O.k. so the car is liking to dart now, at highway speeds it will randomly push to one side or another, I just put it on the lift again and from the looks of things the guy who had this one before me hit a rock or peice of cement or something because there is a crease in the oil pan and y pipe as well as the metal subframe ? directly underneath the oil pan.

I have

Aligned it (professionally by an experienced alignment guy etc)
Installed all new front end components (tie rod ball joints etc, all bushings)
removed and inspected wheels and tires for bends/bulges
played with tire pressure to no avail

any input would be appreciated I really don't know much of anything about F body cars thanks a ton in advance

-brad

if you want to talk to me directly can email me at
bflee87@gmail.com

 

You are getting unwanted steer from something in the front suspesion or steering linkage. Wither a misalignment in geometry or a worn part.

You are getting bump steer. That means the tires are fighting eqchother in toe settings due to change in toe settings through suspension travel or part componant slop.

Your average 'so call professional alignment mechanic" will not always experience enough to find the problem, he mainly will only know how to read the computer screen and make the apropriate "static adjustments to the alignment. Its the dynamic motion of the stering linkage that is casue the unwanted steer. you need tofind what is changing ingeometry whether it is a worn componant, or a misalignment if the tierods in motion with the arch of the a-arms on one side, the other, or both sides even.

 

yes, this so far i understand...and like i said everything from draglink down was replaced. so i guess i should start with tie rod ends and adjusting sleeves and work my way around ?

like i said it was aligned, the machine reads everything in perfect and the front wheels/tires are toed in correctly, hence another reason i was so perplexed.

thank you for the fast response and anyone who has experienced this or has any $.02 to throw in would be much appreciated.

 

Thats my point. Everything can be new and static aligned, but does it stay to those tolerances in dynamic. The machine reads static only unless the mechanic "bumps" the car.
What is "Bumps" Its a term we use saying to chack the alignment when the suspension is compressed from static height troguh out suspension travel to see ewhere the alignment specs go reading wise in motion.

I you do this by either pulling the car down with a comealong on an alginment rack, or by having a few buddies just stand on the bumper. while you read the alignment machine readings for changes through suspension travel. Its all about geometry. I will say agin, I would check the heigt if the dgarlink on both sides where the pivot of the tierods connect to it in relation to the pivot height of the front a-arm mounts, THEN check the same for the outer tierod pivots and the balljoints. The machine will then figure the 3 dimensional movement between the tierods and the a-arms in articulation to see if the archs match when bumped.

Dean

 

When a porfessional alignment mechanic imputs your car intothe machine, it considers the car to be at factory tolerances witout any aftermarket products or variations from stock. If the car is lowered, if the caster is increased, if any number of things are different you can create unwated bumpsteer unless you take into consideration the archs matching in travel.

 

Thanks Dean ill check on this stuff in the morning if its not rainy and i have time to get it over to the shop. It really sucks cause it runs so great lol i'll figure it out thanks a ton man!!
-brad