Loose steering

[navdoc101]

My festy has started getting a little sloppy steering. It will track straight with my hands off the wheel. But needs constant corrections when I'm holding the wheel. noticed it after I replaced the swaybar end-link & bar to body bushings. I have ordered the Moog LCA's, they should be here tomarrow or the next day. I know the tie-rod ends also need replaceing, but I have the Aspire swap , so don't want to install Festy tie-rods. Not ready for Aspire front swap, need Struts first. What are ya'lls best guess on the problem. Hope its NOT steering rack.hmmmmmm

[jawbraeka]

sounds like a simple alignment.. my festiva only drifts to the left when things are not quite right. the cause for this on both occasions have been blown cv's.

[shadetree]

Blown cv,s huh ???
My best guess would be that the problem has been there all along , you just tightened up front end and made it more noticeable . Lca and tyrod ends is where I would start looking . I just went through the same thing with mine ,ended being lca left side . Good luck .

[burnt_toast]

Yeah I would not start guessing what's wrong until replace what you already know is wrong. You can start at one end of the steering and work back but you already know you need tie rods. I've never had problems with a Festy, but I've had a full size van and the problem really was everything in general. There were several bushings that were shot, and it also had a steering coupler in the steering shaft. Everything I changed made the steering a little tighter each time. There's no sense in doing anything alignment related if the tie rods or any steering bushings need replaced.
-toast

[navdoc101]

Kinda what I was thinkin'. Just needed confermation. I'm doing the LCA's as soon as they get here. Not gonna do the upper tie rod ends until I'm ready to do the Aspire front end. Was just preying it wasn't the rack. Thanks everyone for jumpin' in!!!

[burnt_toast]

It could be the rack, but I certainly wouldn't start there. The easy way I check is to grab the steering shaft where it inputs into the gearbox and try rocking it to feel for slop on that end. On my van it was easy to reach of course. I had slop there but the big slop was my steering coupler (The Fest used a U-joint instead because of the angles involved).

[zoom zoom]

Have you installed the energy suspension bushings? I have problems with my 7" wide wheels so I swapped back to stock but it didn't help at all so I'm gonna put the energy suspension bushings back when I get time.

[nitrofarm]

My festy has started getting a little sloppy steering. It will track straight with my hands off the wheel. But needs constant corrections when I'm holding the wheel. noticed it after I replaced the swaybar end-link & bar to body bushings. I have ordered the Moog LCA's, they should be here tomarrow or the next day. I know the tie-rod ends also need replaceing, but I have the Aspire swap , so don't want to install Festy tie-rods. Not ready for Aspire front swap, need Struts first. What are ya'lls best guess on the problem. Hope its NOT steering rack.hmmmmmm

Sounds like a camber situation,that will cause a pull. Hows the camber look from the front when you eyeball it on level ground?

[navdoc101]

Have you installed the energy suspension bushings? I have problems with my 7" wide wheels so I swapped back to stock but it didn't help at all so I'm gonna put the energy suspension bushings back when I get time.

Yes, I did install the ES bushings & moog swaybar end bushings.
nitro the camber looks good by eyeball. Like I said it does not pull either way. If I let go of the steering wheel on the interstate it tracks straight. Just wanders with my hands ON the steering wheel, both right & left.

[nitrofarm]

Yes, I did install the ES bushings & moog swaybar end bushings.
nitro the camber looks good by eyeball. Like I said it does not pull either way. If I let go of the steering wheel on the interstate it tracks straight. Just wanders with my hands ON the steering wheel, both right & left.

Oh I see I miss read I thought you said it was pulling. Wandering can be so many things,good luck.

[navdoc101]

Yea , thats why I was asking for ideas of what it might be. thanks

[purg3d]

Is there any play when rocking the tire to and fro? Give the inner tie rods a good tug. If one is bad, you'll know. I'd say look for damage/broken belts/uneven wear/air in the tires. Hope it's not your rack. Good luck.

[nitrofarm]

Yea , thats why I was asking for ideas of what it might be. thanks

I think your new ball joints will help. When mine are bad the car will wander,tie rods seems to shake or make noise.I had a bad wander that ended up being a loose front trans mount. Now I have a shimmy in both my Aspire's after putting on larger tires and wheels. It only happens @ 65,but its annoying the heck out of me.

[gotrootdude]

"Give the inner tie rods a good tug. If one is bad, you'll know."

I've had a shimmy in one wheel for years. Earlier this year the brakes started off/on squealing so I'm getting ready to do a brake job when my work vacation. While coming into work this morning I heard a clunk from the problem wheel on a rough stretch of road. Got to work and rocked the tire. I had to rock it hard as hell to get it to clunk so I could locate it, simple tugs did not do the trick of exposing it, but it's from the tie rod end....

The moral of this story is that it's sometimes very hard to tell whats causing the problem until the parts get worn enough to tell. If you're looking for such a problem, really rock the hell out of the tires, don't just push your body weight on it and assume the tie rod ends are alright if it doesn't give much or make a sound..

[eurotiva]

Gary, turn the wheels with the car off and not moving. Just aloft left to right. Does it pop? If so you might need a rack. If that is so, I have a few racks