i noticed this on the freeway.. it seems that my car sporatically changes direction. i was on the highway doing about 85, and the car seems to realign itself with the road.. like not a full loss of control.. it just feels like the car is hopping about 2 inches to the right, then 2 inches to the left. still pointing in the same direction.. its hard to explain.. any ideas?

 

sounds like you need new shocks.

 

You haven't converted your power steering to manual while leaving the fluid in the rack, have you?

Let's hope it's the shocks, or crappy tires

 

tires are brand new sumitomos.. could it really be shocks? its not a shock type of thing. the car doesnt sway like over bumps.. its almost like someones jerking the wheel really fast and then straightning out.. like a millisecond.

edit: the car also had a manual rack.. 86 base model.

 

check for play in the steering,

have an assistant be in the car to stare at the steering wheel, or if your tall enough you can look in the cab to notice the wheel moving.

for each of the front wheels, try and steer them with your hand.

if you can steer the wheels a bunch without the steering wheel moving then its the steering system.

 

Ball joints? Does the steering wheel start vibrating at high speeds?

 

could also be crappy tires picking up rain grooves in the cement of the freeway.

Does it only happen on cement or does it happen on asphalt freeway sections as well???

 

( i had the same problem but only at high speeds 80+ i replaced the ball joints and car is fine now.
you should jack up the front of your car and grab one of your wheels and try to move it around, if there bad should move around fairly easy sloppy.

 

thats what im thinking.. it really just feels like somethings loose. i never noticed this with my azenzis tho. ive always had the 80mph shake alittle.. but this is different. i noticed it while flying down a surface street to at about that speed.
anyhow. thanks for the responses. ill check that out.

 

The phenomenon is called rut riding. The little depressions or tracks left in the pavement, usually asphalt, by large trucks, cause the tire edge to ride up the side of the depressions. It indicates something worn or loose in the steering.

Do the usual checks for tie-rods, ball joints, wheel bearings and steering sector play.

 

check your dtss bushings. that fixed my problem.

 

but what im talking about is the cars front seems to move back an forth you can feel it.
i hope your not talkin about : when you got wide tires and you tires just follow the grooves in the roads cause that happens all the time