Need some help guys, Cant figure this one out Bearings/alignment/steering Knuckle??

[AA_Ezra]

The Problems: been going on for some time now

#1 Every week or so maybe sooner I rock my Front Pasenger wheel and i can hear it clicking ( loose wheel bearings) I tighten them unuff so the metal seal can still move.

#2 Steering Vibrates Left to Right Off of free way 60+ When i Hit the brakes to stop


What's been done so far:

1 wheel bearings inner and outer were replaced some time ago. Had all wheels balanced


Solutions?

Ball joint's look like they need replacing ( both show same wear)

front end allignment

Steering nuckle is worn and need's a new one



Been going on too long and is buggin me big time ( i drive fast)


Any help would be great guys, I'm bout ready to guy a whole new assembly nuckle and whatever else i need ( Help on what, wich cars interchange woudl help greatly)



Bummed out
J

[SoCal Driver]

Bad tires.
Bent rim.
Bad balance.

All of the above.

[AA_Ezra]

I'm in need for new tires, wheni intalled struts the toe was a lil off inside wall of tire was wearing out. Rim's are straight far as i can tell. As for balance i'll take the 2 rears and put them up front and see what happens. How bout the nuckle and Rotor maybe ( I have a new rotor)?


Thanks for the imput thus far

J

[SoCal Driver]

If the balance (tires, rims) has been off for a while, yes you will need to replace a few suspension items.

More likely the main a-arm bushing as well as the trailing bushing. The ball joints usually are good unless the rubber boot has been torn for a long time. Cheap to replace the ball joints on the steel a-arms. Just need good carbide drill bit for the rivits. Get the ball joints that have the correct size hardened bolts and self locking nuts.

If you have a lot of play in the steering wheel then the u-joints on the drive link need to be replaced. Usually the top one goes first as it is at an angle.

[Speedo959]

Originally posted by AA_Ezra
( i drive fast)


J

I'll vouch for that! The only two times I've seen him around town he was moving! Help the man before he kills me!

[SoCal Driver]

I have a problem with the gas pedal sticking to the floor. If I don't keep shifting the engine over rev's.

[Tervuren]

Originally posted by SoCal Driver
I have a problem with the gas pedal sticking to the floor. If I don't keep shifting the engine over rev's.

Hrm, I have yet to run into that problem. You could fix it, if you could engage reverse while moving(Never tried, not even sure it has synchro's), then, using good clutch motion, slow the motor down to stall point, then immediately let the clutch out before you reverse the motor while running, and go back to neutral.

Back on the subject, on my '86, once I have the money, I will want to replace every rubber peice on the suspension, add a rear anti roll bar, and move to Bilstein shocks. The left steering rod is loose a little on the car side, front shocks are worn, previous owner ran with unbalanced tires, car was, and is, a bit of a mess. Getting the wheels/tires's balanced made it so much more stable in a straight line. Should be a fun car once I'm down, right now, it feels sloppy in the corners, I can actualy feel the, well, its not "tight" is I guess the word I'm looking for.

Hope you get your's stable and straight.

[Slam]

Try having your front rotors replaced or machined, it sounds like they're warped. If something up front is off it doesn't take much to warp a rotor. If all's fine, warping is rare, but if your bearings get loose the rotor goes bad quickly, especially in high speed stops - the pads glaze and overheat the rotors.

[AA_Ezra]

Finished rotating the wheels to see if its the rims giving me probs.

I did however notice a small amount of play when i had both wheels off the front (manual steering) I grabed hold of the rotors and moved them left to right and there was a little click I put my hand on the tie rod end while continuing to move the rotor and i felt the tie rod move. The current tie rods do have the rubber riped.Front A-arm bushing looks ok.. Rear Bushes are craked. ball joined seemed to be solid still but i'm sure they need replacing too

Going to check those u joint things i guess those are the Steering columb shafts ( 2 sets) as i do have a little play but car responds just about instantly

Gunna give it the once over again tomorow and install whatever parts i need during Spring break yeay! <-- sarcastic

He socal I cant snag the pic on the pet the u-joints you were talking about is that the Shaft with litte Axle joint thingies being held buy 1 bolt and 1 nut on either end?

[AA_Ezra]

Yeah, i Got some new xdrilled rotar i'm going to put on but wana make sure i cure this ugly Shaking disseas before i put them on and ruin them too, My luck i will put them on at the end and the car is cured

[SoCal Driver]

Warped rotors only affect the steering under braking. When you have constant shaking it's tires, rims and balance.

With the front wheels on the ground and the steering column unlocked move the steering wheel right and left lightly. Ifyou have slop before the wheels move check the steering link u-joints then the rack then the tie rod ends. In most every one I've checked it's the upper u-joint on the steering link.

Item #18 in this illustration:

http://www.pelicanparts.com/944/944_parts/944_83-85/Pic38.jpg

To remove the link you have to remove the clamping bolts and drop the rack down by taking out the four bolts that hold it to the cross member. Take off the grounding wire for the horn before you drop the rack. The two bolts in each end of the link go through grooves in the steering rack stub and the end of the steering column. They have to come completely out before you can remove the link.

You will find a plastic plug in the rack. Remove this and insert a pointed end bolt to center the rack. This will help you re-align the steering wheel when you put it back together. Hand tight on the bolt. Do not use a wrench.

Note that the u-joints are swedged onto the steering link. You have to buy a new steering link to replace the u-joints. The manual links are longer than the power steering links. In a past thread a fellow in the UK found a rebuilt link to replace his.

[Eldorado]

my steering wheel shook above 50, and it was due to my balance shaft belt being misaligned a tooth or two, and a sway bar bushing was damaged.

fixed both, doesn't shake anymore.

[SoCal Driver]

Yeap. Add engine vibrations. Balance belt being off and bad engine mounts.

If you have to keep tightening the front bearings it's wheel problems for sure. Fix the wheels/tires and replace the bearings.

[AA_Ezra]

Ok results are in. I moved my steering wheel and It has some slop I can move it left and right before i feal any resistance at al. Moves about 1/2-1" (measuring from outside steering wheel) left or right.
Opened up the hood got a hold of the steering link and i was able to jigle it around, I heard noise on the bottom but mostle at top and could see it jiggle just slightly [Highlighted yellow]

I also heard noise in the Green highlighted areas, I grabed hold of it and it clicks when the wheels start moving, Little play there if any but maybe u-joints still

Highlighted in red, well the rubber on those are split


Highlited in blue. Is that the bolt used to allighn the steering rack?


Look's like a need a combo of things. most important seems the U-joint saft thingy as a whole

[AA_Ezra]

[SoCal Driver]

Those tires (bet the drivers side) have been out of balance for a long, long time.