My wife, kids and I were going to her Grandfolks place about 8 hours away in the Fairlane.
Went and got an alingnment done on it the day before, and new tires all around. They replaced the tie-rod ends, and an upper ball-joint.
We took off early and headed for Creston. The car handled pretty good for the first few miles, then all of a sudden it started wandering all over the road. I slowed down to 50 mph, and it handled abit better, got to the next town and ask the garage there to look at the front end. They put it on the hoist and checked it out and did an alignment. Everything checked out ok. Continued on our way.
Cruizing doen the highway around 50 mph again and it started wandering real bad again, this time real bad. I pulled over, and checked the wheels out, jacked the car up and did a quick wheel tug to check the bearing and ball joint. Seemed fine. Continued on.
Got to Kelowna about 3 hours later (2 hour drive) and got to another garage. It took awhile for him to get me in but did. Said I needed a new idler arm, fine, put it in. 4 hours later the car was ready. It was getting late so got a hotel. Picked the car up and drove to the hotel, STILL handled like ****, went back and got the mechanic to drive it, he stopped and got out, said frame is bent. Went to a frame shop and he checked it out, it was fine, but my control valve was hooped. Got a rebuild and rebuilt it in the hotel lot, put it back on in the dark. Good damn car, so far this trip cost me close to 700.00 including hotel.
Continued on the next day, this time the car was worse, said fu*k it and went home, it was closer to go home than continue on to Creston.
Went back to the tire shop, got them to rebalnce and check the tires, they were fine, went back to the alignment shop and got them to check the alignment again, still fine. Now the car wandered at 30 mph and above.
Bought new lower control arms, new sway bar bushings, upper ball joints, wheel bearings, and even changed rims and tires, still wandered.
I was getting pissed, I checked a magazine and it said lower the upper control arms 1 in. I spent close to 2000.00 on the front end in 1 week, and was getting pissed. What the hell, it was free, if it didnt cure it, put it back.
Well, it cost me a total of 30.00 for the drill bit, and 3 hours of my time, (god damn coil springs), went to the alignment shop after I was done, another 50.00, and good to go.
Now it goes over 100 mph and straight as an arrow, no wandering, or anything. I spent over 2 grand on stuff I didnt have too, least I know the front end is ALL NEW, and is going to last along time.
Rick