Viper Swerves Everywhere

[VipeRauf]

This is an issue I've been having with my '94 RT for a while now. My car just does not feel stable nor safe anymore. Whenever I go above 20+mph, the car starts to swerve left & right, it gets worse as speeds go above 50 mph.

People said it was most probably an allignment issue. I went & got an allignment done this past saturday, didn't help it ONE bit. I got a wheel balance done, no difference.

Does anyone have a clue to what the problem could be ?

It's ridiculous/scary. I'm holding the steering wheel perfectly straight, accelerating very slowly, and the car just goes left & right. It's really scary changing lanes on the highway, I almost hit aguardrail once because the car just kept swerving on its own

Help...

 

[J&R3xV10]

Is it the tires catching the grooves in the road?? With the wide tires on the Viper that can really be an issue some times.

 

[RedEnuf93]

I assume that you have lifted the front up and checked power steering, wheel bearings, ball joints and everything else in the front, and found no loose issues???
Mine sweers left and right when front tires are worn. How good your front tires are??

 

[FrankBarba]

How old are your tires ? Air Pressure.

 

[dave6666]

I'm thinking broken or severely worn suspension component or chassis member.

Like was said, get that car up in the air and have everything including the frame checked by someone that knows what they are doing.

 

[GTSnake]

You would think that when they did the alignment they would have checked the suspension components right? So if there is nothing loose maybe it's in the power steering?

 

[agentf1]

Belt shift in the tire/s or something. Probably tire related if alignment and front end checked out OK.

 

[VipeRauf]

The rear tires are like new though, easily 90% tread,

The fronts are 50-60%

 

[GR8_ASP]

The rear tires are like new though, easily 90% tread,

The fronts are 50-60%

What type and age of front tire. Are they the same tire type as the newer rears? I still see a few Gen I with OEM tires. That's scary!
OEM tires were XGTZ

 

[dave6666]

Belt shift in the tire/s or something. Probably tire related if alignment and front end checked out OK.

And while it's being assumed that the shop that did the alignment thoroughly checked out the suspension etc, why would it not be assumed that the shop that did the balancing would have checked the condition of the tires?

I don't know at this point any more about who is doing the work on his car but it gets said too often make sure your shop knows what they are doing.

The Discount Tire here their shop is filled with highly qualified high school grads that work on pickups, minivans, and a very occasional Corvette. I um don't take my Viper there needless to say.

 

[ViperTony]

Take it to an experienced Viper Tech...don't play around with safety. Maybe someone in the VA club can recommend a Viper Tech near you.

 

[JonB]

The rear tires are like new though, easily 90% tread,

The fronts are 50-60%

You had the tires balanced and pressured alike
You had the car aligned.. (I hope to 1995+ spec)

Possible culprit is sway-bar end links, or a rack issue, which SHOULD have been discovered on an alignment.
Maybe a bad shock, but would not show itself at a slow launch


My bet is MIS-MATCHED Tires (as GR8 ASP sez) And I mean specific tire MODEL and TREAD STYLE, not just "all 4 Michelin"....they need to be the same model. And furthermore, there have been 4 Michelin tires that say "Pilot" so it is not good enuf to have 4 Pilots....they must be the same model of Pilots.

Gen 1 were very 'darty' anyway...... and the alignment specs were changed (retro-active) in 1995 to help with this.

Also: You did not say the MILEAGE on your 94, which could help diagnose other wear-issues. Was this car ever wrecked? You say this has been this way 'a while now' and "people Say" to do an alignment.

THIS IS A GREAT REASON TO BE A VA/MD VCA MEMBER....for the networking with "People" who know Vipers.

 

[VipeRauf]

You had the tires balanced and pressured alike
You had the car aligned.. (I hope to 1995+ spec)

Possible culprit is sway-bar end links, or a rack issue, which SHOULD have been discovered on an alignment.
Maybe a bad shock, but would not show itself at a slow launch


My bet is MIS-MATCHED Tires (as GR8 ASP sez) And I mean specific tire MODEL and TREAD STYLE, not just "all 4 Michelin"....they need to be the same model. And furthermore, there have been 4 Michelin tires that say "Pilot" so it is not good enuf to have 4 Pilots....they must be the same model of Pilots.

Gen 1 were very 'darty' anyway...... and the alignment specs were changed (retro-active) in 1995 to help with this.

Also: You did not say the MILEAGE on your 94, which could help diagnose other wear-issues. Was this car ever wrecked? You say this has been this way 'a while now' and "people Say" to do an alignment.

