Ls2gtoowner

My nightmare continues, I have posted a few threads about alignments and the car tracking weird and so on. I was told to get an alignment and throw some new c6z shocks on so I did both of those and the problem is still there. The car pretty constantly wants to pull to the left so much so that I am fighting it with my left hand holding it then randomly it will stop wanting to pull left and it will go fairly straight. Shortly after it will go back to its normal pulling left... I look like a drunk person driving the car because I am fighting it from going left and then all the sudden it will be normal again and the car will shoot right.

I also should mention, when I am holding it from going to the left I don't have to turn the wheel to the right or anything the wheel is dead center it just feels like the steering wheels wants to go left.

I am at a loss on what to do with it and it isn't fun to drive anymore either... any thoughts? Suggestions? Ideas?

Car setup:
2003 c5 z06
275/35/18 front
345/30/19 rear
C6z06 shocks
Lowered on stock bolts
Factory alignment but next time it goes in it will get one of the pfadt alignments

Ls2gtoowner

The more I am thinking about it the more it sounds like control arm bushings. It feels like the steering wheel is weighted on the left and side and I am fighting against that weight.

Pounder

1. not a issue these days but a bad tire (belt seperated) 2. if you can get the car up in the front with the wheels off the ground, with wheels straight start the car, do the wheel steer to one side or other (rare but power steering spool not centering)(old school issue)

Roddy13

Sounds like something is bent.... wheels? Suspension? Subframe?

Carl Timonen

If suspension seems good, check your wheel bearings.

Ls2gtoowner

I will give that a shot, I am going to try a few things I have saw and see what that brings.

Ls2gtoowner

Wheels are straight
subframe I am the only one that drives the car so don't see how that could get bent nothing has been hit or anything.
Suspension I don't even hit pot holes or anything.

Wheel bearing keeps coming up but I also just order pfadt control arm kit. Not looking forward to the work but has to be done.
That keeps coming up, best way to tell if a wheel bearing is bad??

Ls2gtoowner

Little update for everyone, I am 99% sure it has nothing to do with tires, brakes or anything to that nature. I can get it to track left or right but it's default tracking is left but I can get it to track right for a little then it will slowly go back tracking straight then back to tracking left.

Can a power steering rack just break? Or wear out??

I have ordered new pfadt control arm bushing kit, new endlinks (although mine are already metal), new sway bar bushings, and new outer tie rods.

Pounder

the spool in a power steering unit applies the pressurized fluid to help move the steering linkage, if there is a leak or a bad spool it will bypass were the fluid should be going forcing the pressurized fluid to go where it is not intended = bad rack and pinion !!

Ls2gtoowner

You have a pm.

4XLR8N

Ls2gtoowner

I don't believe popcorn will fix my issue. I could be wrong thought Hahahah

4XLR8N

Are you kidding?!? Popcorn fixes everything!

Seriously, I have a similar (though not exactly the same) issue on my DD Malibu. It has a slight to mild pull to the left. Never pulls right. Will track straight as an arrow if I am in the right lane where the crown of the road counteracts it. If I am on level pavement, she's going left.

For awhile now I have been suspecting a bad ball joint, control arm bushing, or something similar. I have had it aligned twice at two different shops. All new tires. Nothing helps...

So I feel ya...

If you find a cure, post it up!

Paul Wood

I had similar issue when I went to larger tires. The roads where I lived in Texas were severely dished due to large trucks. I could be riding along straight and suddenly car would veer left. It was a fight every time I drove. I read about tram lining and sure enough when I went back to narrower tires the problem went away. Just a thought.

Ls2gtoowner

The 275's up front have been on for a long time with zero issues. I can't see that being an issue but this is a tire size most c6z guys run. It was doing this before I put 345's on the back. It's a thought and I will keep it in mind but will try everything else first hahaha

Not only that I could drive down the one road and it will pull left and drive down the other road at the same spot and can get it to go right. I can make it go one way or the other but always defaults to left lol

Rob 02

I have a similar issue but more of a tram-lining problem. When It happens it scares me into near panic. When I get the car up I'm going to check for broke or loose bolts on the lower control arms.
There are a lot of bridges where I live. There is bumpy brushed concrete and the car feels like it is going out of control. At first I thought I had a flat run flat but I checked. Now I am wondering if one of the caster/camber adjusters got wallowed out.

Gordy M

You might look at the upper control arm bushings. Those who autocross have seen the metal part of the arm go over the rubber bushings making the steering suspect. If you do any canyon runs, x-way ramp stomps, etc, yours might have done that over time.

Rob 02

If this is the case it would explain a lot as the OP's seems to be a front end problem and mine feels like a rear end issue. Both are intermittent making trouble shooting difficult. I might try poly bushings.

Ls2gtoowner

I have ordered the bushing kit from pfadt so I will be replacing those (not looking forward to it though at all)

I am also tempted to replace the rack as my rack as to be removed anyway because my ac needs a new belt (gotta love a supercharged car)

I don't auto cross my car or anything but it does get highway pulls and some back road twisties.



I have ordered the pfadt kit we will see how it goes.

Considering replacing the rack as well not sure yet though.

Rob 02

Let us know.