Date: Wed, 5 Jan 2011 22:42:44 EST
Reply-To: Dvdclarksn@AOL.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: David Clarkson <Dvdclarksn@AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: FW: Steering Question
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Tire problems in the extreme will often present themselves as a "snake
walk" as my techs refer to it, at parking lot speeds. Around 3-5 MPH you let go
of the wheel and see it move lightly left/right-"snake walk". Tire
rotation when a lift is available is a good place to start. Left to right and
front to rear secondarily should help narrow it down. Pay close attention to
any wear patterns that you may have in your tires. Run your hand along the
outer perimeter surface of the tire to check for flat spots, cupping,
feathering, wear bars or diagonal blocking patterns. Each can mean something
slightly different. Tires are your cars "tea leaves". Of course one of my techs
once said to me,"Properly inflate then properly negate". A good tire
person can tell a lot about driving habits, maintenance and a lot of what you
think about your vehicle from a close inspection of the tires. Shoes make the
man but tires make the van-ha ha. No substitute IMHO for the simple
laying on of hands where tires are concerned. I often point customers to
tirerack.com for the quick education on all things tires. Required vanagon
content: I need to check my tires for wear after a few minor issues with the R/R
of the control arm bushings and camber issues on one front tire. Methinks me
might have mangled the control arm a bit pressing the bushing back in and
threw it off. #19 or so on the project list.
David Clarkson
90 Westy (religiously ran Michelins but very happy with the set of 15"
Coopers on my ride now)
In a message dated 1/5/2011 2:35:57 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
wolzphoto@Q.COM writes:
|First suspect is always tires or the last thing you replaced (in this
case,
|tires). Check inflation; if the same, rotate tires left to right. If the
|problem reverses itself, it's a tire issue. If the problem stays the
same,
|it's most likely front end component wear or alignment. A good front end
|shop will tell you which.
|
|Karl Wolz
|
||-----Original Message-----
||From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
Of
||Jim Johnston
||Sent: Wednesday, January 05, 2011 10:33 AM
||To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
||Subject: Steering Question
||
||Hello all,
||
||I have a 1991 GL, Manual with a Subie 2.2. In August 2010, I upgraded to
||16
||inch Gowesty Steel Rims. A few weeks ago I replaced worn upper ball
|joints
||and put on new shocks all around. The lower ball joints looked ok, the
|tie
||rod ends looked a bit worn.
||
||Last week I noticed, when driving straight, my steering wheel is off
||slightly, whereas it I have to keep it slightly turned to the left (maybe
||an
||inch, if that) to keep things straight. My first thought is alignment,
|but
||before I take it to a shop and drop some cash, I'd consult the list for
||other possible issues.
||
||Worn tie rods ends? Worn upper bushings? Steering Rack? All of the
||above...?
||
||Any input would be appreciated.
||
||Jim
||Wilmington, NC
|