Steering slightly off center after track event. The cause?

[Marlon Targa 86]

Took my 1986 Targa to the track at Buttonwillow, clockwise.

After the event I noticed my steering wheel alignment is off slightly to the left when i drive in a straight line forward.

A couple of days before, I hit a big pothole at 55mph with the left side of the car.

So, is the alignment off becuz of the track driving or the pothole or is it both?

Marlon

[Flieger]

I bet the pothole. Could even be a bent tie rod or spindle.

[Marlon Targa 86]

Originally Posted by Flieger

Could even be a bent tie rod or spindle.

How can I check for that. Jack it up and take a gander?

Marlon

[Flieger]

Well, it might not really matter if the tie rod is bent just a little. You could just get the normal alignment with the threaded adjustment. What would change would be the Ackermann but a small angle of bend (one that you cannot see) should not be noticable.

If the spindle, it would show in weird camber readings that cannot be adjusted out. Or, if they are adjusted out, then the top strut mounts would not be symmetrical side to side.

[cgarr]

I noticed my wheel was off in my targa after an autox then I put in a strut brace and no more problems.

[Marlon Targa 86]

Originally Posted by cgarr

I noticed my wheel was off in my targa after an autox then I put in a strut brace and no more problems.

Yeah, I was thinking that too. Our cars flex quite a bit.

Noob strut brace question: hwo much does it cost to buy/install? Where does it go?

Marlon

[cgarr]

Originally Posted by Marlon Targa 86

Yeah, I was thinking that too. Our cars flex quite a bit.

Noob strut brace question: hwo much does it cost to buy/install? Where does it go?

Marlon

I made mine, it connects the two strut towers together in the luggage compartment. I just used an alum rod with threaded ends that acts like a big turnbuckle and pulled the two towers together. They sell them here, I think they are a couple hundred bucks.

[aston@ultrasw.c]

Nice strut brace, this will help reduce the flex in the towers.

The next step would be to replace the rubber bushings with monoballs.

In my opinion the struts move as much or more in the bushings than the tub flexes.

[wayner]

Had a similar experience after hitting a pothole on the way to the track.

Check the front of the suspension pan to see if anything tore loose. Ours did on one side.

[Marlon Targa 86]

Originally Posted by wayner

Had a similar experience after hitting a pothole on the way to the track.

Check the front of the suspension pan to see if anything tore loose. Ours did on one side.

Kinda new to all this suspension stuff: what would you check exactly. I have the Bentley book, I'll take a look at that, too.

[JP911]

You mention that the steering wheel alignment is off, but does the car track straight? Personally, I would begin the investigation by verifying the toe settings in the front end, then I would get the car in the air and inspect the struts, ball joints, tie rods, and other suspension components.

[Marlon Targa 86]

Originally Posted by JP911

but does the car track straight?

Yes it goes straight, when I hold the wheel, which slightly off center to the left.

when I straighten the wheel, the car obviously veers off the right... but it's subtle.

[wayner]

Originally Posted by Marlon Targa 86

Kinda new to all this suspension stuff: what would you check exactly. I have the Bentley book, I'll take a look at that, too.

I found this picture on the paint and bodywork section.

This is inside the car but the underside is where ours tore apart here. (maybe someone has an underside pic?)

[James Brown]

You can re-center the steering wheel by pulling it off and moving it back to center but first check everything first underneath.