I have had a bad tie rod end for a while now. It wasn't in any danger of falling out, but it had a fair amount of slack in it. I finealy got around to replacing it today with a new Raybesteous US made one. I got my toe in off a little bit somehow, I marked my old end and screwed the new one in to match I thought, but it was way off. I measured the back and the front of the tire, and set the front 1/8" closer than the rear. I figured that would be close enough until I can get to the alignment shop in a few days. The cars drives much the same now as it did, just doesn't have that wee bit of slack when you turn the wheels. One thing that did happen today that I've never had before is a pretty hard shimmy when stopping. It shakes the steering wheel pretty good. It wasn't there before, or at least I never noticed it. Reckon what has caused this to pop up all the sudden? All the other tie rod ends are tight, ball joints are tight, so slack in steering. Could too much toe in cause this? Or do I need to start looking somewhere else?
Frank is too old to type anymore... Craig is busy trying to find a box... and who knows what Dave B is doing... Maybe the sloppy tie rod dissipated the already existent brake pulsation. Now that the tie-rod is tight, you are getting to feel more suspension related feedback.
Originally posted around midnight.......21 views by 7:30 this morning. That just means those of us who know anthing were all in bed sleeping. I had a similar problem on a 1968 Torino I have. Turned out to be a brake spring installed updside down and it was rubbing and catching on the hub as it rotated.
I had a long reply typed out then the power blinked and I lost it... Maybe I was a little harsh this morning. Couldn't sleep much last night, and got up grumpy. Didn't realize the original post was so late. I was awake then, thought everybody else was, too. Anyway, merc may have something there. It may have been like that the whole time and I never noticed it due to the slack in that one tie rod. I guess it could be a warped rotor, but I've never had a warped rotor shake the steering wheel, only pulsate the brake pedal. It's always had a pull to the left when you had to get down hard on the brakes, so it's probably on that side. Steering is tight, no slop, and alignment is good, it goes straight down the road, even when you let it go. Going to have it aligned again pretty soon, not sure I got the toe set to where it needs to be.
That right there makes me grumpy .. I agree that the loose tie rod was probobly absorbing the wobble. Might be why it's worn too. Warping is caused by excessive heat. Can also reoccur easier when they get thin. Have it measured and resurfaced if still good. Clean and lubricate all slide points. You probobly know all this and your grumpy cause you gotta mess with it, I would be
A little update: Drove the car to cruise night. Left home, it was fine, but after a few brake applications, started a slight shimmy again. Left cruise in on the way home, same thing. Farther I drove, more brake simmy. I'm thinking now I've got a caliper sticking, causing pads to drag, in turn heating rotor, which then warps a little with the heat. Rotors are good and smooth, with barely a small lip left at edge, still thick. I might need to get a caliper and get the rotor turned. What do ya'll think? Am I on the right track?
Yes. "Smooth" is not a way to check runout though.. But yes, I would check the thickness and have them resurfaced. Clean and lube all slides and contact points of caliper to spindle/bracket and where the pad back plate goes into the notch. I use Sil Glide.
It sounds like a warped brake rotor to me. If you hit your brakes and feel the shimmy in the steering wheel, its a tell tale sign of a warped rotor.
A bad idler can cause this too, but the more common cause is the rotors, either a warped one(or both) or pad material transfer(which won't show up by measuring runout) but you can usually see this by dark spots on the face of the rotor.
