antichip
New Member
- Joined
- December 12, 2010
- Messages
- 2
- Reaction score
- 0
- City, State
- Seattle
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 98 XLT Ranger
In my experience with automobile mechanical difficulties, I've often found that the best place to look for the causes of mysterious problems are from the people whom are NOT getting paid.
As owners of the vehicle in question, we have the experience of wild goose chases, $600 repairs that didn't fix anything, and several "peripheral" repairs before the actual problem is correctly identified.
I have a 98 ranger XLT extended cab with a 3.0 V-6 and a 5 speed. Some time ago I was the lucky participant of a amusement park like ride when a semi drifted into my lane at 65 and I rode up his rear wheel. Twice, actually. Lifted the entire front end of the truck completely off the ground and left the most impressive layer of rubber on the bumper I've ever seen.
I replaced the rack, power steering pump and the effected body panel. Now, oh, maybe 10 to 15 thousand miles later my front end feels "weak" or something. I can feel it, but I can't see it. It has more travel in what feels like the the a arm, maybe. No noise, or clunking like the bushings would likely make. I have looked at em and scratched several times- with no revelations.
From the visual the bushings look good and there is no evidence of any wear serious enough to explain the slop. And in the past week the feeling has become almost scary and perhaps the beginning of a clunk when going over healthy bumps.
Steering feels okay, but maybe a bit looser. Pulls very slightly left, but only a small amount.
How would one correctly and with the least amount of effort and/of expense diagnose this. lift it and look at the tie rod ends and ball joints?
I would greatly appreciate any help. If anyone has a question about a C-3 Corvette, I'm your guy.
Thanks, Chip
As owners of the vehicle in question, we have the experience of wild goose chases, $600 repairs that didn't fix anything, and several "peripheral" repairs before the actual problem is correctly identified.
I have a 98 ranger XLT extended cab with a 3.0 V-6 and a 5 speed. Some time ago I was the lucky participant of a amusement park like ride when a semi drifted into my lane at 65 and I rode up his rear wheel. Twice, actually. Lifted the entire front end of the truck completely off the ground and left the most impressive layer of rubber on the bumper I've ever seen.
I replaced the rack, power steering pump and the effected body panel. Now, oh, maybe 10 to 15 thousand miles later my front end feels "weak" or something. I can feel it, but I can't see it. It has more travel in what feels like the the a arm, maybe. No noise, or clunking like the bushings would likely make. I have looked at em and scratched several times- with no revelations.
From the visual the bushings look good and there is no evidence of any wear serious enough to explain the slop. And in the past week the feeling has become almost scary and perhaps the beginning of a clunk when going over healthy bumps.
Steering feels okay, but maybe a bit looser. Pulls very slightly left, but only a small amount.
How would one correctly and with the least amount of effort and/of expense diagnose this. lift it and look at the tie rod ends and ball joints?
I would greatly appreciate any help. If anyone has a question about a C-3 Corvette, I'm your guy.
Thanks, Chip
