Wanderer

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barcat

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Dike, Ia
I have a 68 Barracuda, w/power steering. Complete rebuild about 4 yrs ago, all new front end parts and reman steering box, only 600 miles since done. Drove great first 3 yrs. This year it wanders bad just driving down road. What happened?
 
Lots of possibilities.

Loose lug nuts.

Bent rim.

Failed tire chord or sidewall.

Something in the linkage came loose, etc., etc.
 
Alaskan_TA said:
Lots of possibilities.

Loose lug nuts.

Bent rim.

Failed tire chord or sidewall.

Something in the linkage came loose, etc., etc.
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How old are your tires? I have a 64 Fairlane that had a bad wandering problem. New suspension components,
tightened box, aligned for old car with radial tires. Tires had little wear but were 10 -11 years old. New tires
vastly improved handling.
 
Put it on the alignment rack with new tires. Tell the tech to go find the root cause.
It could just be the tires or how the tires are wearing. or it could be due to toe-change or camber-change, scrub-radius,worn parts, a bad steering box, or a shock gone bad.
It could even be rear-steer from springs, shackles, mounts, or a thrust angle.
It could even be in the unibody.
So your tech-guy needs to be sharp.
 
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Another situation from years ago, the steering box bolts would come loose every few months.

The threads were good & so were the lock washers, so I just got in the habit of snugging the bolts down about once a month to be safe.
 
barcat said:
and reman steering box, only 600 miles since done.
Click to expand...

Unless it were done by Steer and Gear or Firm Feel, I’d be looking at that especially if a mass rebuildeer like Cardone did it. A friend got a rebuilt unit from Rock Auto and less that a thousand miles it was doing the wander. A rebuilt from Steer and Gear in their Stage II solved the problem.
 
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barcat said:
I have a 68 Barracuda, w/power steering. Complete rebuild about 4 yrs ago, all new front end parts and reman steering box, only 600 miles since done. Drove great first 3 yrs. This year it wanders bad just driving down road. What happened?
Click to expand...
Methodiclly check for the culprits.
Steering play. There's often a little play in the box when the car isn't moving and wheels are straight. That said..
First - check the wheel bearings aren't loose. If there is in/out movement when you hold the wheel top and bottom (12 and 6),tighten to specs.
Second - With one wheel on the ground move the wheel off the ground as the steering wheel would (hands at 3 and 9 oclock). Watch each link and joint in the steering linkage until you see the movement.
Then do it from the other side. Get a helper if you need. I prefer to do it myself even though it was awkward because I can feel the movement if there is any and match it with what I'm seeing. Even though there's no steering lock, you'll see the pitman arm rock if there's wear or slop in the steering gear's bearings.

Finding nothing in the front, check the rear springs at both the hangers and shackels. Bet you find something in the front though.
One more tip. Look at each tire for clues in the wear patterns.
 
Mattax said:
Methodiclly check for the culprits.
Steering play. There's often a little play in the box when the car isn't moving and wheels are straight. That said..
First - check the wheel bearings aren't loose. If there is in/out movement when you hold the wheel top and bottom (12 and 6),tighten to specs.
Second - With one wheel on the ground move the wheel off the ground as the steering wheel would (hands at 3 and 9 oclock). Watch each link and joint in the steering linkage until you see the movement.
Then do it from the other side. Get a helper if you need. I prefer to do it myself even though it was awkward because I can feel the movement if there is any and match it with what I'm seeing. Even though there's no steering lock, you'll see the pitman arm rock if there's wear or slop in the steering gear's bearings.

Finding nothing in the front, check the rear springs at both the hangers and shackels. Bet you find something in the front though.
One more tip. Look at each tire for clues in the wear patterns.
Click to expand...
 
Sorry it took me so long. Everything is tight and checks out fine. BUT. A lot of slop in steering wheel, 3 inches, seems to be in coupling spline.
 
If you turn the wheel with the engine off, and you see the part of the shaft coming from the box is rotating with the steering wheel, it's the box. If the shaft from the box stays still, and the shaft from the column rotates, it's in the coupler. Sometimes they are installed wrong, with the two blocks on the end of the column turned the wrong way.
 
furyus2 said:
If you turn the wheel with the engine off, and you see the part of the shaft coming from the box is rotating with the steering wheel, it's the box. If the shaft from the box stays still, and the shaft from the column rotates, it's in the coupler. Sometimes they are installed wrong, with the two blocks on the end of the column turned the wrong way.
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The steering shaft is turning, not the box. I pulled the shaft, spline in coupler looks worn. Looked for coupling to replace, can't find one for power steering. Not sure if anything else will work, other couplings?
 
barcat said:
The steering shaft is turning, not the box. I pulled the shaft, spline in coupler looks worn. Looked for coupling to replace, can't find one for power steering. Not sure if anything else will work, other couplings?
Click to expand...
In my experience, MOST of the times the coupler is assembled wrong, not worn.....refer to the service manual.
 
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