THIS IS A GREAT REASON TO BE A VA/MD VCA MEMBER....for the networking with "People" who know Vipers.

To clarify a few things, my car has never been wrecked, I am the third owner, currently has 20100 miles on it, I actually bought the car with the old 3-spoke wheels, but because tires alone would've ran me $1500+, I decided to just go ahead and buy used 2001 RT wheels with tires from someone on the board.

As far as all 4 tires being the same make, I'm pretty sure they are all michelins, the rears are like new, fronts are 50-60%.


before it looked like this (mine's the one without stripes)

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now it looks like this

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there's me on the right along with 93VIPERVA on the left

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[Tom F&L GoR]

Being originally from Fairfax, I remember many roads that weren't so great.

If you have a floor jack that can get under the front somewhere and lift one side (with a floor jack for safety) you can attempt to turn one tire while the other is still on the ground. If something is as loose as your driving indicates, you will quickly see a joint that is loose by 1/4 inch motion or more.

There is also a joint inside the rubber boot at the end of the steering rack (the inner tie rod end), so you will have to go by feel rather than sight. If the boot is torn, highly likely the joint got wet or dirt in it and has worn out.

You can tell by the swift responses that we all want to help, but secretly all want to know what is wrong.

 

[jdeft1]

Got any play in the steering wheel while it's not moving?? Have a look at the U-joint in the steering column and connection at the steering rack.. Steering rack mounts OK?

I agree with Tom. let us know what you find.
my .02

 

[VipeRauf]

Got any play in the steering wheel while it's not moving?? Have a look at the U-joint in the steering column and connection at the steering rack.. Steering rack mounts OK?

I agree with Tom. let us know what you find.
my .02

I sure do, especially while braking, the steering tilts excessively to the right

 

[Bobpantax]

I do not think that anyone has said this. I do not think that you should be driving the car the way it is until you get it fixed. You clearly do not have complete control over the car based on its current condition. If whatever is wrong with it should suddenly get worse while you are driving it, you could cause injury to yourself and/or others.

 

[Brake Dust]

Call Chuck Tator 914 763 3136, The viper wizard .

 

[GTS Dean]

Just for something that no one else has mentioned: Worn out differential?

More likely, sagged, split/torn suspension bushings. And, FYI, there are darned few alignment machines that will give you a correct setting on REAR CASTER ANGLE. If your car has unequal rear caster, it will not behave consistently left/right under power.

 

[jc411]

salvaged cars or crash/fixes usually do that... check the frame

 

[Rollin4]

As several have mentioned the alignment settings are different for the Viper. If the alignment shop didn't use the correct setting's for your Viper that could be your problem. Give Chuck Tator a call a see if he can give you the correct setting and then check with your alignment shop to see if they used those setting's.

 

[kcobean]

Rauf,
All of this happening and yet you don't call me? Geez man, I'm hurt! Listen, don't kill yourself in that thing...let me come down and take a look at it with you before you get hurt. Then get it to a dealer if needed. Hit me up on IM when you have a chance.

 

[dave6666]

As several have mentioned the alignment settings are different for the Viper. If the alignment shop didn't use the correct setting's for your Viper that could be your problem. Give Chuck Tator a call a see if he can give you the correct setting and then check with your alignment shop to see if they used those setting's.

If they didn't know the specs the first time why would they have even put it on the rack??? Unless if that was the case they weren't qualified to be working on the car.

Man... Think twice about who you take your car to. Ask them questions. Intero-freakin-gate them!!!

 

[SkyBob]

Man... Think twice about who you take your car to. Ask them questions. Intero-freakin-gate them!!!

Customer : Do you know the alignment specs for this car?

Shop : Oh, sure we do.

Customer : Ok, align it for me.

 

[dave6666]

Customer : Do you know the alignment specs for this car?

Shop : Oh, sure we do.

Customer : Ok, align it for me.

 

[Brentt]

If it was manual steering I'd say it was a worn worm gear on the steering box, but it may be a similar problem with the power unit.

 

[VIPERUSA]

I am Blessed to have "The Wizard" so close to me.. God bless Chuck

ps,,check to see if the wheel berings are tight

 

[viper spray]

And the rear control arms , check them out.......

 

[snakebitdave]

After purchasing new PS2's for my '96 I took it out for a test drive. The car felt a bit squirrely at 50-60 mph and got progressively worse as, well, I exceeded the speed limit a bit. Downright scary in fact. I found one rear tire inflated to 60 psi; this from a reputable tire dealer.

 

[eucharistos]

I found one rear tire inflated to 60 psi