Steering problems, need help!
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 526
Likes: 1
From: Millington TN
Steering problems, need help!
Last night i was on the way home in my 72 and the steering started to feel really loose. I didn't think much of it as im not real impressed with the roads around here in the VA Beach area. Today I drove to the DMV and the problem was still there. The steering wheel feels really loose and the *** end is moving around. At first i thought it might be an alignment issue but it was not consistently to one side. And it was only an issue when i was trying to go in a straight line. I limped back home and made it safe but it was a white knuckle trip. Oh and it seemed to be more pronounced at higher speeds. Any ideas? Im waiting for her to cool down before I start looking around and checking ps fluid levels. I made a four hour trip from DC to VA Beach and didn't have any trouble at all, this seems to have come on out of the blue.
Pro
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 581
Likes: 5
From: BC
You can not diagnose a problem like that based on symptons. How does a bad trailing arm bushing feel different from any other source of looseness in the rear suspension.
You need to get it up in the air and do a thorough inspection of the suspension, frt and rr, and the steering. There are a dozen things that can cause looseness like that.
Check the following;
Tires (inflation and cord separetion)
Wheel nuts
Wheel brgs(frt and rr)
Control arm bushings frt(upper and lower) and rr(trailing arm)
Ball joints
rr radius rod bushings
inner axle stub shaft end play (clips gone?)
half shaft u-joints
diff mounting
tie rod ends,
idler arm
control valve ball stud
Rusted/broken frame at known problem areas
If you're not confident in your ability to know what to look for, take it in to someone that is.
Steve g
You need to get it up in the air and do a thorough inspection of the suspension, frt and rr, and the steering. There are a dozen things that can cause looseness like that.
Check the following;
Tires (inflation and cord separetion)
Wheel nuts
Wheel brgs(frt and rr)
Control arm bushings frt(upper and lower) and rr(trailing arm)
Ball joints
rr radius rod bushings
inner axle stub shaft end play (clips gone?)
half shaft u-joints
diff mounting
tie rod ends,
idler arm
control valve ball stud
Rusted/broken frame at known problem areas
If you're not confident in your ability to know what to look for, take it in to someone that is.
Steve g
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 108
Likes: 0
From: woodinville washington
Yeh...a whole bevy of items listed in the posts above may need to be checked. Easy stuff first such as condition of tires, excess wheel bearing movement, conditions of trailing arm bushings, the tightness of the differential bolts. Possibly you may be missing some or all of the trailing arm shims. Good Luck, and continue to ask questions of posters here if your unsure.
If you do track it down but feel uneasy in doing the repair yourself, think of the money you did save by at least diagnosing the problem by yourself and saving at least some money.
If you do track it down but feel uneasy in doing the repair yourself, think of the money you did save by at least diagnosing the problem by yourself and saving at least some money.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 526
Likes: 1
From: Millington TN
Well I don't see anything that's flat out broken but there is a little play in my passenger rear wheel. While its in the air i grab the wheel and there is maybe 1/8" of movement. Should there be any at all? I have a feeling that this is not the only issue back there either. I drove it again around the neighborhood and the best way I can describe it is its like driving in the snow in someone else's tracks. Every so often it feels like i slide over into someone else's groove. Trying to find a good shop in the VA beach area, anyone know a place?
