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Sloppy stering 98 Crown Vic

1K views 5 replies 0 participants last post by  msterspy 
G
#1 ·
I have a 98 Crown Vic with 106,000 miles. I have been noticing latley
that the stering is very sloppy and unresponsive. Two years ago I had
the pitnam arm replaced and that seemed to improve handleability.

Now it is getting bad again. Anyone know what could be the problem?
I know that these cars all have common problems.

I was told that it is common for ball joints to go in these cars, but
my mechanic says that the seem tight enough.

Would worn ball joints cause the car to handle badly and drift all
over the road?

M
 
G
#2 ·
On Tue, 05 Apr 2005 14:13:03 +0000, msterspy wrote:

> I have a 98 Crown Vic with 106,000 miles. I have been noticing latley
> that the stering is very sloppy and unresponsive. Two years ago I had
> the pitnam arm replaced and that seemed to improve handleability.
>
> Now it is getting bad again. Anyone know what could be the problem?
> I know that these cars all have common problems.
>
> I was told that it is common for ball joints to go in these cars, but
> my mechanic says that the seem tight enough.
>
> Would worn ball joints cause the car to handle badly and drift all
> over the road?
>
> M



Well if you've checked your tie rod ends, ball joints, and other obvious
points of failure, then you might need new shocks. Does the car seem to
bounce excessively when you hit a bump? If so you definitely need new
shocks.


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G
#3 ·
I had the shocks replaced a couple of years ago with monroe
sensitracs. I think they are okay, no bouncing, but when the car is
stopped and I turn the stering wheel left to right I hear clicking
like something is loose or worn. I noticed at one point when I jacked
up the car to rotate tires, I discovered the upper ball joint
protective rubber cover was ripped. Could that make that part wear
quickly?



On Tue, 05 Apr 2005 09:25:34 -0500, rodney <rodney@mailinator.com>
wrote:

>On Tue, 05 Apr 2005 14:13:03 +0000, msterspy wrote:
>
>> I have a 98 Crown Vic with 106,000 miles. I have been noticing latley
>> that the stering is very sloppy and unresponsive. Two years ago I had
>> the pitnam arm replaced and that seemed to improve handleability.
>>
>> Now it is getting bad again. Anyone know what could be the problem?
>> I know that these cars all have common problems.
>>
>> I was told that it is common for ball joints to go in these cars, but
>> my mechanic says that the seem tight enough.
>>
>> Would worn ball joints cause the car to handle badly and drift all
>> over the road?
>>
>> M

>
>
>Well if you've checked your tie rod ends, ball joints, and other obvious
>points of failure, then you might need new shocks. Does the car seem to
>bounce excessively when you hit a bump? If so you definitely need new
>shocks.
>
>
>----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==----
>http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
>----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----
 
G
#4 ·
Re: Sloppy steering 98 Crown Vic

jack up the front end and shake the front tires holding them at the 12
and 6 position. bet they are loose. bad wheel bearings. seems to be a
common problem. they are pressed into the wheel hub - different design
and you have to replace the whole hub assy. had to replace both sides
at 100k on my 98 and yes, had a bad outer tie rod end go bad too.
shocks are still holding.

hope this helps,

~ curtis

knowledge is power - growing old is mandatory - growing wise is optional
"Many more men die with prostate cancer than of it. Growing old is
invariably fatal. Prostate cancer is only sometimes so."
http://community.webtv.net/PALMER_ENT/doc
 
G
#5 ·
Re: Sloppy steering 98 Crown Vic

jack up the front end and shake the front tires holding them at the 12
and 6 position. bet they are loose. bad wheel bearings. seems to be a
common problem. they are pressed into the wheel hub - different design
and you have to replace the whole hub assy. had to replace both sides
at 100k on my 98 and yes, had a bad outer tie rod end go bad too.
shocks are still holding.

hope this helps,

~ curtis

knowledge is power - growing old is mandatory - growing wise is optional
"Many more men die with prostate cancer than of it. Growing old is
invariably fatal. Prostate cancer is only sometimes so."
http://community.webtv.net/PALMER_ENT/doc
 
G
#6 ·
Re: Sloppy steering 98 Crown Vic

Thanks Curtis; I check it out. Makes sense. I bought this car used 4
years ago and made my final payment on the loan this month. Stands to
reason that the car discovered that it was paid for and now it's time
to wear out.
M

On Tue, 5 Apr 2005 18:10:20 -0500, PALMER_ENT@webtv.net (c palmer)
wrote:

>jack up the front end and shake the front tires holding them at the 12
>and 6 position. bet they are loose. bad wheel bearings. seems to be a
>common problem. they are pressed into the wheel hub - different design
>and you have to replace the whole hub assy. had to replace both sides
>at 100k on my 98 and yes, had a bad outer tie rod end go bad too.
>shocks are still holding.
>
>hope this helps,
>
>~ curtis
>
>knowledge is power - growing old is mandatory - growing wise is optional
>"Many more men die with prostate cancer than of it. Growing old is
>invariably fatal. Prostate cancer is only sometimes so."
>http://community.webtv.net/PALMER_ENT/doc
 
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