Steering, Lower control arms, Strut rod bushings,

[Jeffintampa]

Hi all doing some more work on old Abe. Put new strut rod bushings in, lower control arms soon, I have changed the uppers 4 years ago, the little rods, the tie rod ends (out side and inside) new bearing and hubs, rotors brakes and rebuild calipers. Have spring conversion shocks.

My question is my steering wheel was crooked the airbag was like 7 2 going straight down the road after the inner tie rod ends got put in.

My question when the control arms get done I am going for alignment will they fix that?
Any thing I can do to change it my self. I marked the control arm bolt pad good and can put them pretty close.

 

[chris2523]

they better fix it.
they are terrible at their job and should be ashamed if they don't.

you can adjust the tie rods if you wan't to.
if the steering wheel points left/car turns right with a straight wheel, make the left tie rod longer and the right shorter by the same amount.
reverse if the wheel points right.

 

[Jeffintampa]

Thanks Chris, I was thinking about doing that wanted to chime in first see if it was that easy

 

[Jeffintampa]

Well have it all jacked up and on jack stands. I got the tires off and every nut loose I need to change the control arm. I wanted to get a good look at the tie rods so I fired it up and straightened the wheel with a wiggle both ways then set to were I want. The passenger rotor looks like a soft fade to the right if you were driving. The drivers seems a lot more turned right. The only things that have been done on my tie rods and steering was the new (whats in the rubber boot) inner tie rod? installed. I haven't tried to take the boots back yet.

Does the Inner tie rod have adjustments in them?

 

[todd2fst4u]

Well have it all jacked up and on jack stands. I got the tires off and every nut loose I need to change the control arm. I wanted to get a good look at the tie rods so I fired it up and straightened the wheel with a wiggle both ways then set to were I want. The passenger rotor looks like a soft fade to the right if you were driving. The drivers seems a lot more turned right. The only things that have been done on my tie rods and steering was the new (whats in the rubber boot) inner tie rod? installed. I haven't tried to take the boots back yet.

Does the Inner tie rod have adjustments in them?

Behind the boot is where the inner tie rods connect to the steering rack, no adjustment there. The tie rod length is adjusted where the outer tie rods meet the inner tie rods. I wouldn't waste your time trying to eye ball your alignment, just take it to a shop and have it aligned with a computer.

 

[Jeffintampa]

Thanks Todd,
Well tomorrow is lower control arm day, then I am going to pull those boots back and check there installation, then screw the front end as close as I feel I can get it. I really don't want to drive it as far off as it looks right now. I want to try to get it close to feel comfortable driving to the shop.

 

[Jeffintampa]

warm fuzy feeling,
Got the new bushings in, new lower control arms, sighed all the adjustments, new rotors, new brakes, all the old brake fluid bleeded out, washed, drives nice and with all this done gives me a nice fuzy feeling looking at the old guy..

 

[olddavid]

I am of the school of thought that a good cleaning and an oil change always makes it run better.