Gross Misalignment? I think not!

["Graydon D. Stuckey" <graydon@apollo.kettering.edu>]

On Tue, 2 Feb 1999 JustaxPHX@aol.com wrote:

> > This is bad alignment, guys.  There's absolutely nothing vague about
> > Galvin's 200TQ (aligned by Paul Beaurain at Pro-Align in Northampton).
> 
> Maybe and maybe not ... the Gross Scruggs I met last year seemed to be pretty
> meticulous about his car maintenance and setup, and I'd be surprised if he
> wasn't keeping a pretty close eye on his alignment settings.  More likely,

Agreed.

> it's being caused by the low-profile tires we're both running, which have a
> greater tendency than normal to follow ruts in the road, etc.

But lower profile tires will not make the steering vague.   They'll make 
the car follow ruts more accurately, but not vaguely.  Vague, to me, 
spells out a disconnect between the tire contact patch and the steering 
wheel.  This could be worn bushings (as Gross has already addressed), a 
worn rack, or inconsistent power assist.  I would think that a worn rack 
would have an apparent looseness or sloppiness.  I could see how 
inconsistent power assist might make the steering vague though as the 
required steering effort would be constantly changing.  If the seals 
were starting to leak in th erack, then this might produce the 
vagueness that Gross is noticing.  Maybe Gross' rack is about to go south 
for the winter...

Later,
Graydon D. Stuckey
No Audis!  :-(
Yet!  :-)