Why does my steering wander all over the place?

If your car doesn’t have a definite pull to one side, but instead a sloppy, undisciplined tendency to wander all over the place, the first thing to think about is wear in the steering and suspension. Direct observation is the best way to find this, but you’ll need a helper.

What does it mean when your steering line is too far apart?

This condition is commonly referred to as dog tracking. Technically this occurs when your vehicle’s “thrust line” and centerline are too far apart. On vehicles with solid rear axles, the thrust line is perpendicular to the rear axle.

What can I do to get my steering back to normal?

Replacing coil springs or adjusting torsion bars can bring alignment back into specs. WOOF! Even if the front wheels are perfectly aligned and tires properly inflated, you may still have to steer constantly in one direction or the other to keep the vehicle going straight up the road.

What causes a steering wheel to pull to one side?

Low tire pressure will cause a wheel to pull. THIS SIDE UP: A quick camber check can be done with a level and two simple spacers. If your car doesn’t have a definite pull to one side, but instead a sloppy, undisciplined tendency to wander all over the place, the first thing to think about is wear in the steering and suspension.

What causes the idler arm to come out of the steering box?

With a parallelogram steering system–the kind with a Pitman arm coming out of the steering box–you may see the idler or Pitman arm moving up and down. Or you may notice slop in the tie-rod ends or perhaps more rotational action going into the steering box than coming out.

What causes excessive play on the steering wheel?

Problem: Excessive Play in Steering 1 Possible Cause #1: Looseness in steering gear. 2 Possible Cause #2: Looseness in steering linkage. 3 Possible Cause #3: Worn ball joints or steering knuckle. 4 Possible Cause #4: Loose wheel bearing.

What does loose steering do to a car?

This bounces the steering wheel from side to side and rotates the input shaft in the steering box until it “catches” at its maximum extent on each side where the actual tires would begin to turn (hope that makes sense). Doing this I can rotate the steering wheel back and forth between the 9:00 and 3:00 positions.

What causes the steering wheel to wobble at the front?

Problem: Steering Shimmy. Shimmy is basically the wobbling of your front wheel on its steering axis, leading to a distinctive side-to-side shake at the front end of your vehicle. Possible Cause #1: Uneven or low tire pressure. Possible Cause #2: Loose steering gear or linkage.

What causes steering to wander from one side of the road?

Problem: Steering Wander. Wander is a vehicle’s tendency to to drift from one side of the road to the other. Possible Cause #1: Mismatched tires or uneven tire pressure. Possible Cause #2: Linkage binding or insufficiently lubricated.

How to diagnose a steering system problem?

1 1: Friction in your steering system — steering gear, linkage, etc. 2 Possible Cause #2: Friction in suspension system requiring lubrication or replacement of components. 3 Possible Cause #3: Excessive negative camber. 4 Possible Cause #4: Issues within power steering system.

What to do if your car is steering the wrong way?

Also, there’ll be more tread-to-pavement drag on the low side, pulling the car in that direction. If the problem persists, try switching the positions of the right and left tire/wheel assemblies. If the car pulls in the opposite direction after you’ve done this, you’ve found tire trouble. Check your tires’ tread-wear patterns.

Do you have steering issues after an hour of driving?

The kids in the back seat are screaming for Dramamine, and you’re fatigued after only an hour of driving. There’s no doubt about it–you definitely have some steering issues.

Can a bad upper control arm cause steering problems?

Deteriorated upper control arm bushings can cause serious steering problems, and probably a lot of clunking to boot. Look down on them while your helper holds the brakes and shifts from Drive to Reverse and back.

Do you need to saw the steering wheel back and forth?

Almost, because it’s windy and you need to saw the steering wheel back and forth, tacking like a sailboat, to stay in your lane. That is, until you make a short rest stop and realize that there’s no wind whatsoever.

What causes wandering and memory steer on a Ford F350?

If those cams are not removed, cleaned and lubed the new ball joints may not seat properly causing the steering knuckle to compress and bind the new ball joints. Which causes “wandering” and “memory steer” Click to expand… You have drop down brackets for the radius arms? Stock radius arms ?

Is the steering wheel wobble in a Ford F350?

The steering wheel doesn’t have any wobble. There’s no pull when the brakes are applied. There doesn’t seem to be any excessive play in the steering wheel.