steering problem

[DannycVR6]

I have a 91 SS and when I make a right turn from a stop, the car pulls right... also dose the same when making a left hand turn from a stop from then on pulls left.

when I let off the gas it seems to pull harder to which ever direction.

I have replaced both front ball joints and both front wheels and tires.

steering rack bushings?
tie rod ends??
loose sub frame bolt?
wheel bearing?

I'm putting in a prothane poly kit right now. and group N mounts

thanks for any help

[macipusy]

Jack up the front of the car and see if there is any play in your bearings. My 98GT used to pull to both sides randomly and it was a bad front bearing.

[DannycVR6]

Jack up the front of the car and see if there is any play in your bearings. My 98GT used to pull to both sides randomly and it was a bad front bearing.

Checked last night minimal play.

I'm pretty sure its something other then the wheel bearings its a serious misalignment pull.

[wtdash]

Did you get it aligned after the ball joints? Sounds like an alignment issue.

Also, do your front/rear tires match? If not you're putting serious hurt on your AWD system. Subarus require tires be replaced as a set (all 4) to avoid causing torque bind, etc.

Good luck,
Td

[DannycVR6]

Did you get it aligned after the ball joints? Sounds like an alignment issue.

Also, do your front/rear tires match? If not you're putting serious hurt on your AWD system. Subarus require tires be replaced as a set (all 4) to avoid causing torque bind, etc.

Good luck,
Td

The tires do have different treads front 2 are the same rear 2 are the same. All 4 are 195/65/15

Why would I get an alignment after doing ball joints... I know its common practice in most cars but theres no room for adjustment in there.

Ive spoken to a few shops about alignment and told them my problem none of them think its worth it to align it till its a constant direction.

I'm thinking it might have something to do with the power steering rack, maybe an internal valve or something?

[jefferson]

Second on an alignnment. There is no way you can get the toe right after replacing ball joints without an alignment. If you have toe out instead of toe in the car will do weird things.

Jeff

[93Leg-c]

Danny, from your first post, it sounds like an alignment is needed. Those are classic symptoms of the wheels being out of alignment.

Regarding replacing your ball joints, you must have replaced them because they were loose/worn, right? The car may not have been pulling because the sloppy ball joints masked the front end being out of alignment. So, now that the new ball joints are in, there is no play in them and the car pulls to the direction of the tire that has the most weight on it due to a misalignment.

[DannycVR6]

Danny, from your first post, it sounds like an alignment is needed. Those are classic symptoms of the wheels being out of alignment.

the one thing that makes me think its something other then alignment that i should fix before an alignment is; when the car is pulling right, if i take a left hand turn at say 30-60 mph it still pulls right after the turn.

the only time it switches the direction it pulls to is when pulling away from a stop. like at a stop sign or stop light. or in tight maneuvering like into a parking spot.

it honestly feels like somethings loose. I just have no idea what it could be.

[DannycVR6]

And nothing that i have done to the car has made it better or worse.

not new ball joints,
poly front control arm bushings,
group n mounts (motor and trans) ,
wheels or tires.

[mike-tracy]

And nothing that i have done to the car has made it better or worse.

not new ball joints,
poly front control arm bushings,
group n mounts (motor and trans) ,
wheels or tires.

I'd recommend an ASE certified alignment specialist. The last time I had the job done by a "tire" place (Les Schwab), I took it back twice, and it still wasn't as good as I liked it. I then took the car to an ASE mechanic who replaced a tie-rod (my old Volvo pulled like your car does) and did an awesome alignment. Took a couple of years of abuse till I hit a pothole at speed before another alignment was needed.

[DannycVR6]

scheduled an appointment for an alignment next Tuesday.