Driving

[gcarpent]

:( I have a 92 SC 400. I just had a 4-whell alignment done at Pep Boys. The car still dart all over the road and follow every contour of the road. Please help. What could this be.

[amf1932]

It could be caused by the tire tread(s), or looseness in your front end parts.

[SKperformance]

check yuor tire pressures

[Lexusfreak]

check yuor tire pressures

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Agreed....it could be other factors even though you have had a 4 wheel slignment done.....check all the basics first & let us know any findings. B) What kind & what size tires do you have on the car now?

[gcarpent]

check yuor tire pressures

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I have Firestone Firehawk 225/55/16. Actory size. It looks like one whell tilts in at the top.

[Lexusfreak]

check yuor tire pressures

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I have Firestone Firehawk 225/55/16. Actory size. It looks like one whell tilts in at the top.

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OUCH They have been known to have bulging sidewalls among other problems others with that model tire have reported. You can do a search on tirerack to find out what other people are saying about the many problems with the Firehawks........if that's the case, nothing but tire replacement is the solution. I'll never buy Bridgestone OR Firestone tires......ever, because of past experence.

[project300]

You are a LexFREAK quoting George Carlin! He is the best.

Anyhow gcarpent, yes there are many, many things that could cause the problems after an alignment you described.

Tie rods, any and all control arm bushings, tie rod ends, steering rack mounts or tires. If evrything checks out, look at the caster setting on your alignment as it will cause the problems you describe. If caster is "to spec" you may need control arm busings or control arms because SC's usually need new front Lower Control arms which control caster alignment, after 100K miles. Until all of these are confirmed a-ok, it is hard to say exactly what is the cause of your "darting" problems. With an older SC like yours (and mine) it sounds like you need new front lower control arms.

Usually this is referred to as "tramlining" when the car tends to follow the slight impressions in the lanes where other cars drive. In high performance cars it is tolerated for the increased responsiveness it gives the driver on flat roads or turns.

FYI: Go to Firestone car service garage and buy their Lifetime Alignment for $130. You pay once and get alignments for the life of your car. In your case, you can tweak and fix all you like, realign and see if it did the trick. It pays for its self after only 2 or 3 alignments. Check it out if you are able.

I recently did a front end rebuld and had the 4-way alignment after installing Supra front Lower Control Arms (highly recommended from Carson Toyota). I notice a small amount of "darting/tramlining", but it is small potatoes for the increased responsiveness I feel. Give it a try.

I too have stock tires like you. You may find better handling characteristics with another tire, but the darting is likely due to tired (14 year old!) suspension parts that can not or will not alingn to spec. I agree to avoid Firestone/Bridgestone, since I too have had bad expereinces with those brands.

Happy Darting!

[Lexusfreak]

You are a LexFREAK quoting George Carlin!  He is the best.

Anyhow gcarpent, yes there are many, many things that could cause the problems after an alignment you described.

Tie rods, any and all control arm bushings, tie rod ends, steering rack mounts or tires.  If evrything checks out, look at the caster setting on your alignment as it will cause the problems you describe.  If caster is "to spec" you may need control arm busings or control arms because SC's usually need new front Lower Control arms which control caster alignment, after 100K miles. Until all of these are confirmed a-ok, it is hard to say exactly what is the cause of your "darting" problems.  With an older SC like yours (and mine) it sounds like you need new front lower control arms.

Usually this is referred to as "tramlining" when the car tends to follow the slight impressions in the lanes where other cars drive.  In high performance cars it is tolerated for the increased responsiveness it gives the driver on flat roads or turns.

FYI: Go to Firestone car service garage and buy their Lifetime Alignment for $130.  You pay once and get alignments for the life of your car.  In your case, you can tweak and fix all you like, realign and see if it did the trick.  It pays for its self after only 2 or 3 alignments.  Check it out if you are able.

I recently did a front end rebuld and had the 4-way alignment after installing Supra front Lower Control Arms (highly recommended from Carson Toyota).  I notice a small amount of "darting/tramlining", but it is small potatoes for the increased responsiveness I feel.  Give it a try.

I too have stock tires like you. You may find better handling characteristics with another tire, but the darting is likely due to tired (14 year old!) suspension parts that can not or will not alingn to spec.  I agree to avoid Firestone/Bridgestone, since I too have had bad expereinces with those brands. 

Happy Darting!

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Agreed project! :D They don't get much better than George Carlin! :D

GC, let me know when you need new tires.......those Firestones are just aweful & are not rated good at all on several sites, including tirerack.....I changed them on my wife's are as well because they were so pathetic in every aspect! As part of the problem could be the tires themselves. B)

[TMaxxTim]

:( I have a 92 SC 400. I just had a 4-whell alignment done at Pep Boys. The car still dart all over the road and follow every contour of the road. Please help. What could this be.

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This is your LCA's, Lower Control Arms. Do some searches but the Toyota LCA's fit our cars and are $254 from Carson Toyota. There is a bushing replacement you can do also but its $100 plus whatever it costs for a shop to get the old bearings out and put them in with a hydraulic press. Your alignment/rims/tire pressure has nothing to do with this problem.

The top ones usually last but its the bottom bushings that go.

BTW, I know *BLEEP* is LOC, but over at clublexus.com there's a HUGE thread on this with LOTS of information, here's a link:

http://www.clublexus.com/forums/showthread.php?t=144793

[Lexusfreak]

It could be that yes.....but i DO KNOW.....those Firestone Tires are not helping the problem that's fur sure! B) ;)