1968 Problem NOT Solved

[robert campbell]

Just came back from a test drive. Flaming river manual steering box, manual drag link, and new idler arm. Car still "darts" to the left or right just off center of steering as it did with the power steering. Very noticeable and disturbing. I have never felt anything like it!

Only non-stock part is the roller bearing spring perches. New upper and lower control arm assemblies with new ball joints. Guess I will need to take out the spring perches and see if stock will cure this problem.

Been to my trusted alignment guy too many times. He runs and hides when he sees my car. Any ideas?

Rob

 

[Ruppstang]

I am not a great front end guy but it sounds like a worn ball joint or such. Do not really think the spring perches would cause that. Could you have some one else turn the wheel and watch under the car. Preferably in the shop not driving! I have a freind who is great with old car alignments. I will ask him what he thinks it may be. Marty

 

[robert campbell]

Ball joints are new. Beginning to think I left a nut off something! Maybe I left a tie rod end on the floor. a coil spring in the rafter... An idler arm up my butt....

Rob is getting pissed!!!

 

[Mosesatm]

Ball joints are new. Beginning to think I left a nut off something! Maybe I left a tie rod end on the floor. a coil spring in the rafter... An idler arm up my butt....

Rob is getting pissed!!!

One could be broken with the break hidden inside the boot.

 

[obwan93001]

Ball joints are new. Beginning to think I left a nut off something! Maybe I left a tie rod end on the floor. a coil spring in the rafter... An idler arm up my butt....

Rob is getting pissed!!!

Rob, dude, I seriously would think that you would KNOW whether you left an idler arm where ya stink ya left it! :grin: Sorry, couldn't resist.

I'm no expert but did rebuild the suspension on my CS by myself, oh, and I did spend a couple of nights at a Holiday Inn Express once. But I would also look at the BJs, keep your mind on the car Rob, on the car, and look over all the fastners to make sure you didn't miss one or miss tightening and/or torquing one or more down. I had to go over all my stuff 3 times to make sure I didn't leave something out or forget to do something. I had to do the job over several days and several beers so I couldn't trust myself. or should I say, Oscar couldn't trust Oscar.

Hope you find the culprit soon man! Best of luck.

Oscar

 

[Ruppstang]

Ball joints are new. Beginning to think I left a nut off something! Maybe I left a tie rod end on the floor. a coil spring in the rafter... An idler arm up my butt....

Rob is getting pissed!!!

I just thought of this, take the drag link loose and see if the idler arm moves freely in both directions.

 

[CougarCJ]

You are using a manual steer pitman arm?

You also might want to inspect your upper and lower control arms for cracks. The cheap repop versions available a few years ago are prone to cracking in the spring perch area.

 

[CougarCJ]

One other thing.

The Flaming River steering box is a new copy of Ford's steering box. They are cast in Argentina I heard. While at SEMA, visiting the Borgeson booth, they said that they have received some of the Flaming River steering boxes as cores, and they are not cast or machined that well, and many of them can't be rebuilt. They also said that some of the original Ford boxes are worn beyond they're acceptable limits too.

 

[obwan93001]

One could be broken with the break hidden inside the boot.

Did I miss the part where Rob got really, really pissed at Rob and kicked Rob's ass leaving a shit kicker w/a now broken idler arm hidden inside it? And how the heck did the idler arm get broken if it wasn't even installed?

Seriously though, Arlie could be onto something. My '00 Ford Expedition (RIP) had a ball joint that had broke over time, a very long time at least, and symptom(s) were similar. Before rebuilding the entire front suspension on the truck I did my fair share of research and found that the ball joints used by Ford in that line of trucks were under-engineered causing some to break prematurely. I had even read that the quality of some of the replacement ball joints manufactured by Moog overseas was lacking and that some people had found NEW (prior to installation) ball joints that were either already broken or had a "ball" at the end of the stud that was malformed and no where near the shape it should've been. Then having colored boots that you can't see thru doesn't help either. When I rebuilt it all I used all Raybestos/Spicer Professionial Grade parts w/the only exception being Moog sway bar endlinks cuz the R/S ones were sold out. The Moog ones failed (bushings disintegrated), color me surprised, so I replaced w/heavy duty ones from AutoZone off the shelf, can't recall brand tho and they were great. I'm sure you got some quality parts but you just never know these days especially w/mass production.

Oscar

Btw, YEAH LAKERS! Artest just beat the Suns w/last second rebound and shot! And he didn't even go up into the stands n beat anyone up!!

 

[rvrtrash]

Are the lower control arm inner bushings and cam eccentric bolts the same size? Is the eccentric installed correctly and tight in between the "ears" so it doesn't move around? Are the strut rods tight? Just tossing out some ideas.

Steve

 

[Ruppstang]

Ball joints are new. Beginning to think I left a nut off something! Maybe I left a tie rod end on the floor. a coil spring in the rafter... An idler arm up my butt....

Rob is getting pissed!!!

That has been my blind spot many times in the past when trying to find a problem. It can't be that I replaced it with a new part. As previously mentioned you really can not allways depend on auto parts store replacements. Check everything! Marty

 

[hookedtrout]

That has been my blind spot many times in the past when trying to find a problem. It can't be that I replaced it with a new part. As previously mentioned you really can not allways depend on auto parts store replacements. Check everything! Marty

I'll second that comment, I just sold the flamed Festiva here awhile back because I was investing to much in sensors and various things trying to find out why I couldn't get it to start consistently and stay running. Never once thought about the fuel pump because I had just put a new one in a few months prior to that, sold it and they called and said they put in a new fuel pump and it runs great. New does not mean it isn't the problem.

 

[robert campbell]

Thanks for all the thoughts! I am going under this car and remove every cotter pin and check every nut, bolt, joint, smoke a joint, socket, ball, spring, shock, as if all the parts were old! I have never had this happen before. The parts are very new with not more than 500 miles on them.

The funny thing is it surfaced "immediately" after I installed the upper and lower control assemblies, poly strut bushings, roller spring perches, and the stock sway bar bushings.

Something was bad from the beginning!

Rob

Beer is my only vice.... Never even tried pot! Couldn't find anything to rhyme with beer in the front end the car.....

 

[franklinair]

Rob;
Poly strut bushings=UGH.

Neil

 

[PonyGal]

Couldn't find anything to rhyme with beer in the front end the car.....

Steer Rob! "Steer" rhymes with beer! :grin:

When you finally get it to steer, then you can go have a beer!! (or two, or three, or four...)

 

[robert campbell]

Rob;
Poly strut bushings=UGH.

Neil

Neil,
Why do you say ugh? Noise? Harshness? Part of my problem?

Rob

 

[CougarCJ]

Poly on the strut rods is a bad idea. I have heard too many tales of broken strut rods.

 

[franklinair]

They are too harsh, and overpriced.

Neil

 

[rvrtrash]

Poly on the strut rods is a bad idea. I have heard too many tails of broken strut rods.

I would have to agree. You want the strut rod to pivot at the bushing. The poly bushing is too hard and causes the thin strut rod to flex and fatigue instead.

Steve

 

[Ruppstang]

Rob I talked with my front end guy to day. He is reasonably sure you have something binding some where. He suggested taking the tie rods off and moving things through their motions so you can pin point the problem. I agree with all above on poly strut bushings. Marty