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Where Do I Look? #2688175
08/15/19 07:04 PM
08/15/19 07:04 PM
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Sullivan, IN
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Mopar Sam Offline OP
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Sullivan, IN

My wife has a 70 4 door satellite that that has started wandering all over the road. I replaced the pitman arm and idler arm .as they had a lot of play, thinkig that would cure it. The tie rod ends seem fine and the balljoints o not seem to have any play. It could probably use new control arm bushings , but I would not expect it to wander as bad as it does. Any thing over 40 mph is terrible. I am limited on time until winter, so I would like to hold off on a complete suspension rebuild until then.
I don't know if it matters, but it is power steering. It has a 3g hemi I built with the hemi ps pump powering the stock ps gearbox.
What should I look for next?

Re: Where Do I Look? [Re: Mopar Sam] #2688183
08/15/19 07:16 PM
08/15/19 07:16 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 29,650
Hamtramck, PA
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Alaskan_TA Offline
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Loose lug nuts?

Bent wheel?

Broken belt or belts in a tire?

Re: Where Do I Look? [Re: Mopar Sam] #2688201
08/15/19 07:58 PM
08/15/19 07:58 PM
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Posts: 2,673
Northern MN
1E2C Offline
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How much play in the steering box? (How much can you turn the wheel without the front wheel moving?)

Re: Where Do I Look? [Re: 1E2C] #2688220
08/15/19 08:58 PM
08/15/19 08:58 PM
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northwest USA
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NANKET Offline
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Bad tire can do it. Measure the toe. If car is toe out it will wander like you are saying.

Did you get the front end aligned after the swap?

Re: Where Do I Look? [Re: NANKET] #2688239
08/15/19 09:42 PM
08/15/19 09:42 PM
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Sullivan, IN
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Mopar Sam Offline OP
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Sullivan, IN
I did not get the car aligned. just started doing it. Rims not bent, air in the tires., wheel bearings good. Will check the toe in and tires this weekend. Thanks for the suggestions. I would like to figure this out!

Re: Where Do I Look? [Re: Mopar Sam] #2688241
08/15/19 09:50 PM
08/15/19 09:50 PM
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Sullivan, IN
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Mopar Sam Offline OP
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I will check the play in the steering box. It was fine and just started doing it. We do live in the land of potholes though.

Re: Where Do I Look? [Re: Mopar Sam] #2688253
08/15/19 10:34 PM
08/15/19 10:34 PM
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Posts: 10,538
Freeport IL USA
poorboy Offline
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Freeport IL USA
Does it wander, or are you over correcting it?
I believe the pump pressure the G3 Hemi puts out is quite a bit higher the the pressure the old pump put out. That would create a very sensitive steering and over correction might make it seem like it was wandering. My son ran into this when he installed a 5,7 into his 57 Wagon, but I don't remember what we did.
There are a few options for reducing the pressure output of the steering pump. Google is your friend on this one. Gene

Re: Where Do I Look? [Re: poorboy] #2688310
08/16/19 08:23 AM
08/16/19 08:23 AM
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Sullivan, IN
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Mopar Sam Offline OP
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Poorboy, It really seems to have a mind of its own as to where it wants to go. The hemi has been in the car about three years and has been fine until now. I had rea about the pump issues when I was doing the swap, but until now have had no problems. Maybe the suspension is now worn enough to cause what you are saying? I just rebuilt the suspension on my son;s valiant this spring and my knees are still hurting from it! I guess I should have went through everything on the car while the motor was out, but the wife had to quit her job because of her back, and anything hemi is expensive!

Re: Where Do I Look? [Re: Mopar Sam] #2688318
08/16/19 08:48 AM
08/16/19 08:48 AM
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Colleyville
3hundred Offline
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Colleyville
I've seen old strut rod bushings deteriorate to nothing and cause this.

ONCE, a VERY long time ago I came across a '65 Belvedere with loose steering box bolts.

Robert


'68 Fury Convertible
'69 300 Convertible
'15 Durango 5.7 Hemi
'16 300 S Hemi
Re: Where Do I Look? [Re: Mopar Sam] #2688522
08/16/19 07:36 PM
08/16/19 07:36 PM
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 4,848
Memphis
HemiRick Offline
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Have your wife/someone get in the drivers seat and wiggle the wheel form side to side and you look under the front end at the steering/front end parts and see where the play is........replace parts w play....done.


Take care,
Rick
68 Coronet R/T 440 & 68 Charger 528 Hemi,and 5 Challengers! 6 cyl, 318, 360, 383, 451
Re: Where Do I Look? [Re: HemiRick] #2688530
08/16/19 07:53 PM
08/16/19 07:53 PM
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Omaha Ne
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TJP Offline
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Omaha Ne
Originally Posted by HemiRick
Have your wife/someone get in the drivers seat and wiggle the wheel form side to side and you look under the front end at the steering/front end parts and see where the play is........replace parts w play....done.


iagree

Re: Where Do I Look? [Re: HemiRick] #2688543
08/16/19 08:36 PM
08/16/19 08:36 PM
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Posts: 53
Sullivan, IN
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Mopar Sam Offline OP
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Originally Posted by HemiRick
Have your wife/someone get in the drivers seat and wiggle the wheel form side to side and you look under the front end at the steering/front end parts and see where the play is........replace parts w play....done.


That is how I found the worn pitman and idler arms. I will have one of my sons get under it this weekend while I move the wheel. Maybe I'm just not seeing the problem.

Re: Where Do I Look? [Re: Mopar Sam] #2688566
08/16/19 09:35 PM
08/16/19 09:35 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,538
Freeport IL USA
poorboy Offline
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Freeport IL USA
Doesn't take much movement in front end parts to create a wander.
If the power steering setup was working OK before and now it wanders, the steering pump pressure is probably not your problem, that would have been an issue when the Hemi was installed. Gene

Re: Where Do I Look? [Re: poorboy] #2688627
08/17/19 03:49 AM
08/17/19 03:49 AM
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 982
western pennsylvania
b1dartsport Offline
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Check the bolts holding the steering box in. I had them loosen up in a 68 Roadrunner and it was all over the Road. You could not see it unless you were watching while someone was turning wheel lock to lock.

Re: Where Do I Look? [Re: b1dartsport] #2688737
08/17/19 01:20 PM
08/17/19 01:20 PM
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 15,827
Central Florida
larrymopar360 Offline
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I think the suggestions of bad tire are good ones, since nothing else seems to be the issue so far, although the few I've had usually cause a pull. Bad strut or shock in older car would definitely cause this.

Last edited by larrymopar360; 08/17/19 01:22 PM.

Facts are stubborn things.






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