Pull to left when driving

[Jonathan]

Here's a few pics of when I had my own front sway bar off and replaced the bushings. Dave is talking about the ends of this bar as they protrude through the lower control arms, with the bushings in place, and the double nuts on the far end.

Take some pics of your own for comparison and post here if you'd like.

IMG_5408.jpgIMG_5430.jpgIMG_5434.jpgIMG_5438.jpg

[eugenepeabody]

Thank you. That's what I thought. It appears I have the nylock nuts. I tried to tighten them with my torque wrench, but they weren't budging.

[DMC-81]

Sorry, I meant the area Bitsy was referring to that seems like it is undertightened. That area should be torqued to 55ft/lb?

Here's a reference picture of the same side if it helps.



Yes, there was a recall ( SC-01-11.81 ) to double nut the bar at the lower control arm. That is what the red paint is in the ref pic. The recall states 44 ft/lbs on the thin nut, and 68 ft/lbs on the thick nut.

https://www.dmcnews.com/bulletins/SC-01-11.81.html

See "page 3", (or the 5th page in the link).

Edit: Jonathan beat me to the punch.

[Ron]

If it's not not double-nutted, maybe guesstimate how much it takes to loosen it with a torque wrench to see if is seized??
...Which would mean you'd have to take it to an alignment shop anyway.

[eugenepeabody]

I took the front wheels off and inspected everything more thoroughly. I don't think it's the sway bar. The bushings looks good and was able to give it a go with my torque wrench and it clicked immediately.

I rotated the front tires and went for a quick drive on the empty night streets. This was a great chance to do some hard braking. When I brake it really pulls to the left sometimes with a hard lurch. I think it's the brakes.

[Ron]

Check for signs of a HOT rotor...or one getting hot well before the other.

Hung piston?? Check that both come on and release at the ~same time.

EDIT: If it is double-nutted, you'd need to remove the locking nut first. Either way, increase the torque wrench in small steps past spec to see how much it takes to loosen the first nut. (Then torque it back to spec...)

[Jason]

Maybe the bushing where the lower control arm attaches to the frame is bad, allowing the inner part of the control arm to more forward and back?

[David T]

Rebuild or replace the front brake calipers. If you haven't been flushing the brake fluid figure on rebuilding the whole brake system and clutch system. In you first post you didn't mention braking. In fact, you said both wheels turned freely. A stuck piston in a caliper will certainly make the car pull to one side and is especially noticeable when braking.

[Ron]

Rebuild or replace the front brake calipers. If you haven't been flushing the brake fluid figure on rebuilding the whole brake system and clutch system. In you first post you didn't mention braking. In fact, you said both wheels turned freely. A stuck piston in a caliper will certainly make the car pull to one side and is especially noticeable when braking.

+1

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There's good chance it is the right piston not moving, leaving all of the work (and pull) to the left side. ...Being why checking what heats up and when for clues to whether it is a brake problem at all.

[eugenepeabody]

Rebuild or replace the front brake calipers. If you haven't been flushing the brake fluid figure on rebuilding the whole brake system and clutch system. In you first post you didn't mention braking. In fact, you said both wheels turned freely. A stuck piston in a caliper will certainly make the car pull to one side and is especially noticeable when braking.

Both wheels do turn freely. Does that pretty much disqualify the brakes from being the issue?