Z moving to the right
10-25-2003, 11:19 PM
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
Z moving to the right
OK guys, this is the problem i am having with my z and it is just giving me headaches and worries every night. hehe
When i first brought my car the car was excellent condition. allignment and everything was perfect until one rainy night, i went over a curb and messed upmy whole strut mounts and strut etc. then i got them all fixed and got my self an allignment and even brougght a set of 4 brand new tires. i took it back to Nissan and the people there at the service drive really got on ur lastnerve. everytime i go there , i have to wait atleast a few hours before they can check out my car. i have taken it there few times and got my allignment and everything done and my car is still moving to the right when i let go of the steering wheel. can anyone pleaaaaaaaaaaaase help me out and let me know if u had the same problems or might know what ineed to do? my suspension is all fine. it still turns and rides well but at high speeds the steering wheel also shakes a little when i let go,maybe cause its moving to the right..
When i first brought my car the car was excellent condition. allignment and everything was perfect until one rainy night, i went over a curb and messed upmy whole strut mounts and strut etc. then i got them all fixed and got my self an allignment and even brougght a set of 4 brand new tires. i took it back to Nissan and the people there at the service drive really got on ur lastnerve. everytime i go there , i have to wait atleast a few hours before they can check out my car. i have taken it there few times and got my allignment and everything done and my car is still moving to the right when i let go of the steering wheel. can anyone pleaaaaaaaaaaaase help me out and let me know if u had the same problems or might know what ineed to do? my suspension is all fine. it still turns and rides well but at high speeds the steering wheel also shakes a little when i let go,maybe cause its moving to the right..
10-26-2003, 02:08 PM
#2
I'm Chillin
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 194
You probably need to check to see if you bent the frame at all! You also, if you have not already, should check all the parts to the suspension like the a-arms, tie rod, rack steering ect.. to see if you bent any of these parts ect.. Other than that I think I am out of ideas.
10-26-2003, 10:09 PM
#4
Guest
Posts: n/a
i understand what you guys are telling me but the mechanic would have notified me if that was the problem..the frame is not bent. its just pulling to the side. everything else in the car works fine. it drives fine too. just that it wont steer straight. what frame are u guys talking about exactly?..every other parts are fine. the mechanic checked underneath and everything. i got a new strud rod. got a new Front upper control arm. everything i bent is new!..new tires everything and now hes telling me if it happens ,bring it back and hell have to tweak it. which he dont liek to do to Zs but hell have to.
10-27-2003, 08:47 AM
#5
I'm Chillin
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 194
To be honest with you, everything cannot be fixed that you bent or you would not be having a problem right now. Look at anything that your wheel is connected to, check the bushings and look for weird shapes, have your steering column checked along with the rack system. May-be start with all the steering components first (since that is the direct problem) and work your way toward the wheel that hit the curb.
10-27-2003, 12:58 PM
#6
Guest
Posts: n/a
Safety issue?
Since you said that your car pulls to the right "...when I let go of the steering wheel..." it could simply bethe natural pull that all cars have(or should have for safety). If the pulls lightly it's fine because in north america and other right side drive countrys it is a common safety regulations that make it so that if a driver falls asleep the car veers to the right and not on to oncomming traffic. However, if the pull is too strong or abrupt a toe in ajustment should be done. (if the rest of the car is fine of course)
Hope this helps
Happy z ing
Hope this helps
Happy z ing
10-27-2003, 03:12 PM
#7
Guest
Posts: n/a
hey JPZ thanks for u help.that makes perfect sense. i think it needs a toe adjustment cause when the mechanic put it up on lifts and did the allignment, the comp showed some bad signs. and he has to even out the numbers manually by going under . but it still didnt work...So im guessing the toe Cambers need to be adjusted and i hope those bastards dont charge me more money. as i paid my allignment cost..I might aswell take my dad since they think they can con me cause im a teenager.
PeyZZZZ out!
PeyZZZZ out!
10-27-2003, 11:52 PM
#9
Guest
Posts: n/a
ofcourse i havent forgotten that. i know it wasnt like it before...the thing is, i just did a 120 on I4(highway) at 215am tonight and i shifted the car from lane to lane on 50..everything is great, the suspension is good, it hit 120 on the highway and it felt like i was cruising at 60. as in my honda accord if i go 100 i hear sparks in my ears!! hehe i just think they not working on my car properly,,if he can just take his time and work on my car carefully..well be good to go.. IM a take my pops this week, i dont care how cool the mechanic was with me. lol lataZ!
01-06-2004, 10:03 PM
#12
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Gerber, CA
Posts: 3,672
This is an old thread, but I figured I'd answer your question anyway. You could have a problem with the toe on the car. Toe and camber are to different things. You can purchase adjustable tension rods. This allows you to adjust the toe on the car. Likely what happened when you hit the curb if that you knocked the toe out, i.e., you made the right front wheel point slightly to the right, thus causing the car to have a tendency to go right. Tension Rods will allow you to adjust that problem. Unfortunately it does not always work. If you did bend the strut mount (upper or lower), you could be chasing an endless problem. Tension rods aren't too expensive. IMO, it's worth a try.
