Steering drift in '95 G30 van
June 7th, 2009, 2:27 PM
#1
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Steering drift in '95 G30 van
My '95 G30 van started to drift about 2 years ago. I have changed tie rod ends, idler arm, pitman arm, ball joints, etc. I have had it aligned recently. The linkages all appear tight, I have new tires, but still have not been able to fix the drift problem. It is not severe, but is an aggrevation. Any ideas or suggestions?
June 8th, 2009, 3:45 PM
#2
What exactly do you mean by "drifting"?
Drifting as I understand it, is when your rear end slides away in turns. thats basically caused due to watching too much 'A-Team'.
A front part of your car that drifts, could be caused by a lot of things. Side wind, for example, your car weight that isnt equally balanced over all the wheels, your steering wheel that has too much free play, ... .
My advice , look at your tires. If you really drift , then one of your tires will be more used up then the other. I'm just saying this because those Vans catch a lot of wind and all and sometimes it just SEEMs as if they drift. Its pointless to start replacing all those parts (which must have cost you a fortune already ) without being able to pinpoint the problem.
If all else fails :
- those G30 's often have extra supporting (air controlled) suspensions under the rear axle. (sorry if my english is poor...) Check if those are ok. (no loss of oil etc...)
- no idea what the english word is for the supporting beams that kind of carry your car around. But if one or more of them are bent (sometimes due to an accident or one too steep hill taken too fast) then that could be the problem as well.
-If your rear part drifts, then it would most likely be your differential that is either broken or lacks oil.
- and last. Your engine has "rockers" that keep the engine from rocking out of place. If one of those is broken, then that could also cause front drifting. But to be honest, that would make a lot of noise.
And since you replaced pretty much all the rest, (and probably checked the steering component of your car as well) that would be about all I could advice you. Maybe someone else has any more ideas?
Drifting as I understand it, is when your rear end slides away in turns. thats basically caused due to watching too much 'A-Team'.
A front part of your car that drifts, could be caused by a lot of things. Side wind, for example, your car weight that isnt equally balanced over all the wheels, your steering wheel that has too much free play, ... .
My advice , look at your tires. If you really drift , then one of your tires will be more used up then the other. I'm just saying this because those Vans catch a lot of wind and all and sometimes it just SEEMs as if they drift. Its pointless to start replacing all those parts (which must have cost you a fortune already ) without being able to pinpoint the problem.
If all else fails :
- those G30 's often have extra supporting (air controlled) suspensions under the rear axle. (sorry if my english is poor...) Check if those are ok. (no loss of oil etc...)
- no idea what the english word is for the supporting beams that kind of carry your car around. But if one or more of them are bent (sometimes due to an accident or one too steep hill taken too fast) then that could be the problem as well.
-If your rear part drifts, then it would most likely be your differential that is either broken or lacks oil.
- and last. Your engine has "rockers" that keep the engine from rocking out of place. If one of those is broken, then that could also cause front drifting. But to be honest, that would make a lot of noise.
And since you replaced pretty much all the rest, (and probably checked the steering component of your car as well) that would be about all I could advice you. Maybe someone else has any more ideas?
June 8th, 2009, 4:35 PM
#3
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Theres a time and a place for humor koffietje... vans don't drift race.
cbhudson, what kind of tires are you running? Most of the time with vans your really need a light truck tire instead of a passenger tire so there will not be drift or wander. Did you buy tires that start with a P or an LT?
cbhudson, what kind of tires are you running? Most of the time with vans your really need a light truck tire instead of a passenger tire so there will not be drift or wander. Did you buy tires that start with a P or an LT?
June 8th, 2009, 6:48 PM
#4
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I know that in my area the paved roads can develop slight valleys from the weight of cars and trucks on a hot day, sometimes you can see them and other times you can only feel them. I thought I had the same problem once and I eventually found that I was driving the same route everyday, I also noticed that I tended to take the same line in the lane. I moved a little closer to the right and found that my truck now wanted to drift left instead of right.
Just a thought.
Just a thought.
June 8th, 2009, 9:31 PM
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By "drift" I mean the van seems to track well, but you have to keep correcting the wheel to keep it in your lane, even on concrete highways. It's like there is play in the steering even though all the linkage is tight. Could it be a worn steering gear? By the way, I run 8 ply light truck tires.
Last edited by cbhudson; June 8th, 2009 at 9:34 PM. Reason: Additional info
June 8th, 2009, 10:17 PM
#6
CF Monarch
Ok tires ruled out, the only other thing I can think of is the steering box (gears). Worn gears or even a missing or broken "tooth", for lack of a better term, will certainly cause a wandering effect when recorrecting the van in a straight line after changing lanes.
June 9th, 2009, 4:43 AM
#7
"Theres a time and a place for humor koffietje... vans don't drift race."
I can drift my Van and thats only a G20. So i think a G30 would be absolutely no problem to drift with.
