DUUUDE...weird jerking/streering wheel angle

General discussion forum about the 240sx, and a great place to introduce yourself to the board!
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nismobenzo
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Joined: Tue Sep 15, 2009 3:18 am
Car: 240sx

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so sunday was our drift event here in oklahoma..my car ran great until my clutch fan somehow ate through my wiring harness and tore it to pieces. i also ripped off my ziptied on fiberglass bumper. anyways i barley got towed back(scraping up and down the trailor lol)i hooked myself onto the trailor via the front toe hook and rear axel then brough it back to the city. got everything fixed but i havnt replaced the clutch fan yet(the tips of some of the blades broke off). so i go to drive the car and realize one of my wheels had two lug nuts lose. i then tighten those but now my car seems to randomly lurch to the side while driving and my steering wheel has to be at about a 45 degree angle to go straight...
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my alignment was off before..but i never had to turn it this much to go straight..

nico has the most intelligent nissan people i know and i know alot of you drift so if you have any idea whats up let me know please! any list of ideas would help alottt..

a mechanic friend said it could just be the orileys tie rods i bought last year :facepalm:
Last edited by nismobenzo on Thu Aug 05, 2010 11:41 am, edited 1 time in total.


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costa_rican13
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Car: 1993 s13 coupe

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alignment may be neccesary. my steering wheel is the same. mine also pulls to the right.

ILoveMyRHS13
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Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2007 5:04 am
Car: 1990 Nissan 240sx (Hatch)

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Check your tie rods.

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nismobenzo
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Joined: Tue Sep 15, 2009 3:18 am
Car: 240sx

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what would i be looking for? just them being broken or what will indicate them being bad...sorry the noob question had to be asked =/

ILoveMyRHS13
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Car: 1990 Nissan 240sx (Hatch)

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They could be bent/broken.

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nismobenzo
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Joined: Tue Sep 15, 2009 3:18 am
Car: 240sx

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oh ok thanks! ive bounced ideas off ppl...and a few said just get it aligned because i never have before..other have said there car has always ridden like that since they got it..damn s13s haha

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breadbox
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Joined: Tue Oct 17, 2006 4:09 pm
Car: 89 Nissan 240SX
89 Koop
84 720 4x4KC
Location: Va Bch

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tie rod.

sandcrabsailor
Posts: 152
Joined: Sun Sep 06, 2009 4:41 pm
Car: 1993 240sx SE HB
Location: Silverdale, WA
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Had a similar issue with my BMW Z3 after I loaned it to a friend :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

Turns out that the "ultimate driving machine" is not meant to be drifted by a newb trying to impress a girl. It is especially not made to take curb impact at speed.

My wheel would jerk to the right, the steering was wobbly, and the whole thing pulled to the right. Keeping a constant left was the only way to get it somewhat straight.

It was the tie rods, completely demolished and looking somewhat like melty pretzels.

For you, the smart money is on the tie rods. If those are bent or broken, then your entire steering geometry will be thrown off. If you have any sort of camber or toe, this issue is multiplied my a magnitude of however many degrees you have of camber and/or toe.

Fortunately, this is a somewhat easy fix with plenty of documented "how to" knowledge, especially here. Unfortunately, the sport of drifting seems to produce three common casualties:
Tires, tie rods, and body work.

The other good thing is tie rods are relatively inexpensive. Then again, "relatively" is a relative term.

Good luck, keep us posted!

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nismobenzo
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Car: 240sx

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uhhh...is it supposed to bend towards the rim???
Image

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allenms240
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Joined: Sun Mar 08, 2009 5:54 pm
Car: 1991 Nissan 240SX

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ILoveMyRHS13 wrote:Check your tie rods.
Tie rods indeed.
^^ your picture is correct, thats how the outer tie rod is supposed to be.
A month ago, I was drifting in this deserted intersection with a few buddies, I kept hitting my passenger size tire in a small bump. It turns out, after constantly hitting that bump, that it bent the tie rod up. I got a new one, but days later (after only DD) it was bent again. So i found few more and luckily nothing has been bending. But InnerTie rod definitely, it goes from the steering rack an pinion to the outer tie rod (pictured)
Also, when I hit a curb, I drove it to a local gas station to repair, I dove just like that(my wheel all wack just to go straight), upon further inspection, I bent rear upper control arm and toe rod, replacing the parts fixed the steering.

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nismobenzo
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Car: 240sx

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so you think my outer tie rod is fine but my inner is jacked up

this is helping alot so any other thoughts about this would be much appriciated

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Gabes13
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Car: rb20det s13
Location: St. Pete, Fl.

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Your car is lowered so the tie rods will be pointing up and and the ends will have a "binding look". The inners is what you should look at. Undo the boot and pull it towards the end. You should know whether it's bent or not.

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allenms240
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Car: 1991 Nissan 240SX

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http://www.mestiso.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=340
The first picture is of the inner/outer tie rod. The actual rod that goes into the steering rack is the inner tie rod, see if it is bent at all.

That's what we are here for :D

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nismobenzo
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Joined: Tue Sep 15, 2009 3:18 am
Car: 240sx

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well my tie rod was loose and i need a new balljoint...
and if you have a crappy tire where the rubber is kinda wavy will it make ur welded diff chirp that specific tire?? i also have stiff a** coils if that helps

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nismobenzo
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Joined: Tue Sep 15, 2009 3:18 am
Car: 240sx

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also..im thinking about getting these
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s13/14 inner and pillow ball outer tie rod with bumper steer adjustablity


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