help with new car
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Elder User
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 669
Likes: 0
From: Jacksonville, NC
help with new car
I had recently bought a 95 camaro Z28 LT4. I know its a chevy, but it had so little miles and runs excellently. There is one problem with it. The steering wheel isn't straight when the car is going straight. Its like \ when it should be like --. I thought I'd ask here because you guys seem to know more about general car stuff than the guys on camaro forums.
The car has 4 different model tires (all have good tread and are correct size).
Is this an allignment issue? How do I make sure its not something big like frame damage?
The car has 4 different model tires (all have good tread and are correct size).
Is this an allignment issue? How do I make sure its not something big like frame damage?
Super Moderator
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 24,308
Likes: 42
From: SW Virginia
Yep...have the alignment checked. If it doesn't have any damage from a previous wreck, any decent alignment shop should be able to re-align the steering wheel correctly without a problem.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 156
Likes: 1
ask around for a good recommendation from friends or whoever. i would trust and independent garage before a chain shop or dealer
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Elder User
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 727
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From: north shore, minnesota
Any moron with an alignment rack can set the toe and align the wheel, a good tech will notice the problem.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,126
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From: McNairy county, TN.
Tire kingdom would be the better of the three you listed probably, I don't live near there. Before you get an alignment, you need to get two new tires on the front that match. The ones you stated may say they are the same size, but each manufacturer has different tolerances. Plus they may have worn differently by now.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 156
Likes: 1
no it wont necessrily hurt anything except the tires, the important thing is to have alignment checked , will tell you if something is way off, bent or worn out. once alignment is done if it pulls after that, chances are tires are causing it, i hope that makes sense
Super Moderator
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 34,491
Likes: 2,806
The misaligned steering wheel is the result of sloppy or poor alignment work, or damage that is not fixed.
The steering mechanism, be it rack and pinion or a recirculating ball or even old worm and sector, has a left, right and center. Once the box is centered, the tie rods are adjusted to the proper center position with whatever toe-in or other spec is involved.
Ask first. If centering the wheel seems to be a mystery to the shop, move on.
No money for tires, yet you bought a Z28? Let me guess, you only have money to cut your hair up front too.....
http://www.mulletjunky.com/states/mo.htm
YouTube - Camaro Song
The steering mechanism, be it rack and pinion or a recirculating ball or even old worm and sector, has a left, right and center. Once the box is centered, the tie rods are adjusted to the proper center position with whatever toe-in or other spec is involved.
Ask first. If centering the wheel seems to be a mystery to the shop, move on.
No money for tires, yet you bought a Z28? Let me guess, you only have money to cut your hair up front too.....
http://www.mulletjunky.com/states/mo.htm
YouTube - Camaro Song
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,903
Likes: 2
From: Wyoming
[QUOTE=85e150six4mtod;7563398]No money for tires, yet you bought a Z28? Let me guess, you only have money to cut your hair up front too.....
QUOTE]
Shazbot! That's funny. Wondering when somebody was going to razz him for buying a chebby, and that was a gem.
If the alignment was that far off, the evidence should be apparent already. Front tires should exhibit wear from bad alignment, unless you confuse that with wear from excessive cornering speed (or they were bald already).
LT4 on a '95? Should be an LT1. LT4 wasn't available until '97 from the factory in a camaro, and then only from SLP. IF the previous owner stuffed it in there, maybe that's when the steering box got FUBAR'd. Is the intake manifold red?
QUOTE]
Shazbot! That's funny. Wondering when somebody was going to razz him for buying a chebby, and that was a gem.
If the alignment was that far off, the evidence should be apparent already. Front tires should exhibit wear from bad alignment, unless you confuse that with wear from excessive cornering speed (or they were bald already).
LT4 on a '95? Should be an LT1. LT4 wasn't available until '97 from the factory in a camaro, and then only from SLP. IF the previous owner stuffed it in there, maybe that's when the steering box got FUBAR'd. Is the intake manifold red?
Last edited by spikedog; Jun 1, 2009 at 11:38 AM. Reason: more info
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 8,402
Likes: 10
I had recently bought a 95 camaro Z28 LT4. I know its a chevy, but it had so little miles and runs excellently. There is one problem with it. The steering wheel isn't straight when the car is going straight. Its like \ when it should be like --. I thought I'd ask here because you guys seem to know more about general car stuff than the guys on camaro forums.
The car has 4 different model tires (all have good tread and are correct size).
Is this an allignment issue? How do I make sure its not something big like frame damage?
The car has 4 different model tires (all have good tread and are correct size).
Is this an allignment issue? How do I make sure its not something big like frame damage?