Well I was changning my oil today, and while I was at it, I greased the joints in the whole steering system. As I was looking at it I thought to myself that it would be really easy to replace everything. Just a simple unbolt and bolt back in. I am thinking of doing this because ever since I got my new tires, my car likes to wander when driving, and It always goes to the low spot in the road, I think this is because of the 15 year old steering joints. So would replacing the center link, idler arm, and pitman arm help my car drive straight? What parts do I need exactly? I was thinking about getting all new moog parts.

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yellow 86 Camaro
LG4 700R4
ROH RH 17x9
Bridgestone Potenza RE730 255/45ZR17 all around
Pioneer head unit
Kenwood speakers
Infinity Beta Digital 300 amp
2 Infinity Perfect 12s

Now KYB equipped!!

 

I'd say 80% of the reason the car tramlines is the wider tires, and 20% could be possible steering slop. You wouldn't need to replace the idler arm or pitman arm unless they got bent somehow (there's no parts to wear). Replacing the center link and inner and outer tie-rods and the ragjoint in the steering shaft will definitely make a change for the better if there's any wear in your steering. You'll need a tie-rod puller (I don't really like the pickle fork). Moog's a good choice.

 

So theres no hope in curing my tramlining? I don't want to put my old narrow tires back on just so I can steer better. Does everyone who has wide tires have this problem?

 

Yep

 

Yes wide tires are a large part of the problem. But loose steering linkage and wide tires are really bad. The idler arm 'is' a wear item and is commonly the first part to wear out. If your not sure how to check everything out, have a front end shop do an estimate--then install the parts yourself.


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350 with stealth intake, holley carb, 470 lift cam. 700r4 with .5 boost valve, vette servo, tci lock-up kit, B&M megashifter. Richmond 3.73 gears, powertrax locker, timkin bearings, synthetic lube. Custom 3 inch single into 2 2.5 pipes. 1 1/2 drop springs, 1 5/16 solid front sway bar, 1 inch rear bar, custom subframe connectors, custom LCA relocation brackets. Kobel ground FX, currant red metallic paint. Lots of other stuff...
82camaro

 

On my car, the Idler arm and Center link wore out, had a little play in them, pitman arm is solid.

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WS6 Trans Am.

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