Ever since I had my car aligned for the first time back in the spring of 03, it has had this odd vagueness when passing over certain parts of certain roads, and when taking a sweeping left at high speed. I've never been able to track down the cause, but now I've got my FK 35/40mm kit installed, got an alignment, and I can feel the (stock size, 205/50-16") tires following every single bump in the road. What can I do to stop this? Will a rear sway bar do anything?
What is this vague feeling in my steering wheel?!
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I am sorry but what do you mean by vagueness? If your talking about turning the wheel and nothing happening one thing might be that with the upgraded suspension your feeling the looseness of bushings deteriorating over time. It sounds funny but bushings count for a lot of flex in chasis. I have a chart of persentage of energy lost through diffrent parts of suspension if anyone is interrested.... but anyway the new bushings will definatly tighten up everything. If I am way off on my understanding then please let me know and I will give my opion then.. hope this is at least worth reading to you.
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No, I guess I didn't really explain it correctly, in fact I was way off. The feeling is in the steering wheel all that much actually, it's hard to explain though. When I hit certain roads, it almost feels like the rear end is taking a different path than the front end, and it starts "wiggling". I don't know how else to explain it. You made an interesting point though. How much bushing deterioration should I have with an 01 ZX3? What is normal?
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Is it noticable at all speeds? If so you may have warped rotors. If not it has something to do with the components of your suspension. The description is a little vague though so it could be lots of things.
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Was the alignment to factory specs? I have mine toed out 1/8" total which is a bit more than factory specs. My car loves to follow grooves in the road and starts wrything on a certain road thats all carved up. If a road is crowned the car will pull to the outside of the road.
Does more toe-out cause the car to follow ruts more or is it more toe-in that causes this? Or can they both cause this? I know with my ATV, setting the toe out makes it track much straighter than toe in. But thats on dirt.
Does more toe-out cause the car to follow ruts more or is it more toe-in that causes this? Or can they both cause this? I know with my ATV, setting the toe out makes it track much straighter than toe in. But thats on dirt.
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Re: What is this vague feeling in my steering whee
That feeling is your car "tracking" the grooves in the road.
Just wait til you have aftermarket sticky tires...it gets worse. But I think its cool.
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That feeling is your car "tracking" the grooves in the road.
Just wait til you have aftermarket sticky tires...it gets worse. But I think its cool.
I have exactly the same problem you have. So far it looks like it could be one of 2 things; the bearings are going bad, or it is the the passive rear steer, or control blade suspension. Do a search on either of these terms. I think you will find a lot of info. Not sure how much of it will help you though, as I am still struggling with mine.
Good luck though.
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usdm,
Do you mean bearings, or Bushings?
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Miked053,
Please post that Info which you mentioned down in the Auto-X Forum.
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BuzzBomb,
Following the Bumps is a result PARTIALLY of a Stifer Suspension.
Do you Know the Specs on the Alignment job?
If the Front is Toe'd to 0, then it will "Wander" more than if it's barely toe'd In or Out.
I run mine w/ the Front Toe'd Out about 1/8" Overall to Aid w/ Turn-in. High-Speed Stability can be aided a tick w/ about 1/16" Total Toe-IN.
The Passive rear steer should not really come into play unless you're cornering.
What tire-pressures are you running on which tires?
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Do you mean bearings, or Bushings?
Miked053,
Please post that Info which you mentioned down in the Auto-X Forum.
BuzzBomb,
Following the Bumps is a result PARTIALLY of a Stifer Suspension.
Do you Know the Specs on the Alignment job?
If the Front is Toe'd to 0, then it will "Wander" more than if it's barely toe'd In or Out.
I run mine w/ the Front Toe'd Out about 1/8" Overall to Aid w/ Turn-in. High-Speed Stability can be aided a tick w/ about 1/16" Total Toe-IN.
The Passive rear steer should not really come into play unless you're cornering.
What tire-pressures are you running on which tires?
I was refering to the recall that Ford is having on the rear wheel bearings .
I have a few cars in my life, with all sorts of variance in suspension; from rock hard in my old Civic, to seasick soft in my old Buick Skylark. But I have never in my life encountered such odd movement in a car as I have with the Focus.
I have a few cars in my life, with all sorts of variance in suspension; from rock hard in my old Civic, to seasick soft in my old Buick Skylark. But I have never in my life encountered such odd movement in a car as I have with the Focus.
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If it's during cornering, what you're describing as "Odd Movement" is actually the "Beneficial Movement" of the Passive Rear Steer Effects of the Control-Blade rear Suspension.
Once you're used to it, and not surprised when it kicks in, it's REALLY Helpful.
Where it's potentially Unpredictable is when cornering fairly hard over a bumpy/uneven surface.
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Once you're used to it, and not surprised when it kicks in, it's REALLY Helpful.
Where it's potentially Unpredictable is when cornering fairly hard over a bumpy/uneven surface.
I had this problem also. I replaced the bushings that are on the front part of the rear trailing arms and it fixed it. These are the arms that are attached to the rocker area and go back to the hub. It has been said that this is also fixed by removing all the bolts in suspension links and greasing them, which could be possible cause i had all these out when i put in the bushings.
He got it
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In the future, even if they don't offer a "Sheet", ask to Stick around and take note of the settings on a notepad, and make sure that whatever work they do is within YOUR Requests/Tolerances.
If it's chasing road-crown, and your tire-pressures are decent, I'm going to guess that your Front toe is set to "0", which will induce a little "Wander" because there's NO resistance to prevent it.
Ideally, the toe should be an EVEN amount IN or OUT.
OUT for aid w/ Turn-In, IN for Higher-Speed Stability.
True Zero will result in a "Middle-Ground" Lack of Surety either way.
It's Minimal, but Present.
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If it's chasing road-crown, and your tire-pressures are decent, I'm going to guess that your Front toe is set to "0", which will induce a little "Wander" because there's NO resistance to prevent it.
Ideally, the toe should be an EVEN amount IN or OUT.
OUT for aid w/ Turn-In, IN for Higher-Speed Stability.
True Zero will result in a "Middle-Ground" Lack of Surety either way.
It's Minimal, but Present.
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