Weird steering

[fudge12]

Hello all, I was coming off the ramp of a highway (Jackie Robinson Parkway for all you New York LS owners) and a fire truck was making its way through behind me. I was forced to drive up on high curb (which wasn't a pleasant feeling) and now my steering wheel wants to turn to the right every time it retracts from making a turn. If i force the steering wheel to remain straight, the car wants to wander to the left. If i let go of the wheel, it drives straight but the steering wheel itself wants to keep turned to the right. The Tie rods feel nice and tight. Any ideas?

 

[Telco]

Sounds like you knocked it out of alignment. You may also have bent a wheel. There's nothing for it but a trip to the alignment shop for a checkup.

 

[fudge12]

I'll be taking it to an alignment shop tomorrow. While driving to school, I heard my front tires skidding even though the car was driving straight. I only hear it at low speeds, but not when going 40+. Is it part of a symptom relating to alignment?

 

[Telco]

Yes, and if you're hearing that don't be surprised if you aren't told that the tire or tires need to be replaced. A severe misalignment can wear a set of tires out in just a few miles, like less than 100 miles. Since your issue happened after hitting a curb, with any luck it'll just really impact one tire but when one tire is pulling out it stresses the other tires as well. Oh, and the Lincoln is a unibody car, no frame. Hope you didn't warp the car itself with that impact. Hate to be the bearer of bad news here, but that's the way of it. The good thing is, modern frame shops can pull them out perfectly now.

 

[Ranchero50]

If you here the tires scrubbing at low speeds definitely don't drive it on a wet street or in the rain...

 

[joegr]

If you here the tires scrubbing at low speeds definitely don't drive it on a wet street or in the rain...

Or anywhere. Should have been towed from the accident location to a shop...

 

[Telco]

If it does turn out to be something serious, based on how you say it happened you might be able to get your insurance to cover repairs provided you have full coverage. You'll be the one at fault so it might impact your premiums although since you were forced off the road for an emergency vehicle they may give you consideration for that.

 

[fudge12]

I haven't been driving much lately, I took it to the mechanic shop earlier today and they found out the ball joint nut was just literally two threads of falling off the bolt. I was sh*tting my pants when I saw it. After the bolt was tightened, my steering returned to normal and the tire noise was gone. At least it didn't cost me anything.

 

[Telco]

Ouch! Glad it was found before it went Dodge on you.

 

[joegr]

I haven't been driving much lately, I took it to the mechanic shop earlier today and they found out the ball joint nut was just literally two threads of falling off the bolt. I was sh*tting my pants when I saw it. After the bolt was tightened, my steering returned to normal and the tire noise was gone. At least it didn't cost me anything.

Hope they put a new nut on it. If not, expect to repeat this experience.

 

[scjmc]

+1!

The nut must have been loose already and the curb impact popped the ball joint out of its pressed in location. The nuts are a special locking nut and are not reusable.

 

[RigsLS]

and what happend to the cotter pin that is supposed to be in the nut ?

no ?

 

[fudge12]

Oddly enough, there wasn't a cotter pin on the old ball joint nor was their one on the new one. It seems like the nut worked itself loose.

 

[joegr]

Oddly enough, there wasn't a cotter pin on the old ball joint nor was their one on the new one. It seems like the nut worked itself loose.

Yeah, gen II doesn't have them. I didn't think that gen I did either.

 

[RigsLS]

without checking, I wasn't sure if there was supposed to be one and if there was, where it went.

I'm used to cotter pins on the big stuff. Specially something as important as this.