Pull to left when driving

[eugenepeabody]

Good day,

I hope you're all staying safe.

I'm coming to the experts again to help with an issue my Delorean started having. I've had this car for a little over a year. It's been a reliable ride except for one time when the fuel pump harness came loose while driving. I came to the experts here and you were able to diagnosis the problem and help me fix it.

I have my second problem with the car. It has started to pull left when driving. I raised the car today to see if there was any friction on spinning the front wheels to see if it is a brake issue, but they are spinning freely. There's no wobble to the wheels and the tie rods are solid. I visually don't see anything wrong, but I'm far from an expert. I have included pictures of my lower control arms as them being bent is my biggest worry.

I did notice that as soon as the front was lifted my steering wheel turned to the right. I have included a picture of this as well.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

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[Bitsyncmaster]

Looks like your "anti-roll bar" the nuts are not really seated in your photo. I expect you would see more of the bar threads.

[eugenepeabody]

Thanks for the reply.

Since the car is pulling to the left, would you suggest I tighten the right side and see if that improves it?

[David T]

Check the pressures in your tires. The correct pressures are on a label on the glove box door. If that doesn't fix it, you need to go to a shop with an alignment rack. Also check the date codes on your tires. If they are over 7 years old they should be replaced.

[eugenepeabody]

Thanks David

Sorry, I should have mentioned the obvious stuff. Tire pressures are equal and to spec. Tires were new when the car was bought last year.

[Bitsyncmaster]

Thanks for the reply.

Since the car is pulling to the left, would you suggest I tighten the right side and see if that improves it?

Make sure both are tight. I don't remember the torque and not sure if there was a suggestion to double nut them.

[Ron]

+1 Bitsy


Thanks for the reply.

Since the car is pulling to the left, would you suggest I tighten the right side and see if that improves it?
Stabilizer Bar — Lower Control Arm
INNER-OUTER 44 lb. ft . - 68 lb. ft. (60 Nm-90 Nm)

Stabilizer Bar Pivot (on Chassis)
26 lb. ft.(36 Nm)
Workshop Manual (http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?2866-Searchable-Workshop-Technical-Bulletins-and-Volvo-Engine-Manuals) A:02:03

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Stabilizer bar at lower control arm
55 Ft./lb (75Nm)
J:13:01

Check its bushings...obviously. :tongue:

[eugenepeabody]

Stabilizer bar at lower control arm
55 Ft./lb (75Nm)
J:13:01

Check its bushings...obviously. :tongue:

This is the area Bitsy is referring to correct?

[Ron]

Yep; stabilizer bar = anti-sway bar = anti-roll bar.

[eugenepeabody]

Yep; stabilizer bar = anti-sway bar = anti-roll bar.

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

[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.

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[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.

http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=47210&d=1478572172

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?

[Ron]

Both wheels do turn freely. Does that pretty much disqualify the brakes from being the issue????
No. Read my previous post...

[Bitsyncmaster]

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

You can have an intermittent sticking brake cylinder. Next time it happens, stop and feel each front wheel. If it's sticking most likely that wheel will be hot.

[Jonathan]

Had a look at your brake fluid reservoir lately? How's the fluid look inside? Level where it should be? Anything noticeable on the outside of it, dripping down, etc.?

[David T]

It is also possible you have a bad brake hose and it is acting like a check valve. When the caliper gets hot it builds up pressure and drags the wheel. Point here is if the car is acting normal and when it gets warmed up/hot it starts pulling to one side, you have a problem with the brakes. If it pulls to the left when braking it means the right side isn't working but if it pulls to the left when you aren't using the brakes it means the left side is sticking. Typically if you have a problem you just rebuild/replace both calipers at the same time. If they are all corroded inside you do the whole system.

[Ethan Rode]

Going back to the sway bar...

You'll need to pull the bar to adequately inspect the four bushings in the control arms. Just because the nut is tight, doesn't mean the bushings are.

[DMCMW Dave]

Going back to the sway bar...

You'll need to pull the bar to adequately inspect the four bushings in the control arms. Just because the nut is tight, doesn't mean the bushings are.

The OEM bushings are notoriously fragile. Common for the rubber to tear off the metal center.