Another question on steering stability - 1986 Camry

Twice in 2 months I've posted questions regarding a problem I've been having with jerky steering in my old 1986 Camry, which has not been fixed despite various repairs.

Jason James said he thought the problem was probably "torque steer" due to worn suspension which causes momentary alignments. Well, this old car does have noticeably worn suspension on the right rear, but the other 3 corners seem much better, although they too are probably worn.

But looking through my Chilton manual on the Camry (1983- 91), I noticed something: the chapter on suspension and steering includes a diagram of suspension components including a toe-in adjusting cam. It occured to me that if THAT part were especially worn, it might explain my steering problem.

So, my questions are: does anyone know if this part might is prone to substantial wear and might need to be replaced? And has anyone heard of this part wearing and requiring replacement? And, if it is WAS substantially worn, might it explain the problem I have with jerky steering? (recognizing that the right rear suspension is certainly worn.)

Another question (off on a tangent): when suspension is substantially worn, might vibrations at one or more resonant frequencies explain "torque steer?" (That's a toughie.)

And last question: does anyone know of a good link which explains the forces and dynamics of the steering, front end alignment, and suspension of cars? I'm a Mechanical Engineer so I should be able to follow it.

Much appreciated,

Mike

Reply to
M. Hamill
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Reply to
Daniel M. Dreifus

Just out of curiosity, when was the last time you had a four-wheel alignment. This may not solve your problem, but it will certainly point out worn parts that may be contributing.

Also, when was the last time you changed tires? I had this happen on my Tercel, and then my Mom was complaining about it on her Camry. In both cases it was broken belts in the tires! (Very dangerous, BTW...)

It can cause a whole bunch of sterring/handling symptoms...

Reply to
HachiRoku

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