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From: marauder@fluke.UUCP (Bill Landsborough)
Newsgroups: net.auto.tech
Subject: Re: Wandering Nova
Message-ID: <3014@vax4.fluke.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 13-Jan-86 18:25:31 EST
Article-I.D.: vax4.3014
Posted: Mon Jan 13 18:25:31 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 15-Jan-86 01:10:34 EST
References: <187@drutx.UUCP>
Organization: John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc., Everett, WA
Lines: 39

In article <187@drutx.UUCP> kec@drutx.UUCP (CarlsonKE) writes:
>My 1978 Nova (52,000 miles) "wanders" when I drive it, requiring
>constant, jerky steering wheel movement.  It feels as if the car is
>almost out of my control.  I've had this problem for quite a while, but 
>now it's so bad I'm afraid to drive the car at all.
>
>In the past, when I've taken the car in for regular servicing, I've 
>also described this problem, hoping each new mechanic would be able to
>correctly diagnose and then fix the problem.  Each time an alignment is 
>performed.  It helps only slightly and within a couple of weeks the car 
>is out of alignment again and the problem is as bad as ever.  By this 
>time, I think perhaps the poor alignment is a result of the problem, not 
>the problem itself.
>
>I would be very grateful to receive suggestions.
>
>
>				    K. E. Carlson
>				    drutx!kec
I agree with the other reply that it sounds like you have something
loose in your steering.  Try this test.  Park your car on asphalt or
cement for good traction and while parked and looking at your front
left wheel out the side window, turn the steering wheel one way until
you see movement.  Then start turning the steering wheel the other way
until you see the first fraction of movement in the other direction.
Note how much you had to turn your steering wheel.  If in the terms of
a clock, you had to turn the wheel from 12 at the start to 1:30 or 2
o'clock, then you probably have loose steering.  
Demonstrate this to your mechanic and have him crawl underneath and
find where the play is caused by.  It is easy to spot with this
method.

Bill Landsborough

----

"Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not 
arrogant or rude... Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all
things, endures all things."   1 Corinthians 13:4-7