Re: [tech] front end question

["Wm. Josiah Erikson" <josiah@gsinet.net>]

Where do you live? I'd be happy to check it out for you... but I bet you live
somewhere very far away so...
Sounds like you need an alignment! Excess tire wear on one side and pulling is
typical.
To check the ball joints, tie rod ends, etc:
1. Jack up the front of your car so that both front wheels are off the ground
2. Go to the left wheel and kneel down in front of it. Kindof move the wheel
back and forth, like you're steering it, and you shouldn't feel any play or
looseness. It kindof requires a bit of feel for it. By looking at the tie rod
ends and/or ball joints while you do this, you can see if they have any play in
them.
3. Repeat procedure on the other side
For anybody who's listening who doesn't know what a ball joint or a tie rod end
is, or exactly where it's located:
Ball joints connect the wheel bearing housing to the lower control arm. They
have a ball socket joint that allows the wheel bearing housing to pivot on the
control arm, and allows up and down play in the suspension. When there is play
in the ball socket joint, it can cause wheel shake, vibration, and tire wear,
as well as untoward vehicle behavior, when they're really bad.
Tie rod ends connect the tie rods (the steering rod thingies) to the wheel
bearing housing, and have the same kind of ball-socket joint. The same thing
happens when they go bad. The also allow suspension travel and steerage to
happen.
    If your steering rack is bad, it might have play in it, or have a strange
notchy feel when you turn the wheels by hand.
    I usually do my own alignments on front-wheel drive cars, but it's a PITA.
Tell me if you want to know how to do it. It requires that you have an
absoloutely flat surface, a level, and a way to accurately measure the distance
between the insides of your front rims (at the same height as each other) when
the wheels are pointing straight ahead.
    If your caliper is sticking, it could be the guide pins or the cylinder
itself. If it's the guide pins, sometimes you can take them out and lube 'em
up. If it's the cylinder, get a new caliper (or someone said something about a
rebuild kit... don't know anything about it..)
    GL!
    -Josiah


stoopid kid wrote:

>         alright, here's the deal:  my car pulls to the left, the
> steering wheel shudders like mad at almost any speed, and the inside
> portion of my passenger side front wheel is wearing out quicker than a
> dice clay joke.
>
>         someone told me that they think that my caliper is sticking up
> front.  i'm going to take a look at the rotor to see if it's scored or
> not.  if it is, any idea what i can do to fix the situation?  and if the
> rotor seems fine, what else could it be?  i've already rotated the
> passenger side wheels between front and back, and it hasn't done anything,
> so it's not wheel weights.  i don't know how to check any of the ball
> joints, steering rack, or anything else around there, so if you think that
> it may be some play in the parts, let me know how to check it.  i'm
> completely broke, so i'd rather diagnose the problem myself, if possible,
> rather than bring it to a mechanic who charges more in an hour than i make
> in 5.  thanks.
>
> jason
> the mad bastard
>
> --
> To subscribe or unsubscribe, send email to scirocco-L-request@scirocco.org,
> with your request (subscribe, unsubscribe) in the BODY of the message.



- --
To subscribe or unsubscribe, send email to scirocco-L-request@scirocco.org,
with your request (subscribe, unsubscribe) in the BODY of the message.

------------------------------