broken suspension parts? - Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan 240SX (Silvia) and Z (Fairlady) Car Forum

nlzmo400r · 08-22-2005, 08:41 AM

Well ive tried to align my car about 4 times in the past three weeks. I can get my toe set to zero (new tein tie rods),however my caster and camber are way off. Ive ordered new tension rods from SPL to solve the caster problem, however I already have coilovers with camber plates up front. The problem is when the passenger side camber plate is max'd out (for the most negative camber) I only get like 1.1* camber, and on the driver side, I get my desired 2.5* of camber when the plate is nearly dead center. Can anyone explain this??? Also, when I drive immediately after my alignment,the car doenst pull in either direction, however let's say I make a left turn------ when I straighten out, the steering wheel is stuck way off to the left when Im going straight. Then it eventually works itself back to nearly straight. Could this be a sign of bad ball joints? Or will my tension rods alone fix this problem? Any help is appreciated- Rob

caall99 · 08-22-2005, 10:51 AM

has ur car been in an accident?

nlzmo400r · 08-22-2005, 05:18 PM

no my car hasn't been in any accidents. The car just recently started doing this about 3 weeks ago (didnt hit a curb or anything else that would make me believe taht I broke something). And of course I checked under the car and searched for broken parts, however nothing really stood out as bent/broken

smily_vigor · 08-22-2005, 10:30 PM

Well as far as the steering thing, that's very weired I have no idea. For the camberthough there are two places that you can adjust it. One from your camber plates but also from the two bolts that hold the bottom of the front shocks. The top one of the two when you loosen it, you can move your suspension in and out then tighten it at the desired location. It will give you more adjustement to work with.

nlzmo400r · 08-23-2005, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smily_vigor

Well as far as the steering thing, that's very weired I have no idea. For the camberthough there are two places that you can adjust it. One from your camber plates but also from the two bolts that hold the bottom of the front shocks. The top one of the two when you loosen it, you can move your suspension in and out then tighten it at the desired location. It will give you more adjustement to work with.

Right, this ive done, hoping to get more camber out of the passenger side, but it just isn't happening. Anyone else got any ideas?

jmauld · 08-23-2005, 04:21 PM

check your ball joints.

nlzmo400r · 08-25-2005, 06:00 PM

Should I just go to NAPA and get new ones? Or does anyone sell any ball joints better than oem? Like spherical bearings that can be pressed inthere?

spdfreek0o · 08-25-2005, 09:05 PM

sounds like your cars f*cked up. When you replace the tension rods, if it still pulls, I'd take it to a body shop to get the frame checked. You could check to see if your engine compartment is square with a tape measure. Check length from the front hood hinge bolt on the cowl to a strut tower stud and compare that measurement to the other side. Then, x-measure by using the same hood hinge bolt to the opposite side strut tower stud. and same with opposite side, and compare. Then go to your ball joints. Find a hole on the frame that has the same hole on the opposite side. Measure from each hole to its respective ball joint(same side). With this measurement, the suspension must be loaded equally on both sides, or not loaded at all. Then, check the length from the lower control arm mounting point to the ball joint, and compare this measurement side to side. These measurement will give you a good idea whats wrong. Also it could be a bent steering knuckle. Check to see if there is any stress marks or fractures on the steering knuckle.

1silvia1 · 09-09-2005, 04:43 AM

hey just wondering if you had any updates on the steering situation... my coupe does the exact same thing, start off with steering wheel straight but after i make a left turn, the steering wheel stays at the 10oclock position but im driving straight. if i follow with a right turn then the steering wheel will straighten out. this happened right after i put in my tension rods and diff.

thejester03 · 09-09-2005, 11:37 AM

First, make sure every thing is tight!!! Lose TC rods or TC rod mounts can make it to funny things, also, your rack could be worn out, and it could also be strut mounts.

MakotoS13 · 09-09-2005, 12:10 PM

why would you want positive camber anyhow?

Chernobyl · 09-10-2005, 01:04 PM

Do your camber plates have more than one set of holes for the hold-down bolts? If so, move the bolts to a new position.

SochBAT · 09-10-2005, 04:20 PM

Mines is pretty much the same way. my driverside camber is uncorrectable. its stuck at 2* and 3* with 0toe. I figure get new suspension parts, camberplates, and thinner camber adjustment bolts and MAYBE it'll go away. Im pretty sure my frame isn't TOO bad. But if you've been in an accident of any sorts, you're stuck with it for a while.

