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Going straight / 240 steering "wander"

LC4CARL

Aero challenged
Joined
Sep 8, 2008
Location
Vancouver, WA
The car ('87 245 N/A) has the following mods: 2.5 coils off front, 1.0 off rear, Bilstien Touring shocks, adjustable rear track bar, 16.5 mm rear wheel spacers, upper and lower front braces, Hydras with new 215/55R16 tires (32 psi), 23mm / 19mm swaybars, manual steering rack, new ball joints, tight tie rod ends, original bushings.

Alignment: Camber: L -.3 / R -.1, Caster: L 2.2 / R 1.8, Toe: L .15* / R .15*

The goal is a decent handling, reliable street car.

The absolute worst thing about this car is that it will not track straight. It drives me crazy. On anything less than a perfect road, it wanders in the lane requiring near constant steering input.

I seldom drive the car and don't recall at which point in my modifications the steering deteriorated. It's possible it was like this from the start as the car was in extreme disrepair.

By lowering the front end and "skying" the lower control arms, is it common for the car to wander? I've lowered other vehicles and not run into this, but each car is different. My first thought is worn parts, but I can't find them.

At this point, it goes without saying that, Redwood has the right for a huge "I told you so."

:grrr:


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You got a big fat rake going on there, and not only is it not a top fuel dragster BUT you've negated a good deal of the caster.

TOLD YOU SO SUCKA!
 
So it drives straight on a decent road(with no need for contact with the steering wheel)? If it doesn't drive straight on it's own on a mostly flat street, the alignment tech needs a toe punch to his sack. When I was getting my bricks aligned I made sure that camber and toe were to spec. The caster doesn't look horrible. I would try getting the camber set to -0.5* with the same current toe setting of -0.15*. My car has the strut mounts that are separating and I was able to get camber set to -0.5* and toe around -0.1 to -0.15* and it doesn't wander unless I'm on I-5.
 
You got a big fat rake going on there, and not only is it not a top fuel dragster BUT you've negated a good deal of the caster.

TOLD YOU SO SUCKA!


More caster couldn't hurt. Wish there was a way to adjust it. I've got the power steering ball joints on it. What are you guys seeing for caster numbers?

I probably did take too much out of the front springs. Didn't want to cripple the rear suspension too much in case I actually had to carry something.

It's not nearly as jacked up as my HS buddies Nova with shackles...


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Try just lowering the back a 1/2 coil. It won't hurt your ability to load it up. Unless you plan on sticking like a half a ton of bricks in there or something. And at that point, you'd want overload springs (cut down) with stiffer shocks anyway.
I used to load my Beige Against the Machine wagon to the gills with swap meet parts. Never had a problem. And it started out lower than yours, I believe.

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Unloaded:

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These cars wander like **** without enough caster. If you really want to keep the rake, get aftermarket camber plates so that you can wank a bunch of additional caster into the car.
 
Go have A N T tire align it.
-.5 to -1 camber, toe 0* would be a good start from where you are at.

The rake isn't helping at all. As Ken said, you lost caster, but you have a lot of weight riding on the front tires now also. It's probably squirrelly under braking or during hard cornering right now too.

Also what ball joints are you using? Manual or power ones? Should be using power ones with more castor.
Loosen the 3 bj bolts and pull out and forward on the strut assembly while you tighten them.
 
My caster is shot to hell, but it doesn't wander unless I'm driving on a heavily travelled road like I-5, I-84 or the like. Caster is important too, but those numbers shouldn't make it too bad. I've been considering Bens strut mounts, just gotta save. I need to pull my alignment specs from the last alignment I did before I got my State job. I'll report with my numbers when I get to my work bench/station.
 
You got a big fat rake going on there, and not only is it not a top fuel dragster BUT you've negated a good deal of the caster.

TOLD YOU SO SUCKA!

You don't know nothing old man....



We said this would happen from the start

✅ cut sprangs
✅ complain of crap ride/drive ability

Future ✅ s

- worn tires
- put on jackstands
- let 6 months pass
- buy another Volvo
- crush
 
Tie rod ends?
Ball joints?
Bushings?

Adjustable strut mounts aren't going to do crap if the rest of the system isn't in good repair.
 
We are all assuming that OP knows how to keep wear items replaced when needed, based on post history.

Well I'm on page 22 of his thread and do far only suspension work done was fatter sways

Edit page 25 got lower chassis braces...

:nod:

He thinks it looks good though ....























































Little does he know he's the only one.




































































And Chicks definitely don't dig it.
 
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