I'm posting this in the hopes it might help someone else solve a similar problem.
For the past year I have been trying to solve a problem with the car being very sensitive to drive. You have to pay constant attention to where the car is going because every little crack or bump in the road would make it change direction. Under power sometimes it would just decide to change lanes (could be a problem in a close encounter). It seemed like the steering was loose and had lots of free play to move around.
In trying to track it down, I went through the following repairs.
I had already replaced all the suspension and body bushings several years ago (car gets less than 500 miles a year on it) so I just had them checked out to make sure they were OK.
All steering components were checked out.
I had already installed an H&R bar and Metco lowers, Metco adj uppers and new shocks all around.
Had a complete front alignment done by a very competent shop who also checked out the steering box.
Still drove down the street very squirrly (sp?). No way you could take your eyes off the road as it wandered all over.
THEN I hought I discovered the problem.
Like I said, the car gets less than 500 miles a year on it and the front tires (205 75r 15 Uniroyal Tigerpaws) only had about 5000 miles on them but were about 10 years old. I started to get that old up and down out of round front end wobble we have all encounterd and Dave and I jacked up the car and found one of the front tires was separating and had a big lump on one side. AH HA I thought, I have had a tire going bad and that is what was the problem all along. So I put 2 new tires on the front thinking I had surely solved the problem. WRONG, it was STILL THERE.
So now I'm scratching my head as to what else could it be.
Another problem I have been trying to solve has been lack of traction on the street with my power level (see signature). I had 275 70r 15 Nitto Drag Radials on the back and needed bigger because when boost came on the car would turn sideways. Friends and people on here said the MT ET Street Drag Radials hooked better than the Nittos so I have wanted to switch. MT came out with the new 295 55r 15's so when I got some extra $$ for Christmas, I ordered a set. I had them mounted yesterday and GUESS WHAT, problem solved. It drives like a new car and is actually a real pleasure rather than a constant pain.
SOOOOOO my conclusion is it was the Nittos. The possible reason is that even though they were just barely to the wear bars (still had a few breaths of life left in them), they were over 9 years old because like I said, the car sees very limited driving. I'm guessing they just got hard from age and lost all traction so I was driving with rear tires that had no grip on the road and just skated around when they hit an irregularity in the road and that is exactly how it felt. I never gave a thought to the idea that age would make them so hard they would do this.
Anyway, keep this in the back of your mind as your tires age or you get some wierd steering and tracking action. AND if they were that hard, no wonder I had no traction under power and would go sideways. Now I'm dying to put some power to these new 295 55's. They look pretty cool too on 10 inch wide Weld Drag Stars and seem to clear fine (rolled rear lip but no air bags).
Hope this REALLY has solved my problems. Only more driving (which now is a pleasure) will tell.
Anyway I hope this might help someone else.
For the past year I have been trying to solve a problem with the car being very sensitive to drive. You have to pay constant attention to where the car is going because every little crack or bump in the road would make it change direction. Under power sometimes it would just decide to change lanes (could be a problem in a close encounter). It seemed like the steering was loose and had lots of free play to move around.
In trying to track it down, I went through the following repairs.
I had already replaced all the suspension and body bushings several years ago (car gets less than 500 miles a year on it) so I just had them checked out to make sure they were OK.
All steering components were checked out.
I had already installed an H&R bar and Metco lowers, Metco adj uppers and new shocks all around.
Had a complete front alignment done by a very competent shop who also checked out the steering box.
Still drove down the street very squirrly (sp?). No way you could take your eyes off the road as it wandered all over.
THEN I hought I discovered the problem.
Like I said, the car gets less than 500 miles a year on it and the front tires (205 75r 15 Uniroyal Tigerpaws) only had about 5000 miles on them but were about 10 years old. I started to get that old up and down out of round front end wobble we have all encounterd and Dave and I jacked up the car and found one of the front tires was separating and had a big lump on one side. AH HA I thought, I have had a tire going bad and that is what was the problem all along. So I put 2 new tires on the front thinking I had surely solved the problem. WRONG, it was STILL THERE.
So now I'm scratching my head as to what else could it be.
Another problem I have been trying to solve has been lack of traction on the street with my power level (see signature). I had 275 70r 15 Nitto Drag Radials on the back and needed bigger because when boost came on the car would turn sideways. Friends and people on here said the MT ET Street Drag Radials hooked better than the Nittos so I have wanted to switch. MT came out with the new 295 55r 15's so when I got some extra $$ for Christmas, I ordered a set. I had them mounted yesterday and GUESS WHAT, problem solved. It drives like a new car and is actually a real pleasure rather than a constant pain.
SOOOOOO my conclusion is it was the Nittos. The possible reason is that even though they were just barely to the wear bars (still had a few breaths of life left in them), they were over 9 years old because like I said, the car sees very limited driving. I'm guessing they just got hard from age and lost all traction so I was driving with rear tires that had no grip on the road and just skated around when they hit an irregularity in the road and that is exactly how it felt. I never gave a thought to the idea that age would make them so hard they would do this.
Anyway, keep this in the back of your mind as your tires age or you get some wierd steering and tracking action. AND if they were that hard, no wonder I had no traction under power and would go sideways. Now I'm dying to put some power to these new 295 55's. They look pretty cool too on 10 inch wide Weld Drag Stars and seem to clear fine (rolled rear lip but no air bags).
Hope this REALLY has solved my problems. Only more driving (which now is a pleasure) will tell.
Anyway I hope this might help someone else.
