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Alignment issue ?

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Old Apr 4, 2014 | 05:39 AM
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Alignment issue ?

So my cars steering seems pretty messed uP.. Under acceleration and braking the wheel is straight and im moving perfectly straight with no pull to either side, as soon as i let off the acceleration or brake (easier to see driving with no hands on the wheel) as soon as im not accelerating or braking my steering wheel goes to the left and it will pull to the left ... And then as soon as brake or accelerator is touched the wheel goes back to normal position and travels straight as an arrow, can this be my allignment ? Lots of potholes in my area thats why i believe it to be allignment. I have new inner/outer torods, new struts(coils, shocks, bearings mounts). Both axels new, both bearings and hubs
New, new tires balanced and mounted.. Hoping just an allignment
Old Apr 4, 2014 | 05:44 AM
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**btw i just put on my 18" summer wheels, switched from 16" winter beater wheels, last allignment was about 3 months ago (8-10kmiles) allignment was done with 16" wheels on idk if i should get an allignment after putting bigger wheels on, cause i didnt notice the issue with the 16"s
Old Apr 4, 2014 | 07:01 AM
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Lose components, check the entire front end, replace anything that's in need or repair and have the car aligned.
Old Apr 4, 2014 | 07:05 AM
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Originally Posted by njmaxseltd
Lose components, check the entire front end, replace anything that's in need or repair and have the car aligned.
Ive already replaced everything in the front suspension with in the last 20k everything but the rack and pinion but that checks out okay
Old Apr 4, 2014 | 07:28 AM
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Replace your rack and pinion bushings. There's two bushings that hold it in place and that play a major role in keeping the steering straight. Then also replace your sway bar bushings. That is also going to help.
Old Apr 4, 2014 | 07:31 AM
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Originally Posted by Maxima 97 SE
Replace your rack and pinion bushings. There's two bushings that hold it in place and that play a major role in keeping the steering straight. Then also replace your sway bar bushings. That is also going to help.
Sway bar is set i just did es bushings in the sway bar along with new end links. Is the rack and pinion bushings something i can do at home ?.. Or is it a pain
Old Apr 4, 2014 | 07:55 AM
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could it be a frozen caliper?
Old Apr 4, 2014 | 08:09 AM
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Here what I did. The rack and pinion bushings keep the rack and pinion from moving around and keep it in place. The driver side one easy to do but I didn't do it as I had someone else do it. But the passenger side is the hard one as its above the exhaust or catalytic converter. But replace the passenger one as that was the one that made the biggest difference out of any of the bushings. The passenger side I would probably say is ok.
Old Apr 4, 2014 | 08:18 AM
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Originally Posted by Maxima 97 SE
Here what I did. The rack and pinion bushings keep the rack and pinion from moving around and keep it in place. The driver side one easy to do but I didn't do it as I had someone else do it. But the passenger side is the hard one as its above the exhaust or catalytic converter. But replace the passenger one as that was the one that made the biggest difference out of any of the bushings. The passenger side I would probably say is ok.
I would do both.. Any idea how much in labor i would pay for this? I dont like messing with things i dont know. Ive done the rest of the suspension components in my driveway i just dont know much aboht the rack and pinion
Old Apr 4, 2014 | 08:20 AM
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From: KCK
Originally Posted by Patm-a32
I would do both.. Any idea how much in labor i would pay for this? I dont like messing with things i dont know. Ive done the rest of the suspension components in my driveway i just dont know much aboht the rack and pinion
It's all just nuts and bolts mang.
You can do it!
FSM to the rescue!
Old Apr 4, 2014 | 08:28 AM
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I paid 40 bucks for the driver side. But it all depends on the mechanic you find.
Old Apr 4, 2014 | 11:53 AM
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Was the car doing thus before you swaped wheels and tires?
Edit. I see you said you didn't notice and pulling with the 16s. Try swapping the front tires side to side and go drive it. Sometimes the radial belt can move in the tire causeing a radial pull. If it is the tire,swapping it will make that car pull the opposite direction. If it dose then you have a funky tire

Last edited by deathwobble; Apr 4, 2014 at 11:58 AM. Reason: more info
Old Apr 4, 2014 | 07:24 PM
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Originally Posted by deathwobble
Was the car doing thus before you swaped wheels and tires?
Edit. I see you said you didn't notice and pulling with the 16s. Try swapping the front tires side to side and go drive it. Sometimes the radial belt can move in the tire causeing a radial pull. If it is the tire,swapping it will make that car pull the opposite direction. If it dose then you have a funky tire
It might have been doing it with the 16s but if it was it is much more noticable now I'll try that out tomorow. The passenger side tires valve stem leeks about 10psi every 2 or so days so thats my first shot the uneven pressure in the front causing to pull
Old Apr 5, 2014 | 12:01 PM
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Originally Posted by deathwobble
Was the car doing thus before you swaped wheels and tires?
Edit. I see you said you didn't notice and pulling with the 16s. Try swapping the front tires side to side and go drive it. Sometimes the radial belt can move in the tire causeing a radial pull. If it is the tire,swapping it will make that car pull the opposite direction. If it dose then you have a funky tire
so it was the air in the tire, now my car just pulls to the right all the time. So just time for allignment
Old Apr 5, 2014 | 02:58 PM
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Lower control arm bushings are shot. Probably on the passenger side from leaking power steering and rear valve cover leaking oil.

Last edited by asand1; Apr 5, 2014 at 07:19 PM.
Old Apr 5, 2014 | 04:35 PM
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From: slc ut
Originally Posted by Patm-a32
so it was the air in the tire, now my car just pulls to the right all the time. So just time for allignment
awesome glad you got it figured out! Make sure whoever does the alignment shakes everything down. No point in doing an alignment if anything has play in it
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