steering alignment advice.
6th Gear
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: santa clara usa
steering alignment advice.
hi everyone and thanks for all the previous great advice.
I have an 86 ford e-150 van and am planning on taking it
on a 8 hour drive for thanksgiving. The steering pulls a bit
to the right and isnt a big problem unless i am on the freeway
when i wish it would jus go straight.
i seldom take the van on the freeway except for a couple of big trips
a year.
another problem is the steering seems a little vague. i know it
is a van and won't perform like my bmw, but i was wondering if this
could also be adjust.
what are some estimates that i should be looking at and where should
i be taking my van.
I have done all the service myself, plugs, radiator, heater core,
brakes and hate to take it somewhere to have it worked on, but there
is no way for me to take care of the alignment is there?
thanks for the advice
michele
I have an 86 ford e-150 van and am planning on taking it
on a 8 hour drive for thanksgiving. The steering pulls a bit
to the right and isnt a big problem unless i am on the freeway
when i wish it would jus go straight.
i seldom take the van on the freeway except for a couple of big trips
a year.
another problem is the steering seems a little vague. i know it
is a van and won't perform like my bmw, but i was wondering if this
could also be adjust.
what are some estimates that i should be looking at and where should
i be taking my van.
I have done all the service myself, plugs, radiator, heater core,
brakes and hate to take it somewhere to have it worked on, but there
is no way for me to take care of the alignment is there?
thanks for the advice
michele
Thread Starter
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Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 18,488
Likes: 22
From: The Big, Oregon
steering alignment advice.
If you get a good book on your truck, they will tell you how to align your truck, but the best way is to have somebody do it. The vague steering is most likely related. What you should do is jack it up, and put stands under the I-beams, to take weight off of the tires. Then, with someone to help you, shake the tire side to side, and top to bottom. If you feel any looseness, have your buddy see what is moving. Most of the time, the movement is too small to see, and is better felt. Whatever is loose, replace it. Steering parts are easy if your have a tie rod puller, or a BFH. Kingpins are another story, and to change them you should go to a shop. If, after replacing the bad parts, it doesn't pull anymore, you can hold off on the alignment until you get back, just get it done eventually. If it still pulls, get it aligned before you go.
Jared
Jared
Moderator
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 56,997
Likes: 2,742
From: Virginia
steering alignment advice.
A good alignment shop will check it before they do an alignment. It can't be aligned properly if it's loose. I have had them find something bad, and instead of letting them do it, I will take it home and do it myself. They will usually charge a small fee for looking at it. Then I can take it back and get them to align it after I put the new parts in.
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