Front end wandering

[78 Green Lemans]

I know this is going to be something easy but im getting frustrated. My 78 lemans pulls and wanders alot in ruts on the road. I have owned quite a few G-body cars, even some with worn out front ends and none have handled this bad. :evil:
The only worn parts i had were the idler arm (typical GM) and the steering box seemed a little sloppy.
I changed the idler arm with a new one and tightend the allen bolt/lock nut on the top of the box a bit and took it for a drive. Still does it.
Could it still be in the steering box or am i missing something?

Also the idler arm once off doesnt really seem to have play in it and everything else appears tight on the car now as well. :?

 

[82cutty]

In the past I tightened up the box by adjusting it. I found that the steering is tighter but you get more play in the steering wheel. How many miles? what size tire on the front? My 82 has 100,000 and it wanders, but my buddy who has a 68 Chevelle with 120,000 is straight as an arrow. My guess would be steering box......

 

[billyjack]

Wandering is most likely caused by the center link on a "G". Do a search, and you'll find some similar posts. Also, I would assume you've had a good alignment done-right?
Bill

 

[khan0165]

Say no more,
HotRod has a solution. They discovered that when people put large tires on A-Bodies and G-Bodies, due to the alignment geometry, these cars start to wonder on the road. My buddy adjusted his alignment with the numbers given by HotRod, and now his Cutlass trails as straight as an arrow.

 

[78 Green Lemans]

It had an alignment done before it was parked but it sat for four years.
I had thought centerlink as well but it doesnt appear to have play in it. After tightening the steering box my steering did get tighter, the wheel also doesnt seem to have play in it either.
I am running 225/55r16's on it but i have run wide tires on G-bodies before and never had one handle this poorly.

Also if it makes any difference these same rims and tires were on my 89 s10 with a v8 and manual steering and it goes straight as an arrow. I figured i would add that as the front suspension design is very similar.


Edit: Update, went for another drive this morning around town and it is almost the way a G-body should be. I did take one of the worst roads in town yesterday so maybe it was the road.
I'm doing a hiway trip in a couple hours so i guess i'll know more tonight.
I did notice the steering box now sounds a little like a ford box with a groan. Its not that loud but its there. Guess its time for the F-body box i have. 8)

 

[Bonnewagon]

I think you got it. On my last drive to Pittsburgh the road surface changed dramaticly many times. I felt everything from vibrations to wandering. Then as suddenly as it started, she'd track fine.

 

[beermonkey9417]

i had an army sgt. with one of those 80's dodge darts. man that thing was a pos! i had to drive it to get him pizza once with another private when sarg was on CQ duty. it was stick and the guy i was with said he knew how to drive it and couldnt find first gear. so i made him get out and i drove it to get the pizza and there was at LEAST a 1/4 turn of play in the steering wheel. that was fun driving 60 mph down the hw. and it smelled like it was stored in a garbage dump. funn...

 

[78 Green Lemans]

So it drives pretty well normal now. Still pulls in the ruts but we have alot of shitty roads around here. Lots of body roll though.
This car has none of the f41 pkg at all. Only extras i found were the X in front of the rad and the body mounts shown in the #5 position on the f41 tread diagrams. So i guess i will be hunting down a set of jounce bars, fender to core support bars, and modding my F-body rearsway bar in as well as the front one. Then the F-body steering box and what ever other supports i manage to find. 8)

 

[Bonnewagon]

Hey beermonkey, my DI in basic had an ancient VW bug that ran like poop. I used a matchbook cover to set his points and it woke right up. He was my pal after that!

 

[78 Green Lemans]

Hey Bonniewagon, why does your diff look so far forward in your avatar?
Is it just that pic or......