hilux with a mind of its own...please help!!!

Submitted: Wednesday, Apr 25, 2007 at 13:47

ThreadID: 44706 Views:4258 Replies:2 FollowUps:2

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000dylan000

hey all
i've got a 1990 hilux, power steering, leaf srpung front running 31 10.5 15 pirelli scorpions. if im on a decent stretch of bitumen it will drive pretty straight and civilised but as soon as i get onto an uneven piece of road the car is all over the shop and almost impossible to keep it in a straight line.

ive had it to city suspension (slacks creek) and beaurepairs and they both try to tell me nothing is wrong with it. drag link, tie rod ends etc etc have been checked and adjusted, its been wheel aligned about 4 times and nothing seems to help.

has anyone got any ideas on what might be wrong?...apparently my tyres arent round anymore and the wheels cant be balanced but i would have thought that would only cause vibration and not make the car wander but am i wrong? would a good quality return-to-centre steering damper help stabilise things, would bigger/smaller tyres help? new shockies (the ones on there i think are getting a little tired)?

i know its never going to drive fantastic because its an old truck but it used to drive alot better than it does now
any advice would be fantastic

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Reply By: mrbasilbrush - Wednesday, Apr 25, 2007 at 15:22

Wednesday, Apr 25, 2007 at 15:22

I had the same problem once, although it was a non power steer until I fitted one.

Have you pulled the springs and spring seats out your drag link ?

I had a broken spring in the drag link once and after tightening it up to get rid of the play it then caused the ball on steering arm to wear.

check the ball on the steering arm.

You can also tighten up the steering box, check your manual.

Jack the front end up and check for play in your wheel bearings.

I have 33" tyres and have no probs.

AnswerID: 235752

Follow Up By: mr fixit - Wednesday, Apr 25, 2007 at 16:54

Wednesday, Apr 25, 2007 at 16:54

yep that's what it will be, I am in the trade and have repaired quite a few with broken/worn drag link springs and worn pitman arm to drag link pins, I even found one with a loose pin in the pittman arm.
The bigger the tyres the worse it is.
A change of road attitude can make them dart east then west when you only want to go south -) ha ha
or it has a seized swivel bearing

FollowupID: 496924