Car randomly pulls

[Warren]

It never ends, its always somthing huh?

I got new tires and installed a new balljoint on the drivers side. Now when Im driving straight I can be coasting, the car randomly pulls slightly to the left I straighten the car out and sometimes it stays straight for a few miles and then it does it again. What are some things that could cause this? Its raining cats and dogs here and havnt got a chance to jack it up and check anything.


Thanks

 

[rubydist]

any of the following can cause that: ball joint, inner tie rod end, outer tie rod end, wheel bearing, strut rod bushings, strut bearing.

after they clean the cats and dogs off the streets, you will need to crawl under it to check those out.

 

[93rev2sev]

Subframe movement can be added to the list.

 

[Warren]

Took it to a friends car port. The passenger side ball joint is shot. And look at this, it looks like someone put the metal plate on backwards? Or is this normal?

Also on the drivers side I noticed the bushings have gaps when the car is up on jack stands is this normal? How do I remedy this?

 

[rubydist]

so the ball joint is the cause of your 'wandering'.

the strut rod bushings look typically worn, so if you are into spirited driving or racing of any sort, you should replace those as well.

 

[Warren]

so the ball joint is the cause of your 'wandering'.

the strut rod bushings look typically worn, so if you are into spirited driving or racing of any sort, you should replace those as well.

Yea it was definately the ball joint. Swapped it out and no more wandering. Good term to describe it! Does that bushing plate on h control arm look like its installed backwards?

Thank!

 

[rubydist]

no, iirc they are installed w/ flanges away from the bushings.

 

[93rev2sev]

They're even labled with "this side out" ersumshit if you take one off and it's not too rusted...

those are correct.

 

[Warren]

do you think its an issue that the other washers are installed in the other direction? does it have any affect on the suspension feel or where on the ball joints? I guess Ill go change them now so they are correct.

 

[rubydist]

the only thing I have noticed (and this goes back 'cause I have a Gen3 subframe now for 6+ months) was that if the strut rod bushings were tighter/firmer on one side than the other, you would get just a slight change in direction under hard accel or hard braking. this will happen if the bushing on one side deflects more than the other, allowing the lca on that side to move forward/rearward more, changing the toe-in slightly.

I would expect that you could feel a little of that with the washers turned one way on one side and the other way on the other side. the solution is to replace those bushings (which need replacing anyway) and be sure to install the new washers the same/correct way on both sides. or, even better, just do the Gen3 subframe conversion and forget you ever heard of strut rods.....