01-07-2004, 09:14 PM
#16
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Gerber, CA
Posts: 3,672
I'll go into this a little deeper than Rizz appears to want to.
Toe and camber are two different things. Toe refers to the direction that your wheels point. Here's an example. Pretend you are 'X' and you are standing on the engine. The slashes (/, |, \) are your wheels.
Front of car
This is Toe Out \ X /.
| |
Back of car.
See how the front tires point out. That's toe-out.
Front of car
This is Toe in / X \
| |
Back of car
See how the front tires point in. That's toe in.
You want all the tires pointing to the front. You may have some toe in for the back onf the car. It generally will handle better. These diagrams are obvious overexaggerations. If you can actually see the tires pointing in or out, then that is a problem. You should start there.
Camber is another beast. The easiest way to describe is like this. Try to envision the bumper of your car is gone so that you can see the tires from the front of the car. If the tops of the tires are closer together than the bottoms of the tires, then that is negative camber. The opposite is positive camber. We'll use the same slashes, but envision you're standing in front of the car.
This is negative camber / \.
This is positive camber \ /.
You're car probably has slightly negative camber. Once again, it handles better that way.
Tesnsion rods, as pictured above can help correct Toe in or out problems, but do nothing for camber.
Happy hunting.
Toe and camber are two different things. Toe refers to the direction that your wheels point. Here's an example. Pretend you are 'X' and you are standing on the engine. The slashes (/, |, \) are your wheels.
Front of car
This is Toe Out \ X /.
| |
Back of car.
See how the front tires point out. That's toe-out.
Front of car
This is Toe in / X \
| |
Back of car
See how the front tires point in. That's toe in.
You want all the tires pointing to the front. You may have some toe in for the back onf the car. It generally will handle better. These diagrams are obvious overexaggerations. If you can actually see the tires pointing in or out, then that is a problem. You should start there.
Camber is another beast. The easiest way to describe is like this. Try to envision the bumper of your car is gone so that you can see the tires from the front of the car. If the tops of the tires are closer together than the bottoms of the tires, then that is negative camber. The opposite is positive camber. We'll use the same slashes, but envision you're standing in front of the car.
This is negative camber / \.
This is positive camber \ /.
You're car probably has slightly negative camber. Once again, it handles better that way.
Tesnsion rods, as pictured above can help correct Toe in or out problems, but do nothing for camber.
Happy hunting.
01-07-2004, 09:20 PM
#17
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Gerber, CA
Posts: 3,672
The toe-in and out diagrams didn't show up right. Here they are again.
Toe in
front
/ X \
| |
back
Toe out
front
\ x /
| |
back
That should work.
If you have a headache after reading this, wash 3 advil down with a 6-pack of beer, then take your car to a mechanic once you've purchased your tension rods and ask him to install them.
Toe in
front
/ X \
| |
back
Toe out
front
\ x /
| |
back
That should work.
If you have a headache after reading this, wash 3 advil down with a 6-pack of beer, then take your car to a mechanic once you've purchased your tension rods and ask him to install them.
01-08-2004, 12:32 PM
#18
Guest
Posts: n/a
PROBLEM
I understand exactly what u trying to say, the TOE has to be Straight in the front like the back and not in or out.. the camber handles better when @negative..
althogh the problem is i think elsewhere,,,I still think allignment even tho nissan did it over and over and over like 5 -10 times ..
my car when im going over 65 the steering wheel is shaking(vibrating) and when i brake to slow down it also vibrates.and it moves to the right,, all the signs of allignment NEEDEd!
althogh the problem is i think elsewhere,,,I still think allignment even tho nissan did it over and over and over like 5 -10 times ..
my car when im going over 65 the steering wheel is shaking(vibrating) and when i brake to slow down it also vibrates.and it moves to the right,, all the signs of allignment NEEDEd!
01-08-2004, 05:36 PM
#19
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Gerber, CA
Posts: 3,672
Ok, so when you're coming to a stop, the steering wheel shakes. What happens when you step on the brakes real hard? Does the shaking improve, or does it get worse? If it improves, it's your tension rods. You could look under the car for the tension rods. They have oil filled bushings. If they are shot, they MAY be leaking. If you're just cruising along at 65 without applying the brakes and the car is shaking, it may not be the alignment. It could be that your tires are out of balance. It also could be that your tires are not properly inflated. The air pressure in a Z32 should be 32 PSI. The vibrating could be that your brake rotors are warped; which is very common with the stock brakes. I'm still thinking tension rods.
