Car doesn't want to hold straight line November 09, 2009, 05:59:31 PM The car wonders on the road, I have replaced the sway bar bushings and that seemed to help, it doesn't do it as bad, I still have something squeaking up front, sounds like a rubber squeak, maybe what is causing it to wonder on the road? Quote Selected
Car doesn't want to hold straight line Reply #1 – November 09, 2009, 06:56:23 PM Strut mounts,tie rods,control arm bushings,worn steering rack.............. Quote Selected
Car doesn't want to hold straight line Reply #2 – November 10, 2009, 02:12:52 AM X2, plus wheel bearings, struts and shocks may help, and how's your tires? A knotted tire will play hell on straight line driving.... Quote Selected
Car doesn't want to hold straight line Reply #3 – November 10, 2009, 08:11:04 AM Ball joints.When i bought my TC a few years back it wandered and pulled at every crack in the road.Replace the balljoints and she drove like brand new.Your wheel bearing or strut mounts would not really cause it to wander everywhere and would make different noises like humming or clunking.Struts and shocks while they can make the car bouncy and ride rough,they usually don't effect steering.Same with tie rods,i have seen tie rods about too fall out of customer vehicles yet they still drive straight(but could be a possibility if they are siezed). Quote Selected
Car doesn't want to hold straight line Reply #4 – November 11, 2009, 03:58:45 PM Hmmm...tires have about 5000 miles on them and look good, they are Bridgestone Insignia's...with front end jacked there is just a little play in the wheels, not very much at all so I thought maybe this was common and point to a specific part, the shocks or struts all look factory and has almost no bounce to it, steering wheel has no play in it while driving, everything seems real tight, especially for it's age...and they say American cars can't hold up...most of the suspension looks stock or quite a few years old. Quote Selected
Car doesn't want to hold straight line Reply #5 – November 11, 2009, 04:56:10 PM Play in the wheels is bad (when holding the wheel at 12 and 6 o'clock). It means the ball joints are probably fubar. You want to jack under the control arm to check the ball joints as just letting the arms hang puts pressure on the ball joints and they won't wiggle. Quote Selected
Car doesn't want to hold straight line Reply #6 – November 14, 2009, 06:32:29 PM I jacked under the control arms, drivers side has just a little movement side to side and none up and down and passenger side has no movement, I don't think drivers side is bad, just beginning to show. Quote Selected
Car doesn't want to hold straight line Reply #7 – November 15, 2009, 12:02:35 AM disconnect tie rod endpull in and out holding the tie rod endthis should tell you if the inner tie rod end has too much play. there should be none at all.if you find play, thats a whole different story on how to adjust.next up would be to spend a little now and have an alignment done.with the sterring wheel turned straight, the center to center measurement of the front of your wheels should be approx 1/8'' - 1/4'' less than the center to center measurement on the back side of your wheels.since you cant really get at the true centers opposite of each other, measure like at your 8 and 4 o'clock positions but allow for a measurement closer to 1/8''. Quote Selected
Car doesn't want to hold straight line Reply #8 – November 15, 2009, 03:27:25 PM how long has this been going on?i have a feeling his strut mount turned from the rivet breaking.my tbird did that but i didnt notice it right away, actuall didnt see it untill i was looking for something else under the hood.if it did your tire will wear out super quick. Quote Selected
Car doesn't want to hold straight line Reply #9 – November 15, 2009, 06:29:20 PM It doesn't feel like a allignment issue, it doesn't pull one way or the other just tracks the road so to speak and every now and then seems to go pretty straight and others it seems to wonder some, I do have something in the steering that squeaks, sound like rubber to metal and is probably some dry rotted rubber bushing if I had to guess, it happens going over bumps but on a smooth road it squeaks with just a little turn of the wheel, pretty loud, any ideas to narrow this down, I am a fair wrench turner and can do anything if I learn how but not real good with the front end stuff...not yet anyway. Quote Selected
Car doesn't want to hold straight line Reply #10 – November 15, 2009, 11:01:28 PM Best guess would be strut mount or the rag joint between the end of the steering column and steering rack.My car is doing the same thing, but I'm pretty sure my issue has more to do with having it pulled out of a corn field a few weeks ago. Quote Selected
Car doesn't want to hold straight line Reply #11 – November 15, 2009, 11:43:46 PM Like J said. I think you need to have the alignment checked; Most notably the toe in. If you don't have toe in, your car will wander like you said yours is doing. Toe in stabilizes the car when it's being driven in a straight line. 1/8" to 1/4" of toe in doesn't sound like it would make much of a difference, but it does. Good luck! Quote Selected
Car doesn't want to hold straight line Reply #12 – November 16, 2009, 07:50:51 AM Ball joints i'm tellin ya.Replace em before they break and tear up the car.Remember they are 20+ years old,end of story.It is almost impossible to find play in these joints because of the way the modified mcpherson is set up,if you can find some,they are severley worn.The spec on these balljoints is zero play,a little is way to much.There is a wear indicator on the bottom of the balljoint,if it is at all flush or recesed when on the ground it is worn. Quote Selected
Car doesn't want to hold straight line Reply #13 – November 16, 2009, 06:59:05 PM Quote from: dominator;299054Ball joints i'm tellin ya.Replace em before they break and tear up the car.Remember they are 20+ years old,end of story.It is almost impossible to find play in these joints because of the way the modified mcpherson is set up,if you can find some,they are severley worn.The spec on these balljoints is zero play,a little is way to much.There is a wear indicator on the bottom of the balljoint,if it is at all flush or recesed when on the ground it is worn.Are you psysic?, I got someone to help and it sure sounds like the squeak is comming from the ball joints, I will replace both :D Thanks!! Quote Selected
Car doesn't want to hold straight line Reply #14 – November 16, 2009, 08:36:38 PM No lol.Just a mechanic with a long history of fox bodies. Quote Selected
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