Intermittent alignment problem - Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan 240SX (Silvia) and Z (Fairlady) Car Forum

onepuff · 04-01-2007, 12:37 AM

Got a 95 240 and i have this intermittent alignment problem. it likes to pull to the right after i make a right hand turn. it pulls right until i make a left hand turn. then it tracks pretty straight. i have replaced traction rod bushings and outer tie rod ends in the front. ANY IDEAS?

cdlong · 04-01-2007, 11:04 AM

tightness of the steering rack mounts/bushings?

aznpoopy · 04-01-2007, 11:24 AM

steering rack bushings +1
$40 from splparts.com

onepuff · 04-01-2007, 07:00 PM

ok i'll check those out. that's 1 thing i haven't looked at. thx

blv2xlr8 · 04-01-2007, 07:25 PM

i've had that problem too on my 95. i just installed a rear camber kit and i'm going to get tie rod/ends and then get the car aligned. my alignment problems are probably due to the fact that i just replaced my springs.

onepuff · 04-01-2007, 07:51 PM

yea i replaced my shocks/springs with kyb agx/teins but i had this problem before that. it's getting expensive replacing all this stuff. just put on rucas too and set the camber a little too positive the first time. that was a fun/scary little test drive. camber is good now but can't get rid of this pull to the right. hopefully it is the steering rack bushings.

aznpoopy · 04-01-2007, 08:21 PM

it sounds like you put in alot of suspension mods. i hope you got an alignment after you installed all that stuff.

onepuff · 04-02-2007, 01:07 PM

well i was waiting till i got the rucas installed and i also don't want to take it to get aligned because that won't fix the problem i'm having. the car tracks straight after a left hand turn which makes me believe the alignment is not out of whack. it just pulls to the right after making a right hand turn. i ordered the steering rack bushings so hopefully that does the trick. once i get this problem worked out i will definitely get an alignment afterwards to tighten everything up.

Dream240 · 04-02-2007, 02:13 PM

oh contrare....

An alignment will definitely help this situation. Mainly because you can get a trained professional under there to inspect the front end and hopefully find what's causing the pull.

If everything is found to be in good order and the alignment is perfromed to spec, then you could have a defective tire.

I'm sure you know this but never let a basic alignment shop do the alignment on modified suspension. Most places will turn you away anyways but just make sure that they know what they're doing.

As far as the alignment itself affecting your pull, that's quite possible. Just because your car doesn't pull after you turn left doesn't mean a bad alignment isn't affecting your driveline. Especially when dealing with multiple modifications, you are opening your car up to a multitude of problems and new concerns.

bad steering rack bushings would only cause the rack to slide if they were either rotting out or the brackets themselves were loose. I would have rechecked the brackets before I just blindly ordered parts. If you had a sliding rack then you would be able to pull it in the mounts by hand. If it doesn't move then it's not the bushings.

I went through that "throw money and parts at my problem stage" for about a year. Makes you frustrated to the point of selling your car. And it can get really expensive.

GL

onepuff · 04-02-2007, 08:12 PM

yea my problem is finding a PROFESSIONAL in my area to do the alignment. I have rotated the tires and no change. I know how to string the car so I can set the toe. If anyone knows of a good place to get a professional alignment in the cleveland, OH area i'd love to know.

gotta240 · 04-03-2007, 09:16 PM

GET A FUCKING ALLIGNMENt....Nuff said.

You will be happier in the end(tell the tech whats going on as well. he SHOULD check all susp. parts)

onepuff · 04-04-2007, 09:31 PM

that's why i want to know if anyone knows of a good shop around my area. the last place i took it to didn't even notice that my tie rod ends and t/c bushings were shot.

04-01-2007, 12:37 AM	#1
onepuff Zilvia Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: ohio Age: 46 Posts: 290 Trader Rating: (2) Feedback Score: 2 reviews	Intermittent alignment problem Got a 95 240 and i have this intermittent alignment problem. it likes to pull to the right after i make a right hand turn. it pulls right until i make a left hand turn. then it tracks pretty straight. i have replaced traction rod bushings and outer tie rod ends in the front. ANY IDEAS?