08-22-2005, 08:41 AM	#1
nlzmo400r Zilvia FREAK! Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: louisiana Posts: 1,248 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	broken suspension parts? Well ive tried to align my car about 4 times in the past three weeks. I can get my toe set to zero (new tein tie rods),however my caster and camber are way off. Ive ordered new tension rods from SPL to solve the caster problem, however I already have coilovers with camber plates up front. The problem is when the passenger side camber plate is max'd out (for the most negative camber) I only get like 1.1* camber, and on the driver side, I get my desired 2.5* of camber when the plate is nearly dead center. Can anyone explain this??? Also, when I drive immediately after my alignment,the car doenst pull in either direction, however let's say I make a left turn------ when I straighten out, the steering wheel is stuck way off to the left when Im going straight. Then it eventually works itself back to nearly straight. Could this be a sign of bad ball joints? Or will my tension rods alone fix this problem? Any help is appreciated- Rob __________________ 'my drinking team has a racing problem' [email protected] - gt32 .6bar

08-22-2005, 10:51 AM	#2
caall99 Zilvia Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Wellesley, MA Age: 40 Posts: 267 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	has ur car been in an accident? __________________ Signature over limits http://www.zilvia.net/f/showthread.php?t=21036

08-22-2005, 05:18 PM	#3
nlzmo400r Zilvia FREAK! Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: louisiana Posts: 1,248 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	no my car hasn't been in any accidents. The car just recently started doing this about 3 weeks ago (didnt hit a curb or anything else that would make me believe taht I broke something). And of course I checked under the car and searched for broken parts, however nothing really stood out as bent/broken __________________ 'my drinking team has a racing problem' [email protected] - gt32 .6bar

08-23-2005, 04:21 PM	#6
jmauld Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Cary, NC Age: 49 Posts: 362 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	check your ball joints. __________________ Jason '95 240sx SE

08-25-2005, 06:00 PM	#7
nlzmo400r Zilvia FREAK! Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: louisiana Posts: 1,248 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Should I just go to NAPA and get new ones? Or does anyone sell any ball joints better than oem? Like spherical bearings that can be pressed inthere? __________________ 'my drinking team has a racing problem' [email protected] - gt32 .6bar

08-22-2005, 10:30 PM	#4
smily_vigor Leaky Injector Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Montreal, Quebec Age: 43 Posts: 143 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Well as far as the steering thing, that's very weired I have no idea. For the camberthough there are two places that you can adjust it. One from your camber plates but also from the two bolts that hold the bottom of the front shocks. The top one of the two when you loosen it, you can move your suspension in and out then tighten it at the desired location. It will give you more adjustement to work with.

08-25-2005, 09:05 PM	#8
spdfreek0o Zilvia Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 280 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	sounds like your cars f*cked up. When you replace the tension rods, if it still pulls, I'd take it to a body shop to get the frame checked. You could check to see if your engine compartment is square with a tape measure. Check length from the front hood hinge bolt on the cowl to a strut tower stud and compare that measurement to the other side. Then, x-measure by using the same hood hinge bolt to the opposite side strut tower stud. and same with opposite side, and compare. Then go to your ball joints. Find a hole on the frame that has the same hole on the opposite side. Measure from each hole to its respective ball joint(same side). With this measurement, the suspension must be loaded equally on both sides, or not loaded at all. Then, check the length from the lower control arm mounting point to the ball joint, and compare this measurement side to side. These measurement will give you a good idea whats wrong. Also it could be a bent steering knuckle. Check to see if there is any stress marks or fractures on the steering knuckle.

09-09-2005, 04:43 AM	#9
1silvia1 Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: hawaii Posts: 1 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	hey just wondering if you had any updates on the steering situation... my coupe does the exact same thing, start off with steering wheel straight but after i make a left turn, the steering wheel stays at the 10oclock position but im driving straight. if i follow with a right turn then the steering wheel will straighten out. this happened right after i put in my tension rods and diff.

09-09-2005, 11:37 AM	#10
thejester03 Zilvia Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: El Sereno, CA Age: 40 Posts: 159 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	First, make sure every thing is tight!!! Lose TC rods or TC rod mounts can make it to funny things, also, your rack could be worn out, and it could also be strut mounts.

09-09-2005, 12:10 PM	#11
MakotoS13 BANNED Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Texas Age: 42 Posts: 4,205 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	why would you want positive camber anyhow?

09-10-2005, 01:04 PM	#12
Chernobyl Zilvia FREAK! Join Date: May 2003 Location: Denver, CO Age: 42 Posts: 1,563 Trader Rating: (6) Feedback Score: 6 reviews	Do your camber plates have more than one set of holes for the hold-down bolts? If so, move the bolts to a new position.

09-10-2005, 04:20 PM	#13
SochBAT Post Whore! Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Abilene, TX Age: 39 Posts: 6,428 Trader Rating: (9) Rides Gallery: SochBAT Feedback Score: 9 reviews	Mines is pretty much the same way. my driverside camber is uncorrectable. its stuck at 2* and 3* with 0toe. I figure get new suspension parts, camberplates, and thinner camber adjustment bolts and MAYBE it'll go away. Im pretty sure my frame isn't TOO bad. But if you've been in an accident of any sorts, you're stuck with it for a while.