4KSQ does not handle like an all wheel drive!!!Help

[Jason Gray]

<I had a similar problem that you will want to rule out - one of the rear
ball joints had completey disintegrated.  Can't believe i was driving around
on this.  My attempts to id the problem by jacking the car and wiggleing the
wheels did not reveal the problem, but the forces generated while driving
do.  It would also start to "oscillate" with rear end swinging back and
forth precariously at higher speed when going around a modest corner.  Talk
about an adrenalin rush! It finally got so bad that you could visually tell
the ball joint was bad, but up to that point, several mechanics who looked
at the car didn't see the problem.>


I bought my 4KSCQ with 155K miles and the rear strut locater tie rods were
shot, produced that awefull "passive rear steering". I was looking for the
problem, with the car jacked up in the air, the tie rods felt fine, no slop
in the rear wheels with the tie rods at high angularity. It was only when
the rear suspension was onthe ground that I found that there was
considerable slop in the outer tie rod. I would grab the rear wheel at front
and back of the tire and "wiggle" , producing about 1/4" of toe change.
Solution was to replace the entire rear tie-rod, you cannot buy replacement
for just the outer end of the tie rod. I replaced the tie rods myself,
ordered the parts from Blau (about $80 each).
Following this work, I performed my own alignment (I have a couple of basic
alignment gauges). Handeling is SO MUCH BETTER!! Hard to believe it is the
same car.

Jason K  Gray
Wasilla Alaska
'87 4KSCQ
'71 2-door 510 w/ L20B, DCOEx2
'73 2-door 510, L20B, garret T3, SUx1
510 website http://home.att.net/~jason510/

Those are not oil stains in the driveway, they are bluebird droppings.