Wandering Steering?

[Jehu]

I am 99% sure I have a busted rear shock mount. I hear squeaking and movement in that area when going over even small bumps so I have those. The rear looks like its sitting low so I'll slap in some new shocks when doing the mounts . Could the busted shock mount and weak rears cause wandering steering? Not radical like you take your hand off the wheel and change lanes but just seeming random vagueness feels almost like you do when driving on a rutted highway like the car is beginning to drift without steering. It had all new front end linkages last August. New Upper and Lower Control arms and bushings,new tie rods and sway bar links ... well almost all new. I didn't replace the Center drag link or the Pitman or Idler arm.. Did the Dog-Bones a few weeks ago... what else might this be? Busted sub-frame mounts? I have a pair but haven't put them in yet.. should I grab a new center link and the Pitman and Idler arms? Could they cause this if their bushings and connections were bad?

[Jeff N.]

Check the upper rear shock mount. They will fail and cause the noise / problem you describe. I had one go this summer.

[Jehu]

Check the upper rear shock mount. They will fail and cause the noise / problem you describe. I had one go this summer.


Did it affect the way the car tracked? I assume it could contribute if the rear wheel was allowed some slight give and play from a broken mount. Its definitely become an annoyance normally the car tracks good and firm in line with the steering.. as it is now I have to tend it a great deal.

[Sam-Son]

sounds like bad subframe mounts

[Ferret]

I've currently got something similar going on with mine... except my rear suspension has solid powerflex subframe mounts in it...

Pretty much everything up front is new... rear mounts/pitman arms/springs are new, the shocks are still good because I checked em when I changed the springs over. I think it's the front steering alignment has gone out of cant because I lowered the car!

Btw: Check your tyre pressures, if you've got 17"'s fitted you can quite often find that one with low pressure will cause the car to wander around...

[sal_park]

Pretty much everything up front is new...

Have you checked/adjusted the play in your steering box ?

[Jehu]

Have you checked/adjusted the play in your steering box ?


I read about a nut behind the wheel... wait lol...

[Ross]

X2, or dogbones

[RallyD]

unfortunately, new shocks won't change the ride height. springs set ride height, shocks dampen suspension travel.
however, a change in rear camber could definitely cause some pull and the strut mount might just be the culprit.
As SamSon said, subframe mounts can cause a bit of rear sag as well as a wandering tail.
The steering box is different from the nut on the steering shaft. The steering box is connected to the pitman arm at the steering linkage. There is a jam nut that you loosen then use a large flat blade screwdriver to adjust the lash in the box. Don't go too tight or you will have oversensitive steering when going straight. Have a helper turn the steering wheel back and forth lightly and watch the steering components underneath. If the steering shaft moves and the pitman arm doesnt, there is play in the box.

How are your tires?
If things were out of whack, then fixed, the tires may have some funky wear causing the car to wander if the road is at all uneven.

[Jehu]

unfortunately, new shocks won't change the ride height. springs set ride height, shocks dampen suspension travel.
however, a change in rear camber could definitely cause some pull and the strut mount might just be the culprit.
As SamSon said, subframe mounts can cause a bit of rear sag as well as a wandering tail.
The steering box is different from the nut on the steering shaft. The steering box is connected to the pitman arm at the steering linkage. There is a jam nut that you loosen then use a large flat blade screwdriver to adjust the lash in the box. Don't go too tight or you will have oversensitive steering when going straight. Have a helper turn the steering wheel back and forth lightly and watch the steering components underneath. If the steering shaft moves and the pitman arm doesnt, there is play in the box.

How are your tires?
If things were out of whack, then fixed, the tires may have some funky wear causing the car to wander if the road is at all uneven.

Four brand new tires a week ago. I'll try the Strut Mount and the Subframe mounts then I'm expecting to meet a local guy off another forum who's going to help me trace an oil leak so I'll see about the steering box then.. thanks. What about the rubber joints on the center link? If they were broken couldn't that allow a little softness in the handling?

[Tiger]

LOL... Yes, rear wheel will cause drifting if something is bad back there. Check your dogbones, strut mounts, sway bar links... Jack up the car and see if you can rock the wheel in any particular direction.