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  1. #1
    Fact or Crap? Al's Avatar
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    Oldsmobile pulls to the right...

    Here is a problem that I have not encountered before.

    My 89 Oldsmobile Delta 88 is pulling to the right. To drive straight, I have to turn the wheel about 30 degrees to the left. What is unusual about it is that when I hit the gas, the car is even more prone to go to the right, so I have to turn the wheel about 45 degrees to the left. The opposite occurs when braking. If I slam the brakes, I can straighten out the steering to keep the car in line.

    Overall, from full gas to full brake, there is about 45 degrees of movement. I already lifted the car up and found that nothing was loose when I tried to shake the tires. I am assuming that it mgiht be bushing gone soft due to the unusal play or I simply have an alignment that is really messed up.

    Any input?
    When Injustice Becomes Law; Rebellion Becomes Duty

  2. #2
    BCM Cruiser
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    Is the brake caliper stuck or hanging up? Jack up the front of the car and see if the right wheel spins freely.
    "Kiss me where it smells funny"


  3. #3
    what he /\ said! sounds like a hung up caliper maybe a bad hub bearing?

  4. #4
    its almost that time again Ricky Bobby's Avatar
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    deffinately sound like a caliper is not releasing all the way if its hangin up pretty good u will also smell the brakes and rim will be very hot after some driving which i dont condone if this is the case btw

  5. #5
    "Pil Seung" DR.FORD's Avatar
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    check REAR bushings also.
    "Never underestimate old guys"

  6. #6
    Fact or Crap? Al's Avatar
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    I checked the brakes and they seem to be in proper working order.

    Quote Originally Posted by DR.FORD View Post
    check REAR bushings also.
    rear bushings on the front suspension?
    When Injustice Becomes Law; Rebellion Becomes Duty

  7. #7
    Senior Member..now yer posting!
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    no, the bushings on the rearend, They could be loose / worn out causing the pull
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  8. #8
    RIP Dad 4-29-08 brotherbenn83's Avatar
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    ply separation in a tire?
    GM World Class Certified Technician

  9. #9
    Grandpa Grocery Getter 2.0 wrath's Avatar
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    Bad wheel bearing that lead to contaminated brake pads?

    No matter what, I'd get the front of the car on jack stands.
    Buy made in the United States. Otherwise your job might be next. Unless you already wear black shoes and a visor with golden arches on it to work in which case your fellow american has already failed you.

  10. #10
    "Pil Seung" DR.FORD's Avatar
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    Hmmm, gets more pull under acceleration, comes back when you lift.
    Like I said, pay as much if not more attention to the REAR of the car as the front. Pinion rises under acc., drops when lifting off of acc., also drops under braking. Seems to me the rearend shifting would drive the car more than the front end when on and off of the gas. Look at the rear bushings and/or control arm mounting points.
    "Never underestimate old guys"

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by DR.FORD View Post
    Hmmm, gets more pull under acceleration, comes back when you lift.
    Like I said, pay as much if not more attention to the REAR of the car as the front. Pinion rises under acc., drops when lifting off of acc., also drops under braking. Seems to me the rearend shifting would drive the car more than the front end when on and off of the gas. Look at the rear bushings and/or control arm mounting points.
    An 89 Delta is FWD.

    I say it just wants to be a republican
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  12. #12
    FWD RWD doesn't matter. If anything in the rear is compromised, it will effect the angle the car goes down the road.

  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by wrath View Post
    Bad wheel bearing that lead to contaminated brake pads?
    just a thought because when the bearing went bad on our truck it was grinding and caused a signifcant pull to that side. when you jacked up the vehicle and spun the wheel it wouldnt spin for very long if at all. same issue happened on my firebird felt like it was dragging but turned out the bearing was shot. I also had a rear control arm bolt come out and caused the same issues.

  14. #14
    BCM Cruiser
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rocket Power View Post
    An 89 Delta is FWD.

    I say it just wants to be a republican

    Oh ya, I forgot.....GM should've discontinued Olds before it disgraced itself by creating FWD crap (exception to the Toronado because it still rocked a BBO!)
    "Kiss me where it smells funny"


  15. #15
    Rather be junkyarding PB86MCSS's Avatar
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    FWD RWD doesn't matter. If anything in the rear is compromised, it will effect the angle the car goes down the road.
    Well, there is less going on in the rear on these FWD cars than the RWD Delta 88's that could cause the issue, it's worth mentioning.

    FWD may be lame but these cars are great daily drivers/beaters, I would definately say the Delta 88/LeSabre/Park Ave/Bonnevilles like his and others with the 3800 are generally solid cars. If anything a high point in GM especially during the era they were built.
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  16. #16
    "Pil Seung" DR.FORD's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rocket Power View Post
    An 89 Delta is FWD.

    I say it just wants to be a republican
    OOPS-old guy moment!
    Maybe cradle mount bushing??
    "Never underestimate old guys"

  17. #17
    Fact or Crap? Al's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DR.FORD View Post
    OOPS-old guy moment!
    Maybe cradle mount bushing??
    Do you mean that bolt that connects the metal frame containing the engine/tranny/suspension to the body of the car? I know that the frame of the car is completely rusted right below the firewall by the drivers side.

    At the beginning of the summer, one of my friends said that the bolt had pretty much come undone. My car was making a loud twangy "thunk" during right-hand turns. We figured that this was the cause of the sound untill one of my hubcaps fell off while driving in Grafton. The noise is gone, but that bolt is still just floating there.

    We have a really good welder. Do you think we should attempt to weld the the cradle and chassis together? It does not need to be pretty, just functional. The car was only $300 and I don't need it to be pretty.
    When Injustice Becomes Law; Rebellion Becomes Duty

  18. #18
    "Pil Seung" DR.FORD's Avatar
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    Ummm yeah.
    How you explained to repair it I don't want to know about
    We call that ICE
    (inner city engineering)!!
    "Never underestimate old guys"

  19. #19
    Rather be junkyarding PB86MCSS's Avatar
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    Do you mean that bolt that connects the metal frame containing the engine/tranny/suspension to the body of the car? I know that the frame of the car is completely rusted right below the firewall by the drivers side.
    That sure sounds like a potential cause of the problem....anyway to see if there is movement or seperation with the car suspended somehow? My front end has some rust/rot issues as well but doesn't sound quite like that, more on the front part of the wheelwells, I think front end rust issues are common on these cars from what I have read. Should last me at least a couple more years before anything becomes compromised .
    86' MCSS - 13.35 @103
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  20. #20
    Fact or Crap? Al's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DR.FORD View Post
    Ummm yeah.
    How you explained to repair it I don't want to know about
    We call that ICE
    (inner city engineering)!!
    But it works...sometimes.

    Maybe I should just get a bigger nut and bolt to go through the hole.
    When Injustice Becomes Law; Rebellion Becomes Duty

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