My car pushes

[QWKDTSN]

Let me see if I can recall my setup: I have Tokico Illumina 5-ways, Ground Control coilovers with Eibach springs, 225 front 250 rear (IIRC). I have the MSA stiff swaybar kit and a rear strut brace. I have an open R200. With the front swaybar installed, the car definitely pushes; I decided to install the rear swaybar because I had read that this will bias the handling more towards oversteer, especially with an open diff. Turns out, the car just handles scary. It's literally as though the steering wheel has no effect upon the front wheels. I can swing the wheel a full 90 degree rotation and wait... and then it kind of starts to turn in. Let up on the wheel, and it keeps turning for a few heartbeats... and then quits turning And this isn't through fast or sharp turns, either, this is through my standard set of sweepers that can be taken by a well set up car at 80-85 but which I was running through around 55-65. This happens when I'm barely even pushing the car. Any ideas?

[blueovalz]

Have you checked the alignment?

[jkube]

Can you give some more info on your setup so we can help you figure this out

 

- Tire type sizes, pressures, condition - are they worn & old or new ?

 

- Toe in settings in front. - Did you lower the car and not check toe-in afterwards?

 

- Ride height for front/rear does the car seem to sit level front to rear?

 

- Shock settings for front/rear. how many turns are they set too?

 

- Do you have stock, worn or new urethene bushings?

 

- What condition are the balljoints, tierods, steering rack. - New or older?

 

Some of the symptoms you describe seem to be from the last item - balljoints, tierods and steering rack condition.

 

Also is the understeer the same in both directions, or is it only bad one way and not in the other direction?

[JMortensen]

I have had a similar swaybar experience. I was driving my little Toy P/U through the canyons to go ride my dirt bike and it was getting a little hairy, especially when I had friends along and 3 motorcycles in the back, so I installed a rear sway bar. Contrary to what you might think, this made the truck plow really bad, so I then upgraded the front bar, and the problem was solved.

 

I think you need to run both your front and rear aftermarket sway bars for the best results.

 

3 most important mods I did to my Z to solve the push in order of importance:

 

1. Increased caster

2. Increased neg camber

3. Installed strut tower bars

 

Obviously you'll need some adjustable suspension parts to change the caster and camber, and strut tower bars are not stock either (you said you have a rear bar, no front?). On an otherwise stock Z with the springs and shocks you listed, all you can do is change front toe and tire pressures and ride height, although ride height will also change camber.

 

These were the most important upgrades after the basics, better springs, shocks, and bushings. Eventually I ended up with heims jointed control arms and TC rods.

 

The info Jkube asked for would be very helpful in narrowing down the possible culprits.

 

Jon

[260DET]

The preceeding advice should cover it, actually a similar thing happened to me but that was at a race track when the tyres went off during a very hot day.

 

Seems like the real problem began when you installed the rear anti-sway bar. A bit of a long shot but is the rear bar fouling anything or for whatever reason not able to work properly?

[QWKDTSN]

I'm getting my car aligned this week or next (then off to the dyno!), then I'll let you guys know what's up... yes, I did lower it without getting it aligned It's been lowered for oh.. two years or so... without being aligned Driven VERY little of course... Everything I described above is WITH the rear sway bar installed. I was dissappointed because the car pushed without it, but with it, it became a mess. We'll see what proper toe-in settings and all that do to the equation.

 

My tires are Yokohama AVS Intermediates, almost new, I run like 35lbs cold in them... Ball joints are new and the rest of the steering has no play. It sits pretty level front/rear.... I change the settings around on my Illuminas a lot depending on the roads. I mostly notice by the "seat of the pants" how much rebound damping goes in when I firm them up so I usually just run them on like 1-2 for regular driving.. 3-4-5 whatever for when I'm really in a frisky mood. Oh, and the one thing I forgot is that my car has a full urethane bushing set.

[74_5.0L_Z]

Is it possible that you are bottoming the struts? You said you lowered the car. How much have you lowered the car? Have you sectioned the struts?

 

If you bottom out the front struts, the car will push badly, and no amount of additional sway bar on the rear will correct it.

[QWKDTSN]

They're sectioned 2" and the car is lowered about 2", i'd say. I don't think I've ever bottomed them out.

[TimZ]

Oh, and the one thing I forgot is that my car has a full urethane bushing set.

 

Did this include new steering rack bushings? Your description sounds like your steering rack is moving back and forth. Try watching the steering rack while a friend turns the wheel back and forth while parked on dry pavement. The rack should not move.