Check out my rack!!!

[sawbones25]

I wonder if my rack is going bad...

This car wanders all over the road. I bet people following me think I'm drunk...
It's fine on completely flat roads, but even slight tire ruts send the car back and forth in the lane. I usually have to keep both hands on the wheel to keep the car from shooting off into the grass.

On flat roads the car goes straight, the tires aren't wearing funny yet, the steering doesn't even feel loose so I don't think it's simply an alignment problem.

Does anyone else here have the same problem?

 

[HISSIN50]

Did it just occur? Any recent work done? It could be an alignment issue (caster) or tramlining (loosely associated with Trammeling).

Good luck.

 

[88GT460]

my car does that a lot also.. same exact problem.. I do have smaller tires on the front, but who knows. I do know the road is very uneven (wavy) in some parts of the town here. So I just account for that being the problem since it does just fine otherwise.

 

[sawbones25]

I bought the car in May. I've put about 2500 miles on it since then. It's done it since I bought it. It doesn't have C/C plates and the spindle and control arms seem solid.
Other than a catback and a K&N, the car is showroom stock.

The tires are 245/45/17's on 17x8 tri-bars all the way around. And they are pretty new.

I've had all Foxbodies before this car and none of them was ever this bad.
So just wondering if it's a SN-95 thing, or is it just my car...

 

[HISSIN50]

If you dont have it lowered that is strange. We have similar tire/wheel sizes (I have 245/40/17's), but I have good bit of drop. I get a hair of wander on crappy roads (following ruts), and toss it up to not having CC plates/bumpsteer componentry.

It is not bad though. My fox does not do this at all.

If you can find a shop that does free alignment checks, that might be worthwhile. Otherwise, I am not sure. The wise folks in here will know.
Good luck.

 

[1991vert]

if the car is lowered and you didnt put in offset steering rack bushings it could have some bump-steer

 

[sawbones25]

Still has the stock springs.

I guess I've discovered my winter project now. Suspension and steering...

 

[mo_dingo]

Check all of your bushings and suspension connections. Make sure nothing is disconnected or loose.

Then get under the car, with the front end jacked up, and have someone else turn the steering wheel from lock to lock. See if anything abnormal happens.

I don't know what to tell you. You front struts could be blown. Check them out.

Then go take it for an alignment and ask the guy if there is anything out of the ordinary.
Scott

 

[Methodical]

I had the same problem in the past. Check the steering shaft rag joint, which is made of rubber. It goes bad. Turn the wheel side to side and check for slopiness. Oh and do yourself a favor and get a Flaming River steering shaft - it eliminates the rubber rag joint and uses a u-joint. The steering is tight and responsive. Let us know the results. Just One Man's Opinion. Peace

 

[ES Stangin]

My car does that same thing....

I checked the rag joint for play and there wasnt any.. I looked further down and noticed the play coming from the rack itself. So this winter I'll be replacing my rack and hopefully that will fix it.

 

[HISSIN50]

Wear appearing to be from the rack is often inner tie rods. It is often more cost effective to replace the entire rack (2 inner tie rods can almost equal the cost of a reman'd rack, which should include new inners). Good luck.

 

[sawbones25]

Dang, I didn't even think about that rag joint.
I don't plan on driving it much this winter so I may just tear the whole front end down and start from scratch.

Thanks for the help everyone.

 

[tmoss]

Where's the boobies (rack)?

I had the same problem and mine was the steering rack too - put on a new rack and problem solved. My rag joint was OK too.

 

[TheDamned]

damn, i tough this was a boobie thread aswell

 

[VibrantRedGT]

If you can move the steering wheel from side to side a tad and the car remains straight it's the rack itself (internal). Don't forget to check the tie rod ends as well. You can get a new rack at your local auto parts store for under $100 (rebuilt with lifetime warranty). It will not come with tie rod ends. They will need to be reused.

I just installed the Steeda bump steer (fancy shmancy tie rod ends) kit on my rack. It's adjustability is a nice feature. I like.