that he replaces the tie rods & chewed up front tires....
Why I couldn't see the reversed part myself is extra frustrating. If a guy is good enough for his cars to end up on TV, you'd think he'd know what he did wrong. We both just assumed lowering it messed up the Ackerman angle and it was up to me to resolve. I left a message at his shop phone tonight so hopefully business is holiday slow and he'll call me right away without any fuss or excuses ( I hate excuses). Nitro

 

my alignment shop pointed it out to me... i'm very surprised yours did not. all gm crossover setups are the same w/ the tierods on the backside of the centerlink

 

It's amazing still that I went to different alignment shops and asked them to double check the new suspension.

I feel so much lighter in spirit today knowing how to solve this; now I can move onto other parts of the car! Thank God for this message board! Nitro

 

Again this site is worth it's weight in gold.My stupid *** did the same thing. I took the center link and the inner and outer tie rod ends out as one piece. I guess I got turned around(should have taken pix. like I thought of doing), cause I installed the center link backwards so my inner tie rod stubs are pointing to the back of the bird.I got it back from getting the front end aligned and I was pushing the front wheels hard.The shop guy said it was hitting the stops. The car tracked perfect, steering is nice and tight, so I was really confused. Then 3rd gen. save my butt again. After reading this thread I looked under the bird and sure enough.....
So once again thanks guys.
Kenneth

 

Hopefully it didn't take 10+ months to figure it out like I did! I really wish there would have been a 'Search Post' available last year that would have clued me in. I found lots of posts where people had issues but never bothered to post back what they found for a solution. After that one, I make double sure I put eventual solutions down in writting. Again, glad to hear you discovered it. Wasn't it just a head scratcher until you figured it out? Nitro

 

Just thought I would resurrect this thread a bt...

I have a Turdbird that has the derpy binding while turning sharply symptom and checked my centerlink and it is on in the correct orientation as far as I can tell. The alignment is great and the vehicle tracks well on the road under normal driving - no slop. I checked for rubbing of any kind underneath and only found a place where my tire rubs a little bit of the plastic in the wheel well. Most everything is stock including the wheels tires shocks.. the lot. I have a 350 in there in place of the 305, don't know what level of freshness the springs are in.

Did anyone find that a worn idler arm, or bushing lead to this problem without the centerlink being in backwards?

Here are 2 photos of the area of interest please pardon the dirtiness, the previous owner lived on a dirt road.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/hm39poepjx...37.29.jpg?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/yrth9wjxzz...37.34.jpg?dl=0


Thank you!

 

In no way am I saying I'm an expert, but if everything else is tight, are the idle and pitman arms tight?

 

Nothing moved when I was down there trying to wiggle things, I just found an efficient way of getting myself dirty.

 

I am having the same issue, i just rebuilt both lower control arms and have replaced the outer tie rods. The plowing of the front tires is no different now than it was before.

 

I have a 2003 gmc sierra and recently with the colder weather when I turn left or right, it feels like something's is binding up? Alignment is fine truck goes pretty straight no noises goin forward but does squeak in reverse. I was told it cud be either a ball joint, wheelbearing or CV joint? But have seen any grease on or around CV boots. All this started when it got cold.

 

Hey, Chris,

Take note that this site is solely devoted to 82-92 F-bodies. A search will no doubt turn up a site more equipped to deal with your GMC and its issues.

Best of luck,

JamesC