I installed Tein coilovers on the front of my car, and replaced the right side control arm with one that is complete with ES bushings. The left side control arm still has the stock rubber bushings. My issue is that when I'm turning left any more than 30* or so at any speed higher than 5 mph, the left front tire squeals, and it feels like just that tire is understeering. It's a weird feeling. When I turn right though, the car handles like a dream. My alignment is a little off, that probably has something to do with it. However, I don't think it should be as extreme as it is right now. Anyone got any advice or tips?

Get it aligned ASAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Get it aligned ASAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:biggthump

Ok then! :biggthump

Might have overlooked this........Air pressure in the tire

Just an update, I checked the toe of the car, and there was massive toe-out on the right side front wheel. I adjusted the tie rod and now the car steers perfect. No more squealing, a ton more grip, and no more major tire wear. I think when I bent my control arm a couple years ago, and had the car inspected, the mechanics compensated for the messed up caster by adjusting the tierod. It's the only explanation as to why the tie rod length was way out of spec. Replacing the bent control arm with a brand new one corrected the caster but the toe setting was still there... but now it's fixed :D

Just an update, I checked the toe of the car, and there was massive toe-out on the right side front wheel. I adjusted the tie rod and now the car steers perfect. No more squealing, a ton more grip, and no more major tire wear. I think when I bent my control arm a couple years ago, and had the car inspected, the mechanics compensated for the messed up caster by adjusting the tierod. It's the only explanation as to why the tie rod length was way out of spec. Replacing the bent control arm with a brand new one corrected the caster but the toe setting was still there... but now it's fixed :D

You don't adjust for messed up caster with the tie rods. You can't do anything about messed up caster with out bending things back or gettting GC plates and coilovers. BTW, when you do a alignment you want the tierods the same length on each side. Sounds like you looked at this and compensated by only doing one side. Good job.

Like we said, get it aligned ;)

You don't adjust for messed up caster with the tie rods. You can't do anything about messed up caster with out bending things back or gettting GC plates and coilovers. BTW, when you do a alignment you want the tierods the same length on each side. Sounds like you looked at this and compensated by only doing one side. Good job.

A bit pissy today aren't you?

I said I replaced the control arm, the tie rod length (L) was out of spec compared to the numbers found in the FSM. I corrected the tie rod length and now the car drives straight. What the fuck is your deal? Reading comprehension is AMAZING.

Let me spell it out for you:

1. Replaced the bent control arm
2. Car's alignment was messed up
3. Checked the tie rod length and adjusted it
4. Car now drives straight

installed Tein coilovers...replaced the right side control arm with ES bushings...left side control arm still has the stock rubber bushings...My alignment is a little off...I adjusted the tie rod ... the mechanics compensated for the messed up caster by adjusting the tierod...I corrected the tie rod length...I corrected the tie rod length...Car now drives straight
Have you aligned it yet, or have you just measured tie-rod length? Your car needs to have a 4 wheel alignment. You have height adjustable struts, meaning your ride height has changed. If you changed the ride height you changed the toe. Probably pretty drastically, bump steer is bad on the b chassis. Old bushings on one side and ES on the other is not a good idea. There are more variables involved with an alignment than tie-rod length.

You're correct, I do need a four wheel alignment. However, when I corrected the length back to factory specs, the car drove straight. I don't see where I'm compensating for anything like 98sr20ve said I was. I fixed the caster issue by replacing the control arm, and reset the length of the tierod to factory spec. I had not touched the tie rods or control arms before doing this, so therefore I'm led to believe it was touched at some point before. The only reason I could think of why a mechanic would adjust it would be for the messed up control arm. I corrected the wandering to the right and tracking of the car by setting the tie rod back to spec. Yeah, I'll need to have the toe correctly set for wear purposes, but as of now the car is driving straight.

A bit pissy today aren't you?

I said I replaced the control arm, the tie rod length (L) was out of spec compared to the numbers found in the FSM. I corrected the tie rod length and now the car drives straight. What the fu*k is your deal? Reading comprehension is AMAZING.

Let me spell it out for you:

1. Replaced the bent control arm
2. Car's alignment was messed up
3. Checked the tie rod length and adjusted it
4. Car now drives straight

Not pissy at all. You clearly don't understand a thing I said but if you don't want real help SEE YA.

Adding to ignore list so I don't every try and help you again.

There is the alternative.^^^ I think other folks, including myself, where trying to see past the ignorance of your statements but still help you. 98sr20ve called a spade a spade. I can't blame him. There are a few obvious principles you are not understanding. First of all before you argue with anyone, get an alignment. Until you have a print out you don't know what you are argueing, obviously. I was nice and edited the part out about you talking out your ass in my previous post. Maybe now you need to hear it. Toe and caster are two different things. You don't compensate with one to adjust another. Caster can effect toe, but not vice-versa. Toe is Toe. Get an alignment and post the print out. If you don't show your arguementative ignorance maybe someone will help.
BTW I just notice you replace the fronts with Tein coilovers, what's in the rear? A very stiff front and a stock rear can't handle that good. Read some of the alignment threads in the Techincal section. Be nice and don't act like a punk and you just might learn something.

I actually complimented him on doing the adjustment of the tie rods properly. Geez, and then he bites my head off for correcting is mistake about adjusting caster. I don't hand out compliments very often either, and this is what I get for it. He still needs a proper alignment but he is probably pretty close if the wheel is straight again AND he only adjusted one side and never touched the other side.

