lesstutrey Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 I had a rub that for the longest time i could not figure out. Finally did and realized my right wheel, when fully extended turning RIGHT will rub up against the fender only on the right side, by the rear connection for the front lower control arm. I beat on the fender with a 3lb hammer but due to it being at a mount location it's not gonna get beat on hard. I'm going to take the wheel off and hit it again a few times to see if i can't get it bent with some actual room to swing, but no super-high hopes. When my steering is at full extension going left on the left side, the distance between the wheel and that spot on the fender is the same as if i were maxing it out right on the right side. However if i'm going up a hill (the end of my driveway) or applying some gas (and thus allowing body roll) that space disappears, and i get rub. Possibly something wrong in the sway bar or tie rods allowing it to body roll into the side. Front end needs to go up and be shaken down, it's 82k of wear, might need a new bushing or bolt or something. solutions: spacers, hub adapters, replacement of sway bar, replacement of end-tie-link. I like spacers for now, and lug adapters later because i would like to get 1" of space and run some 16" wheels off a TJ wrangler or something, dodge used 5x4.5 for a while and there are plenty of dodges in the junkyards, and plenty of guys selling their stock wrangler wheels cheap. I made another observation while checking out my suspension and comparing left to right sides, trying to spot something.. abnormal that might cause the tire to rub.. couldn't really find one, i don't think, but i did notice something about my left side lower control arm. The thing is beat to heck. It's got a hole near the front bushing (on the very front of the arm below the bushing), the bushings just seem shot in that area as well, at least the front bushing on the lower control arm, i treated the other side with a lot of silicon grease hunting for that rub so that might have something to do with the bushings looking better, but not the freaking hole in the control arm. Sounds like i need to replace my driver side control arm, doesn't it? I'll post pictures in the daylight tomorrow so you all can say "yeah, replace that, freaking rust belt" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lesstutrey Posted May 17, 2011 Author Share Posted May 17, 2011 Please, anyone have a clue why one side would rub and the other not? Could my rack and pinion be off a groove, so it's getting more turn to the right, and less turn to the left? There are not bump stops on the OBW are there (as in the stop systems that prevent steering from going past a point)? Something has to be causing my tires to turn more to the right than to the left, but what could it be? (i don't get front rub because there is way more room for the tires when turning). Just my latest theory, that my steering is going further one direction than the other. It doesn't make the noise in reverse, so that means when there is less load on the wheel it doesn't get the play enough to rub, but forward with all the weight of the car it does. Just trying to figure out where to even look. I had my camber and alignment done and the numbers and stuff were all in the green, but i didn't sit and watch the whole thing get done, so i don't know what they did, is it possible they moved something inward in the rear of the front wheel suspension? I just don't have a clue why one side and not hte other and all i can come up with is steering is goofy, i'm getting camber so that my tire is going / / and the low part rubs the wheel well, and that would be either my tie-end rods or anti-sway, right? Ahh so many freaking things it could be. I just know something must be out of whack because the only rubbing i ever hear about is strut rub, and this ain't it, this is fender rub with stock sized tires and OEM wheels and a 2" lift which has proven to NOT rub... the fenders at least... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmdew Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 If your control arm bushing are shot, I'd start there. A damaged control arm will cause problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WoodsWagon Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 The rack has fixed stop points and the bushings locate it, so it's pretty solid lock to lock. What can be changed is the tie rod ends, and if someone isn't paying attention when they have the rack or steering column out, you can center the steering wheel by adjusting the tie rods until the rack is off-center but the wheel is straight. Count the turns from center to full lock each direction with the steering wheel. If they're different, then you need to center the steering wheel to the rack by setting the rack at the point where it's equal turns from each side, removing the steering coupler u-joint thingy, and installing it so the wheel is straight. Then take it for an alignment so the tie rods can be adjusted to bring the now centered to the rack but not the wheels steering wheel back into line. Make sure you don't spin the steering wheel around with it unhooked from the rack if you do this. There's a coiled ribbon connector called the clockspring that all the buttons and the airbag in the steering wheel use. If you spin the wheel around further than it's meant to go, the clockspring will break. It's not cheap either. If the turns from lock to lock are equal, then something is bent or mis-aligned in the front suspension. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lesstutrey Posted May 24, 2011 Author Share Posted May 24, 2011 Turns seem pretty even side to side as far as how far the steering wheel turns. Lower control arm is probably my trouble. It didn't actually get hit, but i can't imagine getting hit like that was good for the bushings, or remaining straight. That or tie-rods. What should i do to go about diagnosing the control arm/bushings, and what effect would it have on my ride. Like.. would it have an effect at all? Something isn't right, and i want to get this fixed. I guess spacers are always an option to prevent the rub... The rack has fixed stop points and the bushings locate it, so it's pretty solid lock to lock. What can be changed is the tie rod ends, and if someone isn't paying attention when they have the rack or steering column out, you can center the steering wheel by adjusting the tie rods until the rack is off-center but the wheel is straight. Count the turns from center to full lock each direction with the steering wheel. If they're different, then you need to center the steering wheel to the rack by setting the rack at the point where it's equal turns from each side, removing the steering coupler u-joint thingy, and installing it so the wheel is straight. Then take it for an alignment so the tie rods can be adjusted to bring the now centered to the rack but not the wheels steering wheel back into line. Make sure you don't spin the steering wheel around with it unhooked from the rack if you do this. There's a coiled ribbon connector called the clockspring that all the buttons and the airbag in the steering wheel use. If you spin the wheel around further than it's meant to go, the clockspring will break. It's not cheap either. If the turns from lock to lock are equal, then something is bent or mis-aligned in the front suspension. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmdew Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 Lower arms at the yard are like $20 and they come with all the busshings. Grab a good used one and bolt it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lesstutrey Posted May 24, 2011 Author Share Posted May 24, 2011 Lower arms at the yard are like $20 and they come with all the busshings. Grab a good used one and bolt it up. I live in the rust belt, whatever time it takes to do something, give it about double here. Pulling the arm would take a while, plus i can't even visibly see what's wrong with mine, so i don't wanna pull one bolt it on and see hey guess what, this is one is screwed up too. Plus fresh bushings and what not isn't anything to complain about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lesstutrey Posted May 26, 2011 Author Share Posted May 26, 2011 Ok, did a big old shake down. There is nothing wrong with my suspension. The 2" lift simply move the tires in just enough that they kiss the rear of the wheel well at body level. So i have to do something about this and the answer seems pretty easy: spacers. I am currently looking at 1" hub-centric spacer/adapters. I just want there to be no rub whatsoever. I was also thinking possibly bigger due to the issue with taller tires hitting the strut perch. Is going with a spacer/adapter of this size a reasonable thing to do, and is going even bigger an option as well? Any drawbacks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lesstutrey Posted May 26, 2011 Author Share Posted May 26, 2011 Ok, if i went with just spacers designed to go on my stock hubs and threading what is the biggest size i can get, about 10mm? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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