Hey guys, I cant get the max to stop wandering down the highway. what happens is i will be driving down the highway about 75-80 (most noticeable) and it feels like the wind is blowing my car around the highway both directions I know it is not the wind, obviously. It does it every time i get on the highway, and it is almost hard to drive in a way that would make people believe that I am sober. What is it. I am a tech at goodyear, and i just aligned it because i lowered it over the weekend (irrelevent), and the front toe was out a little but i set it and it had no affect. My tie rod ends, ball joints, bearings, nor the steering rack feel like they have any play. my shocks are O.E., but have no probloms. I am out of ideas my tires are new they are the correct wussy factory size. whats left besides control arm bushings. Please sombody tell me that this is a commonly known problem with a straight forward solution. Where would you start if you were me, remember youre broke! Thanks guys.

 

my guess is balancing it(???), but that just cures the rumbling. my dad's truck did that too, and it was because of the ball joints that was making it go that way...not sure, but maybe double check the joints..?

 

It could be blown or bad struts. Are the struts new or old? In my old Grand Prix I didn't want to spend the money to replace the struts so I just nicknamed it the wanderer.

It could be the tires too make sure they are inflated the cold weather affected mine sometimes.

 

Check the bushings that hold the rack and pinion onto the sub frame. If they are loose, your rack may be moving slightly causing the wondering.
What is your camber at?
What springs are you using?
Tire Pressure?

You say your a tech at Goodyear. If you did the alignment yourself you would have seen any play in the front end as you attempted the alignment. You would also be able to see excessive wear or play in the control arm bushings. If everything is tight, your alignment numbers should have been solid. Do you have the numbers? Post them.
How is the rear? Did you check it by doing a 4 wheel thrust angle alignment? You should have.
Post the numbers so we can see exactly how the car is tracking.

 

I have everything perfect and replaced most bushings and it still happens..

But I mean how much wandering are we talking?..

 

You say your a tech at Goodyear. If you did the alignment yourself you would have seen any play in the front end as you attempted the alignment. You would also be able to see excessive wear or play in the control arm bushings. If everything is tight, your alignment numbers should have been solid. Do you have the numbers? Post them.
How is the rear? Did you check it by doing a 4 wheel thrust angle alignment? You should have.
Post the numbers so we can see exactly how the car is tracking.[/QUOTE]

The only thing that was out was the toe, both wheels pointed in slightly i think as a result of lowering, Obviously I expected camber to be out, but it was in spec and the rear was completely in spec. For some reason I could not get it to print, but I am very picky and my camber was not close to being out of spec who knows why. my shocks are old as dirt the springs are B&G 1.6" nothing crazy, and I have not completely ruled out CA bushings. anyone done the energy susp. bushing kit? and did it help. Thanks everyone for your input.

 

that top half was supposed to be a quote, but "I was just checking the inline on the rotary gurter, I'm retarted."

 

when the shocks were going out on my sister's car it was all over the place on the freeway