suspesion guru advise needed please

[Sickest3G]

Ever since I bought My se-i 7 years ago the rear wheels don't ride on the same track as the front wheels. I had 2 alignments but it didn't fix it so I figured it was the suspension bushings so I replaced all front end bushings with polyurathane and got an alignment but it continues to do the same thing. It also pulls to the right during acceleration and to the left during braking. It was crashed in the front right but it was all fixed. Can any one shed some light on this issue of mine. Thanks guys. Btw ... I've been real busy but sickest3g se-i stock rebuild motor/suspension/5speed swap thread will continue real soon.

[carotman]

Did you check the radius rods? There are bushings in the front cross member that can have some play and cause this kind of behavior

[Bglad420]

I'd say your mostlikely screwed. If you had front end damage that's most likely your culprit. I had the same issue.

[Legend_master]

So pulling to the left during acceleration would be TQ steer, and pulling to the right during braking has to do with the braking system (something gripping to hard, or not hard enough). If you are driving down a flat (HAS TO BE A FLAT ROAD) road at 30-40MPH, and let go of the steering wheel. How long does it take (in seconds) before the car starts to pull a direction, and which direction does it travel. Don't accelerate, or bake at during this test just a constant speed.

[Hondamonster]

i'd say something's bent in your suspension somewhere. from the side profile, do your wheels sit centered front to rear in the fender on both sides?

[Sickest3G]

Sometimes I hear a clunk at the beginning of acceleration and at low speed braking. I replaced the rod bushings with polyurathane ones and the bolts are tight. Does it matter if those bushings are backwards?

Did you check the radius rods? There are bushings in the front cross member that can have some play and cause this kind of behavior

[Sickest3G]

I bet you're right but lets see if the issue can be alleviated with the help of the 3g crew.

I'd say your mostlikely screwed. If you had front end damage that's most likely your culprit. I had the same issue.

[Sickest3G]

I'll run that test tomorrow but one thing I have noticed was that when I lockup the brakes only the left side actually locks. So now that you mention that, the pulling to the left during braking may be something wrong with my front right brake caliper. Or could it be the brake distribution block?

So pulling to the left during acceleration would be TQ steer, and pulling to the right during braking has to do with the braking system (something gripping to hard, or not hard enough). If you are driving down a flat (HAS TO BE A FLAT ROAD) road at 30-40MPH, and let go of the steering wheel. How long does it take (in seconds) before the car starts to pull a direction, and which direction does it travel. Don't accelerate, or bake at during this test just a constant speed.

[Sickest3G]

Yeah it does and I had the entire front suspension off. Nothing is bent and it all looked great.

i'd say something's bent in your suspension somewhere. from the side profile, do your wheels sit centered front to rear in the fender on both sides?

[LX-incredible]

Sometimes I hear a clunk at the beginning of acceleration and at low speed braking. I replaced the rod bushings with polyurethane ones and the bolts are tight. Does it matter if those bushings are backwards?

Did you cut the radius rod sleeves shorter? They absolutely need to be shortened about 1/4" to work with the poly bushings. Also be sure to use new locknuts or they'll back themselves out.

Improper installation of the UCA or cheap UCA bushings will also cause the noise you describe.

[Oldblueaccord]

Yeah it does and I had the entire front suspension off. Nothing is bent and it all looked great.

Barring an alignment problem.......

Mounting points most likely are. Esp where the LCA mounts thats pretty weak area. A frame check would show it if any one in your area has the chassis specs for our cars.

Quick checks like measuring the tire edge distances from the outside fenders etc might show something.


wp

[Sickest3G]

Nice pointer thanks for letting me know cause I had no idea and come to think of it I see how it would benifit the functionality and purpose of the urathane bushings. And you're right about the lock nuts too cause they sure did back them selves out. I'll be doing that this weekend. The uca is a cheap one cause there is a gap between the balljoint and the uca. To close the gap I cut a piece of 18 gauge steel rod. Bent it to the diameter of the balljoint then turned into a c-clip by flatening it with a hammer to the thickness of the gap. Slid it in and ...vuala... problem solveed for both sides.
Thanks again. I'll let you guys know if this solves my issue.

Did you cut the radius rod sleeves shorter? They absolutely need to be shortened about 1/4" to work with the poly bushings. Also be sure to use new locknuts or they'll back themselves out.

Improper installation of the UCA or cheap UCA bushings will also cause the noise you describe.

[LX-incredible]

The uca is a cheap one cause there is a gap between the balljoint and the uca. To close the gap I cut a piece of 18 gauge steel rod. Bent it to the diameter of the balljoint then turned into a c-clip by flatening it with a hammer to the thickness of the gap. Slid it in and ...vuala... problem solveed for both sides.
Thanks again. I'll let you guys know if this solves my issue.

Not really sure what you are talking about here, but if it's what I think you should replace those UCAs. The ones with a removable balljoint should have the joint pressed in with the circlip only as a back up. I wouldn't trust a circlip alone to hold things together, especially one I made myself.

[Sickest3G]

The c-clips I made aren't holding anything together. They're only filling the gap that there was between the control arm and the balljoint where the balljoint goes into the control arm. The c-clip that came on the ball joint is what keeps it from coming out so I'll be changing those soon before something tragic happens.

[LX-incredible]

So the gap is at the top between the base of the balljoint ant the top of the control arm?

If you're lowered and have a camber kit on the front, the outer edge of the UCA will usually hit on the unibody. That may be what forced the balljoints up against the circlips. Check for rubbing on the uca and inner fender area.

Go with moog/three-five/raybestos professonal grade/honda. All these are made by three-five in japan and have joints that are welded in. The only benefit to buying from honda is the boots are higher quality and will last longer.

If needed, you can grind a bit off the arms with the welded joints to clear the unibody. Safety and reliability will not be compromised.

[Sickest3G]

Yeah your right. That was causing a noise too but I already did that bout 3 months ago and it worked. I also believe its the radious rod bushing sleeve. I'll cut them this weekend and see if it work. Anyone know which year model of the prelude front UCA I can put on my 3g?

[Bglad420]

all 2nd gen ludes 83-87

[Sickest3G]

Do the 2nd gen lude uca's give the 3rd gen accord any +camber in its stock form?