Handling problems
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 477
Likes: 1
From: florida
Handling problems
I have a 2000 navigator since new. I've never cared for the way it handles, but as of late it worries me. It has 140k miles and runs fine. The steering is very twichy. I have to be diligent or it starts to move side to side. I'm going to have it repaired, but if someone could point me to some things to look for.
This car has had nothing done to the front end ever and is on the 3rd set of tires.
thanks in advance.
This car has had nothing done to the front end ever and is on the 3rd set of tires.
thanks in advance.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 477
Likes: 1
From: florida
I'll have the lower ball joints checked and thanks for the tip. I'll also have the frontend aligned. Any more they put very little toe-in on alignment. I suppose because of excessive tire wear, but I've thought a little toe in or castor adjustment can help stabilize an automobile. Again I haven't spent a dime on this frontend in 9 years, so I guess I its due.
Hotshot
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 11,537
Likes: 27
From: Long Beach, Ms.
Start it in park and then have somebody move the steering wheel back and forth. Observe the tires for movement. If the wheel has more than a couple of inches of rotation before the tire starts to respond you need to check the steering box for slack. The box can be tightened by loosing the lock-nut on the adjusting screw (5/8ths I believe) then turning the center screw clockwise. Then you can tighten the lock-nut. Be sure that the center screw doesn't over-tighten when you lock the nut. You may need to keep the screw from turning any more during the tightening.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 3,740
Likes: 37
From: Central NYS
I have two suggestions:
1.) Check your tires over carefully. Try rotating them and see if it handles any different. (My ol' F-150 got very twitchy when running down the road -couldn't find anything wrong - rotated the tires and then it felt like it had "rear steer!" - finally found that one tire had a broken belt.)
2.) Check the idler arm for play - it is one of the greaseable items from the factory but the owners manual doesn't say a thing about greasing it.
Good luck . . . .
1.) Check your tires over carefully. Try rotating them and see if it handles any different. (My ol' F-150 got very twitchy when running down the road -couldn't find anything wrong - rotated the tires and then it felt like it had "rear steer!" - finally found that one tire had a broken belt.)
2.) Check the idler arm for play - it is one of the greaseable items from the factory but the owners manual doesn't say a thing about greasing it.
Good luck . . . .
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 477
Likes: 1
From: florida
I will check those things, I did look under the car and didn't see any shocks. I guess it does not have shocks and uses torsion bars.
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 20,634
Likes: 37
From: Lost in Pa.
Even with torsion bar springs should have shocks of some sort.
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