Yesterday, I drove the Mav to a show about 45 miles one way. Drove fine on the way there, but on the way back, it started acting crazy. Started to get some bumpsteer, which it's never had before. Started off pretty quick from a stop sign, and it felt as though the car wanted to veer left, then jerked back right. Scary. At first, I was thinking idler arm might have some slack, but got to thinking it might be the strut rod bushings. Not going to drive it anymore until I get a chance to get it up in the air and do some looking. I may just need to go ahead and bite the bullet and get a front end kit and eliminate all the possibilities.
control valve could be sticking if you have power steering. The strut rod bushings are a good place to start, but you may have to get a buddy to drive or watch the front end while you brake slowly. I've had some that had play when on the ground but I couldn't budge them with it in the air. I had an issue a few years ago after a disc brake conversion that seemed to happen rather suddenly with similar symptoms(without the bumpsteer):16suspect. One of the rubber brake hoses had a tear in the inside liner of the hose, when I braked, the fluid would flow very slowly to the caliper causing it to pull right until the pressure reached the caliper, when I let off the brake, it pulled left because the fluid would remain in the caliper under pressure for a couple of seconds. Let me tell you how fun that was to figure out!
What exactly do you mean by " bumpsteer "? I've heard this term, but don't really know what it means!
Blugene is dead on. It's usually caused by a change in toe as the suspension moves up and down. It gets much worse with wide tires and suspension lowering.
I feel like a dog chasing his tail.... Had strut rod bushings put in, Moog brand, front end aligned and checked out, everything is OK and tight. Drive it down the road with one finger again, no drift, no bump steer, no shimmy when braking. Everythings cool, right? Wrong. Now, sometimes when you go around a curve, it feels like the steering locks for a second, then lets go. Also feels like the rear end is trying to kick out like it would on a wet road hydroplaning. Only happens for a second or so. I jacked up the rear of the car, pushed and pulled and tugged the rear end every which way and noticed nothing unusual. The steering is smooth from lock to lock, no binding or hard places. I'm stumped. Don't know if it could be the spring bushings wallowing, shocks collapsing, just don't know where to look now. Any ideas what to look for? I don't want and can't afford to just throw money at everything that might be worn, but I do want to correct what is. This is driving me nuts!!!!!
I didn't keep my ps for too long but I am thinking it sounds like a valve either in the pump or the assist.
sounds like you have broken something in you suspension. a few quick thoughts are: the rear shackles, also check the frame where the shackle attaches. ubolts that hold the rear to the springs could be loose the bushing in the front of the leaf springs could have denigrated or its bolt have rusted away. the front strut rods could have broken. the upper control arm nuts could have backed off. if you have broken tooth off of a spider gear or side gear in you differential it may cause a jumping binding action in a turn. easiest way to test this is to jack up one of the rear tires while the other is still on the ground. use a jack stand to secure the car. dont start the car, just put the trans in neutral. now turn the tire thats off the ground. if it turns smoothly, then chances are the problem is not in the differential. if it clunks or binds the you have a problem in the differential.
My answers are in this color: Going on a 45 mile trip in the morning, will see if it does it on both right and left curves, not sure right now because I have driven it enough yet. I'll report back my findings tomorrow night!
i didnt know you had a lsd. they will usually create a groan if the correct friction modifier additive is not used in the gear oil. its usually an instantaneous thing. if a car has sat along time (several months) the additive can fall out of suspension in the oil and then the lsd could chatter in turns.
Update from today: Drove it to the show and back, about 100 miles total. No shimmy, no shake, no pop in front end anymore, it did however have a slight pull to the right. My bud at the shop told me he wasn't sure about his alinement job, so I think I'll take it to another shop that did it before. I turned it hard left and right, under power and coasting, but couldn't duplicate the way it was acting yesterday. Maybe the strut rod bushings just needed to take a set, I don't know. Still puzzled, but still looking.
My mav has been doing wierd stuff lately too, upgraded the suspension with 620 springs, roller perches 03 cobra brakes (mustang steve conversion, 17 inch wheels 245/45/17 tires up front. Sometimes it will drive perfectly fine, other times going down the highway it will random pull hard right or left, steering was power switched over to manual with a control valve delete kit for a mustang. Thinking about trying a bumpsteer kit but have no idea if a mustang bumpsteer kit will work on a maverick.