There is the alternative.^^^ I think other folks, including myself, where trying to see past the ignorance of your statements but still help you. 98sr20ve called a spade a spade. I can't blame him. There are a few obvious principles you are not understanding. First of all before you argue with anyone, get an alignment. Until you have a print out you don't know what you are argueing, obviously. I was nice and edited the part out about you talking out your ass in my previous post. Maybe now you need to hear it. Toe and caster are two different things. You don't compensate with one to adjust another. Caster can effect toe, but not vice-versa. Toe is Toe. Get an alignment and post the print out. If you don't show your arguementative ignorance maybe someone will help.
BTW I just notice you replace the fronts with Tein coilovers, what's in the rear? A very stiff front and a stock rear can't handle that good. Read some of the alignment threads in the Techincal section. Be nice and don't act like a punk and you just might learn something.

You're both missing what I'm trying to say. Please reread my posts. Nowhere did I say Toe and caster are the same thing. Maybe one more time...

My control arm was bent, and my caster was messed up. I replaced the control arm and fixed my caster issue. However, after replacing the control arm, I noticed terrible wandering and squealing tires. I looked at the wheels with the steering wheel centered, and noticed that my right side wheel had terrible toe out, very very noticeable toe out. I checked the tie-rod length, and adjusted it back to FSM specifications. The tires no longer squeal, I have great grip, and the car does not wander anymore. Nevermind the other issues I have to work out in my suspension, I'm aware of those. I'm just talking about this issue with the tie rod being out of spec. The only way it could have gotten out of spec like that is if someone had touched it beforehand. When I adjusted it back to spec, it was the first time I touched the tie rod. The fact that I adjusted it back to spec, and the car doesn't wander anymore and drives straight and holds great, means that under factory conditions my toe settings are good. With my new suspension components, yes, it's not anymore.. I'm not talking about that though. This is why I said in my original post that I knew I needed an alignment, but I was surprised that my car was behaving that erratically. I was just talking specifically about the extreme toe out.

To 98sr20ve, I apologize for being snappy. I can never tell the difference between sarcasm and genuine compliments on the internet. I'm quick to judge, I assume. You have me on ignore, but someone might quote me.. :tongue:

I actually complimented him on doing the adjustment of the tie rods properly. Geez, and then he bites my head off for correcting is mistake about adjusting caster. I don't hand out compliments very often either, and this is what I get for it. He still needs a proper alignment but he is probably pretty close if the wheel is straight again AND he only adjusted one side and never touched the other side.

:sigh:

What mistake did I make about adjusting caster? I straight up said, I fixed the caster issue by replacing the bent control arm with a new one. I did not say I, MYSELF, personally tried compensating for the messed up caster by adjusting the tie rod.

- replaced bent control arm to fix caster
- noticed car wandered, saw messed up toe
- adjusting tie rod back to FSM specs


I did not:

- adjust toe to compensate for caster of bent control arm

I said:

- I assumed a mechanic or someone before me attempted to compensate for caster of bent control arm by adjusting toe, as this was the only explanation possible for having a tie rod length that was out of factory specifications

There is the alternative.^^^ I think other folks, including myself, where trying to see past the ignorance of your statements but still help you. 98sr20ve called a spade a spade. I can't blame him. There are a few obvious principles you are not understanding. First of all before you argue with anyone, get an alignment. Until you have a print out you don't know what you are argueing, obviously. I was nice and edited the part out about you talking out your ass in my previous post. Maybe now you need to hear it. Toe and caster are two different things. You don't compensate with one to adjust another. Caster can effect toe, but not vice-versa. Toe is Toe. Get an alignment and post the print out. If you don't show your arguementative ignorance maybe someone will help.
BTW I just notice you replace the fronts with Tein coilovers, what's in the rear? A very stiff front and a stock rear can't handle that good. Read some of the alignment threads in the Techincal section. Be nice and don't act like a punk and you just might learn something.

Look at what you're missing I'm saying first, and then you can talk to me about ignorance.

I think when I bent my control arm a couple years ago, and had the car inspected, the mechanics compensated for the messed up caster by adjusting the tierod. It's the only explanation as to why the tie rod length was way out of spec. Replacing the bent control arm with a brand new one corrected the caster but the toe setting was still there... but now it's fixed :D

. I think when I bent my control arm a couple years ago, and had the car inspected, the mechanics compensated for the messed up caster by adjusting the tierod. It's the only explanation as to why the tie rod length was way out of spec. Replacing the bent control arm with a brand new one corrected the caster but the toe setting was still there... but now it's fixed :D


They did not compensate for messed up caster by adjusting the tierod. That is wrong and thats what I said from the start.

Did you get a alignment with the bent control arm?

I was saying that they did because that is the only explanation for why the tie rod length was way out of spec. That or some magical suspension fairies messed with my tie rod one night.

I did not get an alignment with the bent control arm. I had driven with it like that for quite some time, and decided to start overhauling my suspension last weekend. When I replaced the bent control arm with a straight one, I noticed my toe was messed up. I adjusted my toe back to spec. I feel like a broken record.

I feel like a broken record.

Well, I am just trying to understand these statements YOU made.

I think when I bent my control arm a couple years ago, and had the car inspected, the mechanics compensated for the messed up caster by adjusting the tierod.

If they adjusted the tie rod on the damaged side with a bent tie rod then they were attempting to fix your TOE. Not your caster. If they adjusted the tie rods on the damaged side with the damaged control arm then you replace the control arm then it makes perfect sense that adjusting the tie rod on that side back to where it would make the steering wheel straight (assuming it was straight before) also makes perfect sense. Either that or you just got lucky. It's something like that.