924Board.org

[sciroccosteve]

EDIT:

Issue resolved. Mods can close out if needed
_________________
1979 924
2000 V6 Passat
"Let the fools have their tar tar sauce."
C. Montgomery Burns

[fiat22turbo]

Yes. Front and rear alignment are pretty important to how the car feels to the driver. Fix your alignment (a simple string alignment using jackstands and a good measuring tape/angle gauge can get you close enough for most production cars, the rear alignment requires a special tool, but it should be fine if you've not touched it.)

Also, did you look at the strut tops and the steering rack?

How about the the u-joints and tie-rods? They can wear out and cause issues. Tie-rods aren't too bad to source/replace. Steering shaft U-joints are another matter as replacements haven't been sourced from what I can tell.

Ball joints can cause issues as well. Also relatively easily replaced.

How are the rear bearings? Have they been checked for wear and/or repacked recently?

Good luck.
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Stefan
1979 924 Carrera GTS (clone-ish)
1988 944 Turbo S (Silver Rose)

[sciroccosteve]

nice!

Rack is great, new inners and outers. new ball joints just installed as well. I have done pretty much everything. I just went out and noticed i didnt properly torque down a sway bar bushing, so that could be a cause.

I feel weird doing the alignment myself, is there a good DIY somewhere on that? It seems to me its easier to spend the 70 bucks at a shop for that one, and get it accurate
_________________
1979 924
2000 V6 Passat
"Let the fools have their tar tar sauce."
C. Montgomery Burns

[fiat22turbo]

Here's a tip: Production car suspension just isn't that accurate, too much deflection is possible thanks to the bushings and their isn't that much to adjust.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZoL1gaWedA

I do essentially the same process. Although I don't use jack stands to hold the string, I clamp a piece of 1" square steel tube to the front and rear bumpers to take the place of the jack stands.

When using the steel tubing, the string doesn't move in relation to the wheels when I raise and lower the car to make adjustments/bounce the suspension to settle it.

BTW, this is the same process used by many racers I know. Laser racks are faster/easier, but the results are the same.
_________________
Stefan
1979 924 Carrera GTS (clone-ish)
1988 944 Turbo S (Silver Rose)

[ideola]

I will be surprised if you can get a shop to do a four wheel alignment for $70. Most of the shops around here won't even touch a car that is older than 20 years. The best success I've had is at a local frame shop. They will do a complete alignment for $200, but I had to bring them the eccentric tool for the rear. In my view, there's no point in doing an alignment if you don't do the rear.

Can you be more specific about what you mean by "variable looseness"? Under what conditions?
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erstwhile owner of just about every 924 variant ever made

[924RACR]

[sciroccosteve]