04-02-2007, 02:13 PM	#9
Dream240 Nissanaholic! Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Inland Empire, California Age: 46 Posts: 2,188 Trader Rating: (8) Feedback Score: 8 reviews	oh contrare.... An alignment will definitely help this situation. Mainly because you can get a trained professional under there to inspect the front end and hopefully find what's causing the pull. If everything is found to be in good order and the alignment is perfromed to spec, then you could have a defective tire. I'm sure you know this but never let a basic alignment shop do the alignment on modified suspension. Most places will turn you away anyways but just make sure that they know what they're doing. As far as the alignment itself affecting your pull, that's quite possible. Just because your car doesn't pull after you turn left doesn't mean a bad alignment isn't affecting your driveline. Especially when dealing with multiple modifications, you are opening your car up to a multitude of problems and new concerns. bad steering rack bushings would only cause the rack to slide if they were either rotting out or the brackets themselves were loose. I would have rechecked the brackets before I just blindly ordered parts. If you had a sliding rack then you would be able to pull it in the mounts by hand. If it doesn't move then it's not the bushings. I went through that "throw money and parts at my problem stage" for about a year. Makes you frustrated to the point of selling your car. And it can get really expensive. GL __________________ Don't mess with my monkey...he's loaded.

04-01-2007, 11:04 AM	#2
cdlong Nissanaholic! Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Colorado Springs Age: 44 Posts: 1,865 Trader Rating: (0) Rides Gallery: cdlong Feedback Score: 0 reviews	tightness of the steering rack mounts/bushings?

04-01-2007, 11:24 AM	#3
aznpoopy Post Whore! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: New Jersey Age: 44 Posts: 5,013 Trader Rating: (1) Feedback Score: 1 reviews	steering rack bushings +1 $40 from splparts.com

04-01-2007, 07:00 PM	#4
onepuff Zilvia Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: ohio Age: 46 Posts: 290 Trader Rating: (2) Feedback Score: 2 reviews	ok i'll check those out. that's 1 thing i haven't looked at. thx

04-01-2007, 07:25 PM	#5
blv2xlr8 Leaky Injector Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Madrid Posts: 68 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	i've had that problem too on my 95. i just installed a rear camber kit and i'm going to get tie rod/ends and then get the car aligned. my alignment problems are probably due to the fact that i just replaced my springs.

04-01-2007, 07:51 PM	#6
onepuff Zilvia Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: ohio Age: 46 Posts: 290 Trader Rating: (2) Feedback Score: 2 reviews	yea i replaced my shocks/springs with kyb agx/teins but i had this problem before that. it's getting expensive replacing all this stuff. just put on rucas too and set the camber a little too positive the first time. that was a fun/scary little test drive. camber is good now but can't get rid of this pull to the right. hopefully it is the steering rack bushings.

04-01-2007, 08:21 PM	#7
aznpoopy Post Whore! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: New Jersey Age: 44 Posts: 5,013 Trader Rating: (1) Feedback Score: 1 reviews	it sounds like you put in alot of suspension mods. i hope you got an alignment after you installed all that stuff.

04-02-2007, 01:07 PM	#8
onepuff Zilvia Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: ohio Age: 46 Posts: 290 Trader Rating: (2) Feedback Score: 2 reviews	well i was waiting till i got the rucas installed and i also don't want to take it to get aligned because that won't fix the problem i'm having. the car tracks straight after a left hand turn which makes me believe the alignment is not out of whack. it just pulls to the right after making a right hand turn. i ordered the steering rack bushings so hopefully that does the trick. once i get this problem worked out i will definitely get an alignment afterwards to tighten everything up.

04-02-2007, 08:12 PM	#10
onepuff Zilvia Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: ohio Age: 46 Posts: 290 Trader Rating: (2) Feedback Score: 2 reviews	yea my problem is finding a PROFESSIONAL in my area to do the alignment. I have rotated the tires and no change. I know how to string the car so I can set the toe. If anyone knows of a good place to get a professional alignment in the cleveland, OH area i'd love to know.

04-03-2007, 09:16 PM	#11
gotta240 Post Whore! Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: so cal Posts: 3,496 Trader Rating: (21) Feedback Score: 21 reviews	GET A FUCKING ALLIGNMENt....Nuff said. You will be happier in the end(tell the tech whats going on as well. he SHOULD check all susp. parts)

04-04-2007, 09:31 PM	#12
onepuff Zilvia Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: ohio Age: 46 Posts: 290 Trader Rating: (2) Feedback Score: 2 reviews	that's why i want to know if anyone knows of a good shop around my area. the last place i took it to didn't even notice that my tie rod ends and t/c bushings were shot.