Well, I know its usually what people don't call as a problem very quickly, but, I figured I'd just ask here and make sure.

My steering is fine for the most part, goes nice and straight, though there is some play in the steering wheel; I'm fine with that.

Where my problem is, is that when doing more gentle corners (not regular 90 degree turns from street to street) the steering will suddenly jerk further to that direction, both the wheels, and the direction of travel. It mainly happens going the one direction (left), and when I return to straight, the steering wheel is crooked while traveling straight.

The next time I turn right, after, it does the same jerk, and the steering wheel will be centred again.


Thanks in advance.

 

Does it make a loud CLUNK noise? It could be your strut tops. My friend's 240SX was doing this, and it turned out that the bearings in the upper strut mounts were going bad and locking up, causing his spring to bind up and spin on the perch, making it hard to turn, and the wheel not want to go back to center.

 

No clunk or anything.

 

Have you checked your idler arm bushings?

 

Idler arm has been replaced, I forgot to mention that.

 

If you jack up the car such that both wheels are not in contact with ground and cycle through the motions from stop to stop, do you notice binding or jerkiness then?

Box_Mans suggestion sounds like a very good thing to check if you have not already done so...

Scott

 

I havn't really checked it out, though I will next time I get a chance.

I'll try a few things the next nice day we have here. I'd love to find something other then the steering box as the problem.

 

Bad ball joints... You can borrow a ball joint press from most autoparts stores, and do the work yourself if you are at all handy. Parts can be ordered at www.rockauto.com

 

Well are you working yet?

Box_man's suggestion certainly was an issue with my car as well - at low speeds, the wheels would go opposite to caster and in a jerky motion. I just put some 90W gear lube on top of the strut bearing, it worked its way in over time and what a difference it made, can turn steering wheel with 1 hand now. I guess after 26 years, the grease dries up, nerve of that
Scott

 

I would agree with kentetsu and also say it is the ball joints.