96 legacy pulls to the right and keeps breaking left axles... Help?

[cymbri]

My 96 Legacy sedan has pulled to the right since I purchased it August of last year. I've replaced the driver side front axle 3 times, from boot rips in the outer joint.

 

I've changed the rims and tires twice since I purchased it (The first time I had bald tires and bent rims, the second was for higher profile tires).

 

In February, along with a driver side front axle, I put 05 Forester strut assemblies and outback trailing arm brackets on it.

 

In March, along with a driver side front axle, I replaced the front rotors and calipers with 2003 WRX rotors and calipers.

 

In April, along with the driver side front axle, I also changed the driver side wheel bearing, inner tie rod ends, and had it aligned along with tire rotation and balancing.

 

Now, a local chain mechanic aligned it, and it still pulled to the right slightly. I took it back and they said the passenger side wheel was off camber because the stock camber bolt did not have enough adjustment. This makes a little bit of sense because it's lifted, but the fact that it pulled to the right before the lift makes me skeptical.

 

Recently, the steering began acting up intermittently, and it slowly got worse and more frequent. While on the gas, the steering wheel would rock left and right and the wheels would not move and I could still steer ok despite the wheel rocking. When it did this, it also made a rhythmic, metallic tapping sound. When I'd take my foot off the gas, it would return to normal. Also, occasionally when I would slam on the brakes, the car would pull hard to the right.

 

I put it on a lift, shook the tires around, moved the steering wheel back and forth while a friend listened and watched from underneath and on top. When moving the drivers wheel left and right by hand, a clunking could me heard coming from the steering rack, no where else. All the steering and suspension mounting brackets were secure. And moving the passenger wheel did not cause any noise. The passenger side wheel felt good and tight, while the driver side could move left and right more freely. The control arms and their bushing looked good.

 

 I assumed the rack was bad and bought a replacement. Before I could install it, the front left axle outer joint broke and I had it towed home. So the more free movement was from the axle being bad..

 

Now, obviously, the broken axles are a symptom, not the problem.

 

Could the passenger wheel being off camber have caused all of this because of the added stress of the driver axle fighting the passenger side? If so, could something besides the camber bolt cause the camber problem?

 

Could a bad steering rack pull to the right consistently? Would a car pulling to the right consistently cause the steering rack to go bad?

 

I would think that a bad ball joint would have caused noise or looseness in the wheels when I had it on the lift....

 

Honestly, I don't know that much about cars, but I do know that I've already replaced most of the parts that you check when a car pulls after an alignment. I'm giving this car to my parents, and I can't have them replacing axles every other month so any knowledge, guidance, or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

 

 

[Rooster2]

Maybe been in a wreck?? Unibody bent??

[mikaleda]

Well there isn't much left that you haven't adressed, maybe as rooster said bent unibody? Maybe bent control arm? Going through axles like that is really strange though

[lmdew]

Do you have torque bind?

AT Temp light flashing 16 times after you start the car?