Traction issues

[1st Gen]

So what's it called when the car shoots over to the right when I loose traction on a pull? I lost traction in third and almost hit the curb. Freaky dangerous.

[FE3-323]

bad alignment or front tire pressures aren't proper

[atomicEGT]

torque steer...?

[SgtRauksauff]

I don't consider torque steer to happen when you LOSE traction, but rather when you give'r the gas and the car steers one way. But, if you normally have both wheels pulling, and suddenly only one wheel's pulling, and you're veering off, yeah, it could be torque steer. Question is, what caused the lack of traction? surface conditions, or mechanical failure?

--sarge

[1st Gen]

I'm going to need some new tires on this car soon and since I've never had it aligned It might be time. I don't want to take it to a shop and have them tell me I need a bunch of new **** because it's so F'd up. Some shops embrace the DIYer, but some are just dicks about it.


My next project is going to be the brakes and suspension. It still binds from when I put the new bushings on it, I have a squeak in the RR wheel assembly that drives me bonkers, and I might have some damage to the RR suspension components since I slid into a curb like 8 years ago. (playing in the snow) I never fixed it because it never manifest as anything. If I'm serious about tuning the suspension, I need to take a look at it. I do know that the sway bar frame bracket on that side no longer fits.

I'm not going to buy coil overs because they're too expensive. If I can trade into some, maybe. For 99 percent of my driving, the Eibachs/ZX2 struts are fine.

[SgtRauksauff]

hell, I used my Eibach/ZX2 struts for HPDE/TimeAttack.

*ADJUSTABLE* coilovers (the OEM system is technically already a "coilover" setup)are only needed if you're going to corner-weight your car. otherwise, get the proper spring rate for where your car operates most of the time, and make sure your dampers are valved for that rate. then you can tweak.

I'd say ask around in your area for a good alignment shop, and when you go there let them know what you're looking for: "If no parts need replacing, align it. If any parts do need replacing, let me know what they are, and I'll come back when they're fixed." I've done that a few times over the years, and haven't had any issues.

even before that, just jack up the car and check your balljoints, tie rods, etc. In my old green EGT, it drove just fine, until i turned beyond a certain point on a right-hander, then it would snap-oversteer. Turns out the balljoint was bad. Same thing on my BPT Escort Wagon, it didn't present itself in normal driving, but when I got out on Lake Winnebago for some ice RallyX, it had some definite wierdness and just wouldn't turn right when on the slippery surface.

squeak could just be a backing plate.

bottom line: this is motivation to get yer car to an alignment person to give it a good once-over. unless you know someone with a lift that can put it up for you so you can check things yourself....

--sarge

[1st Gen]

On the front, I've replaced both wheel bearings, ball joints, tie rods, front LCA bushings, and sway bar bushings. When I replaced the bushings is when I got the strange binding in the steering. I don't know what it's called when the steering returns to straight ahead on it's own after a turn but this car doesn't do it as well as it used to. I've lost some of that road feel when driving too. The ball joints are Chinese knock offs though which I don't like.

I just pulled each of the rear wheels off and pushed back on the dust covers as hard as I could with my hands. It seems to have fixed the noise I've been putting up with it for so long and it was so easy to fix. lol.

There's a shop down the street that does alignments. He did my blue car and I am very happy with it. He's a little touchy about the work though. I may have misunderstood him but he seemed to say, if the car is broken to the point where he feels it's dangerous, he won't give it back until it's fixed so he can't be help liable for what happens after. It got a little heated. I'm afraid to take him this car because he's going to want to fix what's wrong with it and I'm not going to pay money to have him do what I can do for pennies. It seems pretty simple. If you can't align it, give it back and tell me why not.

[1st Gen]

Turned out to be bad outer tie rod.
I'm taking it in for alignment tomorrow. I'm tempted to stick some new tires on there so the alignment will be better but this will just have to do.

[jay]

Glad ya found the problem!