Okay, here's the deal. My car comes out of alignment within a month of the last alignment. Each time the specs end up as they appear below:

Left Right
Toe Toe

.34 .15
.14 -.19
1.84 .28
.09 .10
.39 .58
-.45 .56

I have taken it to 2 VERY reputable shops and they say nothing is worn and can't figure it out. I personally have replaced the lower ball joints and the tie rod ends.

I notice some oil leakage coming from the boot that covers the driver's side inside tierod end but that's the only unusual thing.

The car also tends to wander but that goes away as soon as the alignment is put back to spec. Any ideas or do I need to offer an award to the person who figures this out ?

 

Are the lower control arms getting tightened up enough?
They have slots in them for adjusting the alignment, the vertical bolt and the horizontal bolt. You might have these coming loose enough to throw your alignment off.
The vertical bolt usually gets very rusty and does not want to come out, maybe yours is really rusty and won,t tighten up enough?
Just something to think about.

 

Thanks revtime, Are these the bolts that connect the LCA to the K-Member? Where exactly are these bolts located? I just go out from under the car and am not 100% sure which ones.

Also, do anyone thing this could be the steering rack?

 

my car does the samething????

 

Yes, they are the ones that bolt the Lower control arm to the K member. They should be easy to spot, its a big bolt. Just follow the arm into the kmember and you should see the bolt where it attaches.
these bolts require alot of torque on them so don,t be afraid to hulk out on them.
I think the only way the Rack and pinion could be responsible is if your tie rod ends are coming loose, which is unlikely if a good shop did the alignment.

 

what is your camber caster reading? and if there is oil could be possibly be the rack

34 .15
.14 -.19
1.84 .28 THIS A BEFORE AND AFTER? IF NOT THIS IS WAY OUT.
.09 .10
.39 .58
-.45 .56

 

I believe the inner tie rod sockets (part of the steering rack) can also go bad, just like the outer tie rods. One day I had my car on the lift at a friend/fellow racer's shop, and he was doing a once-over. He grabbed the tie rod and yanked it up and down, and told me keep an eye on them because they are starting to go. Hope that helps.

 

Nope that's a before of the left side (1.84) and the right side (.28)

 

Are you talking about the inner or out rod ends? Would that be an indicator of them going bad?

 

So, to test the inner tie rod ends, I just need to see if there is play by trying to move the inside portion of the tierod up and down?

 

As far as I could tell, that's all he did. I guess it would move forward and rearward too, being a socket.

 

Yes the inners could go bad but I did not want to mention that yet because it requires replacing the whole rack and pinion, kind of expensive and definately a PITA.

 

dont need to replace the steering rack for inner tie rods!!!! there are lots of tools available to change them out all you have to do is remove the dust boots to get to them..

 

Cool. I thought the whole damn thing had to come out.
I stand corrected.

 

Just curious, what tools would I need to change them out? I've done lower ball joints and outer tie rod ends. Is this a job I could handle???

Thanks.