When I drive my Comet, it wanders back and forth a lot down the road, it's very loose. I jacked up the front end and shook each wheel left and right to check for tie rod looseness. Both wheels moved back and forth together slightly, not just one wheel showed looseness independently, I get about an inch of play simutaneously in both wheels togethers, as I wiggle either wheel. Is it the rack as well as the tie rods?
I like to raise the vehicle several different ways to check either the suspension or the steering. If I am checking the steering I lift undr the lower control arms at the outmost safest position. Then the linkages are somewhat at the height as on the ground. When the suspension is hanging down there is stress on the steering linkages and the wear area of the links are not really apparant. There can be play in either the linkages, the power assist rack or the gear box..
Does the car have the power-assist steering system? If so, the road feel is going to be "too light" for most folks taste, even when it is 100%.
Yeah, it is a odd type of power steering compared to some of the other stuff running around in the day. Always had a very "floaty" feel too it .... over-boosted. I changed mine to manual steering, but kept the power box, for the tighter ratio. A straight manual steering box for these is a lot of spins turn-to-turn for leverage. My combo is a good feel at over 10 mph ... but very heavy at slow parking speeds, though, and you have to throw some shoulder at it then.
I have the same feel top my steering. Feels like I have some play in the steering wheel and a small movement past that play either left or right makes the car move a lot. I donthave my power steering hooked up either. Any ideas?
So I've been doing some reading to understand what I have, and here is my question. If I am driving straight, and holding the wheel still on a smooth level road, should my car always be floating left and right, forcing me to make constant steering corrections, or should it be driving somewhat straight with minimal corrections? I'm trying to decide if this is the nature of the beast, or a worn out system.
Ideally a car should not wonder, but the ram style power steering system seems to wander as it ages. What you can try is to jack up the front of the car, tires off the ground. Then have someone hold the steering wheel centered. Try and twist a wheel by hand, left and right, and see if there is play in the steering components. Could be a inner/outer tie rod, the p/s valve, or other another part.
@ Rusty...I did what you said and the wheels still have play as described in the beginning of the thread. I might just replace everything to be sure. It all looks original to me.
While you search for parts etc.. also look for who or where you will take the car for an alignment. Alot of shops don't have the specs or a person who knows how to adjust our cars.
So true.I called Brakes+ ,they said "ya we can do it".So I took it in to another one(no waiting),but these guys said"OH,We can't find the specs for it".I told them store#--- says they can.He called & they said to use mustang specs.I watched on the monitor as they adjusted...went from red zone to green zone .they dialed it right in .It feels 100% better.Put on about 4000 miles & tires still look good.When I buy new tires & rims,I'll find out who actually has maverick specs & use them. BTW, Mine was wandering extensively .Tie rods & ends & joints checked out ok,but found it to be the ball stud on the control valve that was shot.