You have a 1 ton heavy engine in the front and almost no weight in the back of your Van. The rear wheels are 1 meter away from your rear end. So its absolutely not hard trying to drift its rear end.
I'm just trying to rule out all possibilities. The way you drive, can actually cause drifting. Even if you dont intend it. Its like playing a computer race game and then getting in your car. Even the kind of music you listen in your car, has its consequences on your driving style. (try listening to Paranoid from Black Sabbath in a traffic jam, without eating your steering wheel...)
If they give a brand of tires and you say "ok, tires ruled out," then you are also missing on a lot of possibilities. Is the pressure in all tires the same? Are the tires not too big or too wide? (which can cause an uplift). It could be pretty much everything. Even driving with an open window can cause drift. He just has to be more specific.
Did the drifting occur all of the sudden? Or has is always been the case? Did he install a lower front spoiler? Has he altered anything about the Van that could cause drift? How fast does he have to drive, in order to feel the drift? Is it on straight lanes or also in curves? Does it always drift to the same side? Etc...etc...
I can drift my Van and thats only a G20. So i think a G30 would be absolutely no problem to drift with.
You have a 1 ton heavy engine in the front and almost no weight in the back of your Van. The rear wheels are 1 meter away from your rear end. So its absolutely not hard trying to drift its rear end.
I'm just trying to rule out all possibilities. The way you drive, can actually cause drifting. Even if you dont intend it. Its like playing a computer race game and then getting in your car. Even the kind of music you listen in your car, has its consequences on your driving style. (try listening to Paranoid from Black Sabbath in a traffic jam, without eating your steering wheel...)
If they give a brand of tires and you say "ok, tires ruled out," then you are also missing on a lot of possibilities. Is the pressure in all tires the same? Are the tires not too big or too wide? (which can cause an uplift). It could be pretty much everything. Even driving with an open window can cause drift. He just has to be more specific.
Did the drifting occur all of the sudden? Or has is always been the case? Did he install a lower front spoiler? Has he altered anything about the Van that could cause drift? How fast does he have to drive, in order to feel the drift? Is it on straight lanes or also in curves? Does it always drift to the same side? Etc...etc...
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June 9th, 2009, 8:53 AM
#8
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Yeah until you roll it. If you are gonna drift something, get a little car.
I also assume that the original poster is smart enough to check his tire pressure.
I also assume that the original poster is smart enough to check his tire pressure.
November 15th, 2009, 6:57 PM
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If the van is a 1995 G30 , you should have greaseable upper and lower control arm bushings.
The upper bushings are pretty easy to check , the lowers are not so easy.
Jack each side up underneath the spring pocket and pull and push really hard at 3 o clock and 9 o clock , the uppers can be seen this way if they move a bit.
If the shop picked it up on a lift , they checked it wrong.
The lowers are harder to check (nearly impossible) but you should try anyway.
Clean off the lower bushings of any grease and dirt , check to see if the pivot shaft looks centered in each bushing.
If not , they are shot.
You would then have to separate the lower ball joint and pull the coil spring , and then check for fore and aft movement , which you will find....
The upper and lower control arms are serviced with a shaft and bushing kit for each arm.
If all this is OK , then have your shop realign the truck with more "caster" angle , meaning more positive caster which will help with the wander.
Mick
The upper bushings are pretty easy to check , the lowers are not so easy.
Jack each side up underneath the spring pocket and pull and push really hard at 3 o clock and 9 o clock , the uppers can be seen this way if they move a bit.
If the shop picked it up on a lift , they checked it wrong.
The lowers are harder to check (nearly impossible) but you should try anyway.
Clean off the lower bushings of any grease and dirt , check to see if the pivot shaft looks centered in each bushing.
If not , they are shot.
You would then have to separate the lower ball joint and pull the coil spring , and then check for fore and aft movement , which you will find....
The upper and lower control arms are serviced with a shaft and bushing kit for each arm.
If all this is OK , then have your shop realign the truck with more "caster" angle , meaning more positive caster which will help with the wander.
Mick
February 2nd, 2014, 10:34 PM
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Good Post. - I am getting an estimate now for my 95 G20 Conversion Van. It handles like a pig at speed right now. I would call it 'drift' as well.
The shop I just took it to is recommending new shocks all round, adding a leaf spring or 'bags' in back., and and the right rear axle needs bearings, - so I'll doth both rear axles.
I'm going to get 2nd opinions on cost, I think it needs all he has listed. I think too the steering wheel has a bit of play in it, so I'll raise that issue.
The shop I just took it to is recommending new shocks all round, adding a leaf spring or 'bags' in back., and and the right rear axle needs bearings, - so I'll doth both rear axles.
I'm going to get 2nd opinions on cost, I think it needs all he has listed. I think too the steering wheel has a bit of play in it, so I'll raise that issue.