Aerostar again

Pulling to the right hard. Tire pressure OK. Lugs all tight. Nothing obviously loose underneath. Bushings look good. Any ideas what to check before I head to the mechanic?

Reply to
Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney
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dragging right brake caliper.

Pulls hard right - less pull when braking.

Reply to
clare

"Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@earthlink.com... Pulling to the right hard. Tire pressure OK. Lugs all tight. Nothing obviously loose underneath. Bushings look good. Any ideas what to check before I head to the mechanic?

You need an alignment to see what the problem might be. Has there been a curb or pothole in your recent past?

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

He's alluding to brake drag, I think. When you apply the brakes then the drag is equalized and the pulling stops. When you release the brakes, the right side drags and pulls the car that way.

Good call. The alignment shop should be able to confirm or deny this.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

I would definitely jack it up and check for a dragging brake before going to the alignment shop. If one is dragging go to a brake shop and have it fixed. It needs to be fixed whether it is the whole cause of the pull or not. If it still pulls, get it aligned.

Reply to
clare

Personally, I'd put the alignment ahead of a stuck brake because a stuck brake would likely present with a different symptom set that included the pull to one side, whereas the alignment would present soley as a pull without the symptoms that would come from a stuck brake.

Having said that, one cannot discount the stuck brake. It could cause this. It should have other symptoms too, and that's why I put it down the list for the symptom given.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

I have owned 2 different aerostars, and both at one point or other presented with a strong pull to the right. BOTH times it was a caliper problem. I never had alignment problems on either vehicle in 240,000 KM on one and well over 16000km on the other.

I'd do the simple (and free) check first. Does it pull more after driving for a while, or from cold? Does the pull change when braking? Better or worse with brakes on?

Reply to
clare

Nothing obviously loose underneath. Bushings look good. Any ideas what to check before I head to the mechanic?

I took it to 2 general mechanics I have used. First one is not set up for alignment but put it up and looked it over. The only think he saw was a possible leaking left ball joint. Took to another general mechanic - also not set up for alignment. (I thought both of them were...) He said nothing looked obviously wrong, brakes not binding, recommended an alignment.

Went to the tire place I use, did an alignment and this is the before and after.... Before alignment (all 3 should be the same photo)

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After alignment (all 4 should be the same)
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When I drove out, the car pulled just as much to the right as when I drove in. Turned around. Mechanic said the front right tire was were worn on the outside and was causing it to be pulled. Also had lubed it and said specifically that the ball joints and bushings were all fine.

I do need 2 new tires, but surprised that the pulling happened suddenly due to a worn tire....

So my question is..... is the report in these photos show it is was way out of alignment or just a little -- enough to cause the wear?

Thanks, felllers.

Reply to
Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney

If it started suddenly I would suspect a damaged tire, either from hitting a pothole or similar causing a belt failure in the tire. That could cause a pull.

As for the numbers. The caster angles should match on that vehicle. When they don't it can cause a pull. 1/2 a degree difference is enough to cause issues and you have over that. With more on the right side.

Reply to
Steve W.

Thanks Steve. Looking at the caster, before alignment it was 3.0 left and 3.7 right. After alignment it was 2.9 left and 3.6 right. Does that mean alignment needs to be done again?

The right front tow was -.15 before alignment and +0.03 after. That makes sense to me because the front right tire was worn quite a bit on the outside.

The rear toe before align was -.13 left and -.07 right. After align was

-.24 left and +0.17 right. Is that also something to have corrected?

Reply to
Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney

Sounds like your mechanic un-aligned it . Both sides ahould be very close to each other , I'd be demanding they redo it and do it right or give me back my money . I don't know about where you live , but here all 3 dealers have the proper equipment , and none charges all that much - compared to tires at $150 each .

Reply to
Terry Coombs

Snuffy,

Swap front with rear tires to eliminate the "wear" hypothesis.

Dave M.

Reply to
David L. Martel

Specs I have for the Aerostar

Front Toe Total - Min. 0 Max. .12 Front Toe L & R - Min. 0 Max. .06 Camber L & R - Min. -.5 Max .5 Caster L & R - Min. 3.8 Max 5.8

Rear shows 0 on all numbers.

Reply to
Steve W.

"David L. Martel" wrote in news:mlejep$phd$1@dont- email.me:

swap the front 2 side to side and if the pull switches sides, its the tires. pretty simple. KB

Reply to
Kevin Bottorff

I'd say find a real mechanic, and a real alignment man. The caster should be between 2.5 and 4.5 degrees - and within 1/4 degree right to left. The camber should be between +.8 and -.8 degrees, and within

1/4 degree between sides.

The clown that did your "alignment" is a hack.

If the tire is the cause of the pull it will pull the other way if you switch tires right to left, and the pull will dissapear if you switch front to back (the first thing to do when diagnosing a pull, by the way)

Reply to
clare

It needs to be done, period. He didn't accomplish anything as far as the caster is concerned.

. He made an iprovement on the front tow

You have a solid axle. There is no way to adjust rear toe, but the truck is "dog-tracking". The aerostar has a 4 link coil suspension - a bent component or worn bushing can allow the axle to shift back on one side or forward on the other - causing the "dog track" If there is a significant amount of actual toe in or toe out on a solid axle you have a bent differential housing or axle tube.

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Reply to
clare

I had a problem similiar with a GMC Savana. Did alignments, replace steering box, swap wheels, all on warranty, all to no success.

My daughter borrowed it for a couple of snowy days, lost control and head on into a boulder.

The steering wheel was sideways, the hood in bungy cords, but it drove fine and no more pulling to the left.

After the $9000 repair, is still running straight. Go figure.

Reply to
chevychase

Thanks Steve. Good specs - tighter than Ford or the tire dealer. Here's what I got from the Ford dealer. Looks like tire dealer needs to adjust the toe closer to mid-range

Toe Total - Min. -.2 Max. +.32 Toe: 0.06 plus/minus 0.26 Camber: +0.25 plus/minus 0.5 Caster: +4 plus/minus 2

Reply to
Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney

Mine are from my Hunter bench.

Reply to
Steve W.

It took me awhile to undertand the terms. Maybe this will help another poor sap.... Posted GIF file at lt.binaries.automobile.pictures under subject" Alignment Specs

Reply to
Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney

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