Suspension bolts tweaked with steering?

[gtkid2002]

Howdy

A while ago while I was under the car, I noticed that there were four 17 or 19mm nuts that were very loose. I made the mistake of tightening them, and ever since them for some reason the steering has been... off. I'd go around a corner, and turn the wheel back, and it's like there was slack in the steering and it would then jerk to the same way I was turning after I straightened out.

The bolts were in this long piece of metal that reminded me of a subframe or something. The nuts I believe were attached to the bottom part of the suspension on the wheel, but the bolts weren't secured to anything. They were rounded on the opposite end, and weren't secured to anything really. The nuts were hand tight and looked like they were about to fall off.

Another possibly related issue is with the Master cylinder I believe. If I get on the freeway, or once the engine warms up, the brakes begin to fade. Then the bottom inch or so of pedal movement will completely lock the front driver side tire and make the car lurch. I'm planning on replacing the master cylinder, so hopefully that won't be much of an issue for much longer.

I can try and get pictures later when it's drier outside of the part I'm talking about. All I know though is it didn't do the swervy grab thing till AFTER I tightened the bolts.

Anyhow, any help is appreciated.

[So Cal Mark]

are you talking about the lower control arm mounting bolts? Can you post a pic of the nuts you tightened?

[gtkid2002]

I'm really not sure what these go up to, other than it is part of the subframe. Here are some pictures, hopefully they'll help. I can take more if need be. The first picture shows the two main pieces that are connected by the bolts, the second shows one of the bolts up close. It's not the big blurry bolt, but the smaller blacker one. The second picture only shows the rear nut, not the front one.

[So Cal Mark]

those bolts are held captive in the crossmember, but often break loose with time

[gtkid2002]

Think that might be what was messing with my steering? If it could help, I could try and weld that bolt back to the subframe.
It doesn't look like it takes much load really, so I don't think it would take much to weld it back.

I'm really not sure what else could have caused my steering to tweak out. I don't normally play with the undersides of this car, so I'm not sure what I did to really cause it to do what it does.

If I go around say, a right 25mph 90 degree corner, after I finish the corner and straighten out, the car seems to continue turning to the right, but will do this in an almost jerking or grabbing fashion. I do not recall if the car tracks straight or not, but I believe it has a slight right lisp. Nothing major, but it'll go off the road in a mile if you don't mess with the steering wheel for sure.

[azruss]

before you do much more driving, you have some serious inspection to do. the bolts you describe hold the lower A-arm on the crossmember. The stud is welded into the cross member and many have had issues with the stud breaking away...mainly due to rust. the one in the picture 1 looks to be in good shape. My car had loose nuts at one time and the threads have been seriously flattened. the PO double nutted them to solve the problem. If this is the case, the ones you just tightened up may be loose already.
Tightening these bolt can change your caster and make the car pull to one side or make it steer hard in one direction and easy in another.
The steering issue you describe sounds like something different. inspect all the steering linkage for wear. (have 6 ball joints to look at). It almost sounds like you have a failing steering box. they will bind just off the center point and will have play in the center travel area.
This is all dangerous stuff if it fails. Fix now!

[gtkid2002]

If the steering box was failing, would that also make it just all over hard to steer? If that's the case, I know what's next to be replaced. Right now I will drive it around, just nothing above 25mph, and only in my neighborhood (tags are expired and I'm kinda almost outside city limits, and I drive the car maybe once a month?) It still drives and everything, it's just... really hard to turn the wheel. I mean, even compared to my '69 Bug, it is rather hard to turn. Very stiff.

Also looks like the front anti-sway bar rubs on tire. Maybe even something a little closer to the tire. It had metal rub marks on it at least. Hard to tell what the part was.

I'm wondering if this car will be really worth saving. Structurally it seems sound, it's just starting to get cancer, so now would be THE time to fix it up. Only thing keeping me from that is it has almost perfect shock towers.

How hard would the steering box be to replace?

Also, the other side of the bolts look to be in the exact same condition. Incredibly loose, but relatively rust free and intact threads.

[v6spider]

Those nuts you tightened look like the pivot points for the control arms... could be your control arm bushings are failing... don't mess around with this like everyone is saying your should get this looked at by a pro if you are not sure of what you are doing. If you had to tighten them it is possible that they are failing especially if they are original... I'd just replace both upper and lower control arms on both sides. You can get them cheaply and you'll replace the ball-joints and bushings all in one fell swoop. The next thing that needs to be checked is the mounting points for the cross-member to the frame and mountings for the lower control arm. The cross-member will crack near where those bolts go through it and some times they will strip. One more thing it also sounds like your steering dampener may be binding up. You may need to check that also as well as the steering box... it could be causing the stiffness your describing I have had that happen before...These are things a lot of us have experienced... BTW I have a decent steering box and dampener if you want them... make me an offer... they are used..

Rob

[So Cal Mark]

I'd like to see a pic of that steering dampner, it may be broken already

[gtkid2002]

Sounds like I get to put the car up on jack stands once again. If I end up having to replace the control arms, I might just try and cut my losses. I've got a few too many projects right now, and as nice as this car could be, I really don't have the time, money, or space to do this.

Also, where exactly -is- the steering dampener? I wasn't aware this car even had one. That might explain why this car has always been really touchy on the freeway. It's almost like driving a bug in a crosswind.


Depending on the weather, I'll just jack up the car and go camera happy on the front steering area, and just post a link to an album.

[azruss]

your steering is controlled by 3 rods. the outer 2 connect to the wheels and adjust the alignment. the center one connects the steering box on the drivers side and the steering dampener on the passenger side. both are easy to replace, once you get the ball joint separated from the arm. the very stiff steering could be a result of a bad or dry dampener. As suggested above, it may already be toast and adding fluid will not save it.