Need Advice 93 Rx7 Pulls To The Left Really Bad

[whitemike2686]

My 93 Rx7 with a 5.3 V8 has decided to pull to the left when I drive it. In order to drive straight I have to keep my steering wheel turned almost completely sideways like I'm turning right. I took to a local auto shop and they said I need whole new lower control arm and knuckle. But I'm not so sure. What else could cause this to happen? Thanks for any help. Michael 

[quinns]

A bent control arm would do it. What caused it to do this? Hit a curb? The balljoint is part of the a arm so you buy them as one piece. Why do you not trust the shop?

[twokrx7]

Something this bad should be obvious upon inspection of the steering rack and suspension components.  If you are parked and turn the wheel to the right, and assuming both tires turn to the right, and then you move forward and the car still goes left      Should be obvious.  Tires are not pointed in the same direction? Grab a front tire and does it move around with the steering wheel locked in place?  Grab a steering or suspension link and does it move/wiggle freely with the steering wheel locked in place? ... 

GL

[65imp]

It is probably the 5.3.  Iron blocks tend to add too much weight to these Mazdas.  Often they twist the frame when accelerating, and bend control arms when braking...

[whitemike2686]

Quinns I've owned the car for almost two years and its always barely pulled to left but never this bad. I drove it home in the rain and the next morning it started acting up. Also I never done business with this shop. I have looked and the left lower control arm looks just like the right side. The only thing that looks wrong is my sway bar mount brackets aren't straight up and down.  They look crooked and both sway bar links have been rubbing on the inside of the lower control arms. So could it be that I just need to get new mounting brackets for the sway bar? Also to twokrx7 when im parked and turn the steering wheel both tires turn like they should. Only when driving does it pull the left.

[346fc3s]

Sounds like you spun a caster cam, or perhaps the bushings are shot.  If the sway bar links are touching the arms then something is definitely way out of adjustment and getting new links won't fix the issue.  What subframe is in it?

[whitemike2686]

I have no idea what subframe it is. I would think its a hinson subframe that is the only one I have heard of. It just got really bad all of the sudden before that I never had any problems. Tires are wearing evenly so something just failed and I want to figure it out.

[346fc3s]

If nothing is loose or obviously broken then you spun a cam.  It happens and can drastically change your camber or caster in the blink of an eye.  Did the shop that looked at it check the alignment?  Also, why did they say you need a new control arm and knuckle??

[whitemike2686]

Please forgive my ignorance how and where would a spun cam be? The shop just did a visual inspection and said a alignment would be needed after the problem was fixed. They said the lower control arm and knuckle was bent. I've looked and it looks the same as the other control arm.

[346fc3s]

There are cams at the inner ends of the lower control arms, where they attach to the subframe.  This is what allows you to adjust camber and caster.  The subframe is slotted horizontally and by turning the cam you can shift the LCA in or out.  If you do this at the front attachment it will adjust camber, if you do the rear it will adjust caster.  If the camber cam spins on it's own your camber and toe will both be very out of whack.  If the caster cam spins then the car will pull hard to one side or the other but it won't affect camber or toe nearly as much, thereby making it harder to tell visually that anything is out of adjustment. 

If the shop has a guy that can tell a bent knuckle with a visual inspection I'd love to shake that guys hand.  I've replaced a lot of bent uprights and the only way to tell is careful measurement off the car or by aligning it before and after the replacement to measure the angles.  I would probably look for a different shop, or at the very least have them put it on the alignment rack and show you how and where it's out of spec. 

[whitemike2686]

OK I see that make sense. I can also see that left front tire the top of the tire leans inside toward the engine. In order to drive straight I have keep the steering wheel almost completely at a right turn and If i let go it jerks back the left.

[346fc3s]

Get an alignment from a shop that knows what they're doing.  Unless something is loose or broken, an alignment will fix all your issues.  Do it sooner rather than later as it will probably wear your front tires out in a hurry.

[blacksi]

Hinson subframes and everything else they weld has been know to crack.  after checking for looseness of suspension parts visually look at every weld on the subframe for cracks.

[whitemike2686]

I gonna take it to another shop and get a 2nd opinion. Hopefully its something simple its hard finding people who know about these cars. I have checked for looseness in the suspension and everything checks out. Its gotta be something I can't see.

[346fc3s]

Hell, I've seen Hinson subframes that didn't even have the half circles welded on for the cam bolt to ride in.  Not that they fell off, just never got put on.  Made it really easy for the bolt to slide around and a pain to set properly.