What causes a car to follow ruts while driving?
#1204542
03/27/12 04:11 PM
03/27/12 04:11 PM
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,884 Tracy CA
rabid scott
OP
"You're Where?"
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OP
"You're Where?"
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,884
Tracy CA
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I already know the short answer: Worn suspension or bad alignment. I'm looking to know the "Why" though. I recently got my new Valiant on the road with the old and stock suspension and besides the loose steering the car follows ruts in the road pretty bad. Why does it do this? Thanks again Moparites!
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Re: What causes a car to follow ruts while driving?
[Re: RodStRace]
#1204546
03/27/12 07:28 PM
03/27/12 07:28 PM
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 14,889 up yours
Supercuda
About to go away
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About to go away
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 14,889
up yours
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Bias ply tires like to follow ruts.
They say there are no such thing as a stupid question. They say there is always the exception that proves the rule. Don't be the exception.
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Re: What causes a car to follow ruts while driving?
[Re: jcc]
#1204548
03/27/12 08:37 PM
03/27/12 08:37 PM
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,884 Tracy CA
rabid scott
OP
"You're Where?"
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OP
"You're Where?"
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,884
Tracy CA
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This car has 14" radials on it. I know more caster would definitely help higher speed stability but does it really help when it follows ruts? I was thinking if the alignment was off the toe would be suspect. I know something is loose in the front end because the steering is somewhat "wandery". Not sure if it's in the steering linkage or box itself. Hopefully tonight I'll get a chance to get under it again and look for excessively worn stuff and tighten up the manual steering box and add lube if necessary. Thanks guys!
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Re: What causes a car to follow ruts while driving?
[Re: rabid scott]
#1204549
03/27/12 08:41 PM
03/27/12 08:41 PM
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 9,312 SoCal
68HemiB
master
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master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 9,312
SoCal
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When a road surface is something other than smooth (i.e. rutted or grooved), the grooves in the tread "want" to match up and follow the irregularities in the road.
a. Bias ply tires do this more than radials, due to their construction.
b. Worn suspension does this because there is more slack before your steering input has any effect.
c. An alignment with negative [or less positive] caster does this because it lacks the inherent stability that positive caster provides. See also: worn suspension that can bring with it bad caster. See also: cars with a significant tail-up stance that bring one more degree of negative caster for every additional degree of rake in the stance.
d. An alignment with significant toe-in OR significant toe-out does this because you can't achieve "straight ahead" with both tires at the same time - one might be straight, but the other is trying to head off in another direction. See also: worn suspension that can bring with it bad toe settings, like a floppy idler arm does.
Down to just a blue car now.
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