01-08-2004, 09:01 PM
#20
Guest
Posts: n/a
yes, when im coming to a stop and i have to brake to slow down, the steering wheel shakes and ofcourse pulls to the right. ive tried stepping on the brakes really hard, the steering wheel turns to the right.
if my tires were not balanced and not inflated, dont u think the mechanics nissan dealership would have told me if not the 1st,2nd,or 3rd time?.. its something serious i know that. plus i dont see any leaks underneath my car at anytime so oil is not leaking. Get back at me
if my tires were not balanced and not inflated, dont u think the mechanics nissan dealership would have told me if not the 1st,2nd,or 3rd time?.. its something serious i know that. plus i dont see any leaks underneath my car at anytime so oil is not leaking. Get back at me
01-09-2004, 09:57 AM
#21
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Gerber, CA
Posts: 3,672
So when you step on the brakes real hard it dives to the right. Does the vibration improve? If so, then I'd start with the tension rods. Could be your front left brake caliper is not working. You may want to take it to brake shop. How long have you had your brake pads? If you had them awhile, then you should be able to remove the front wheels and compare the brake pad wear. If the wear on right side is greater than that on the left, then it's probably not working properly. Might be idea to take it to a brake shop. They could inspect it. It probably would be less expensive than replacing the tension rods. I still think that the tension rod busings are shot and the toe is knocked out of spec on the front right. It could also be a combination of the 2. The shop that did the alignment should be able to measure toe and tell you if it's out of spec. If you don't have the adjustable tension rods, then you can't adjust the toe. You could have brake, tension rod bushing and toe problems. Get the alignment specs form the shop to see what the toe is at. INspect your brake pads, then go from there.
01-09-2004, 02:00 PM
#22
Guest
Posts: n/a
Ok i just got back from testing it out a little bit to exactly tell u whats happening.. As i take off and Brake Suddenly to come to a stop, the steering wheel does not vibrate(shake) but it does steer to the right unless im holding on to it firmly to keep it straight, it still tries to steer right. my brakes feel fine also. only problem with the brakes is that when i press down the brake pedal slightly, the pedal makes a squeeking soun, besides that, the brake level fluid is at the same place as always and the breaks feel alright. however, wheneveri go above 55-60+ mph, my steering wheel begins to vibrate and my hand aswell because im holding the steering wheel obviously. and when i brake to slow down when im gover 65+ it vibrates then also until it gets down to 35-40 mph.. Are u sure it can be the brake calipers or the tension rod? that can do all that damage,, and how come the z mechanic at Nissan said it was something to do witht he front frame!
01-09-2004, 04:42 PM
#23
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Gerber, CA
Posts: 3,672
Well anything's possible, but if it's the frame you're screwed. I prefer to think more positively. I'd like to see you get fixed and I have never trusted mechanics. You could have a seized, or partially seized caliper. Your brake fluid won't tell you anything. Even if it is the frame, the adjustable tension rods would allow you to adjust some of the problem out. Rizz showed you a diagram of the front suspenaion earlier. The bushings (shown in purple) could be worn, but that's not as likely. You can get adjustable Tension rods for $250. Take some time this weekend to inspect it yourself, if you can.
Jack the front end of the car up. Print out the diagram Rizz included earlier.
1st- Check the wear on your front brake pads (inside & outside pads) to verify they're even. Of course you're going to need to take the wheels off. If they're not, that may be your problem. If they are, then move on.
2nd- Inspect the tension rod bushings for any leaking or cracking. If you see either, then that's likely your problem. If you don't then the tension rods may be fine.
3rd- Try to shake the front suspension assembly back and forth. Just grab the brake rotor and try to move it front to back repeatedly. You don't want to turn the wheels, you just want to see if there's any "play" in the assembly.
If none of this works, then you may be fukt. Like I said, adjustable tension rods would allow the adjust out some of your problem, but it may be an endless problem. You could see premature tire wear; which gets expensive.
I probably should've asked this 1st, but how fast were you going when you hit the curb?
Jack the front end of the car up. Print out the diagram Rizz included earlier.
1st- Check the wear on your front brake pads (inside & outside pads) to verify they're even. Of course you're going to need to take the wheels off. If they're not, that may be your problem. If they are, then move on.
2nd- Inspect the tension rod bushings for any leaking or cracking. If you see either, then that's likely your problem. If you don't then the tension rods may be fine.
3rd- Try to shake the front suspension assembly back and forth. Just grab the brake rotor and try to move it front to back repeatedly. You don't want to turn the wheels, you just want to see if there's any "play" in the assembly.
If none of this works, then you may be fukt. Like I said, adjustable tension rods would allow the adjust out some of your problem, but it may be an endless problem. You could see premature tire wear; which gets expensive.
I probably should've asked this 1st, but how fast were you going when you hit the curb?
01-10-2004, 05:21 AM
#24
Guest
Posts: n/a
i was going about 55-60. Why would i be ****ed if My frame is bent?..I got a friend who is willing to help me out and take me to his friends body and mechanic shop and fix this problem... thanks for all ur help...and ill update u and let u know tomorrow what the problem really is and what the expense is..
01-10-2004, 05:50 PM
#25
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Gerber, CA
Posts: 3,672
When you bend the frame it's almost impossible to get it back to original. When you straighten the frame you will improve the problem, if that's the case, but it won't go away all together. You didn't answer my other question....How fast were you going when you hit the curb?
