itsmejto

I have replaced all bushings, springs/shocks, upper control arm bushings (ALL) and ball joints, lower same, inner and outer steering knuckles, roll bar bushings, steering rack mounts,wheel bearings, etc etc etc, in fact rebuilt everything with new.
The rack itself seems tight and secure.
New wheels, new tires (good ones) several full wheel alignments done, toe/caster/camber are all dead on recomended oem settings now both front and rear.
But it still gets light up front and wanders slightly, really weird feeling.
Can anything be done/modified to cure this.
I had a new vtec sol in 97 , wish I'd never sold it, but that was stable over 100mph and this suspension setup is identicle.
What am I doing wrong guys ?
BTW it did this before all the rebuid.

PIC Performance

Some silly questions: are your tires directional, and if so, are they mounted backwards? Are you running the recommended tire pressures?

Elwuudz

tire pressure, balanced wheel and tire combonation, castlenut secure on ball joint?
also a little lithium grase on ball joint< loosens up the steering and gives you a good feel for the tires+ it wont stiffen the rubber

itsmejto

Tires are directional, but are on correctly. All nuts etc are double checked.
Tire pressures, have tried several from 25 to 35, running at 30 right now.
This did the same with all the old parts and tires etc and no improvement was seen after rebuilding it all.
i'm wondering if maybe it needs some different alignment settings as everything else is now like new.

Elwuudz

get a laser alignment for toe settings.. maybe run higher pressures always lower in front

also try a tie-rod adjustment ensure there is no play

oem settings are not ideal unless its all oem, have a certified alignment specialist calibrate your suspension/tune for 70-120$

I think I paid 85 at Midas and "I am" heavily modified.. now the car tracks strait

itsmejto

Everything is as close to stock as I could make it with the exception of koni 1150 springs and shocks. i've been to three different alignment shops, all who had a specialist tech, except autozone whos "tech" had one huge creasent wrench for a toolkit, but did seem to know how to do it correctly I think. I even got rear toe ajustable rods because he said it was "way out" on the rear toe. The rest of the ajustments including caster and camber on the front were right on the settings at +0/-0 of oem when he had finished the last time. he took the time to remove the laser sonsors and replace them just to check again. I'm Thankfull I went for the lifetime service though he's done it three times now and probably getting to the end of my welcome there now.
I borrowed a set of wheels/tires from a friends civic, didn't do anything for me at all.
I even took it to a good body shop and had them check the "frame alighnment" for square as I don't know if it was ever invloved in any accidents before I got it, they said it was fine with no indications it was dammaged.
Though del sols are known to be light on the rear, I've never had so much problem with wandering on the front. Feels like it may be lifting because of air flow under the car maybe. Or perhaps the steering rack valves may be flakey.
Best i can test that is to drive at night and watch the position of the headlights on the road to see if it's lifting at the front at high speed, it didn't lok like it was though.
I'm not sure if these are proportional rate racks that decrease the power assist as you go faster or not. But that's what it feels like, the steering wheel is very very light at speed.
Up to 70 ish, it feels fine and stable, corners well (as well as dels sols can) but this wandering is quite frightening over 80.

itsmejto

bump for a little more help or info please.

gen6slug

Has the vehicle been lowered or front end body work modifications made? If it's only happening at high speed, it sounds like a " lack of downforce" created by air lifting the front end. It might not seem like much but since the del sol is so light, that could be the cause. I'm no expert on this but i've experienced this in older cars when I was younger. My Accord did it too when it was lowered unevenly. Aero plays a big role at speed.

alphalanos

My civic does the same thing. But it is raked forward and I have a lip on it. When I go more than 60-70 i can definitely feel it wandering. Once I slow down it becomes stable again. It has to be lift.