07 precedent suspension problem

[bahb]

Hi,
Thanks for you guy's and this forum. Yep, new guy.
I just got an 07 club precedent.
I decided to get it sea worthy after I got it, and I think I revealed an existing problem. The tires had 5 lbs in them. I filled them up to about 20lbs, and now it feels like I have a bent wheel or some thing in the front. I noticed the steering wheel was cocked to the right, and although it steers okay, it seems like some one smacked it and hosed up the cart. The steering colum makes a "non greased" sound when I turn.
I know it is hard to eval this sort of problem on a forum, but thought I would give it a try.
Thanks

[OLD MEC]

By dropping air pressure it some times helps with bad crooked wheels and or tires AND many keep tire pressure down that low for better ride anyway?
Take the time to jack up front end and spin tires and with something solid on ground to see if you have crooked wheel or tire? ALL tires and wheel have some run out but depends on how much? if you feel you have the knowledge and tools you could check front end for alignment. Place tires straight ahead and on ground after driving forward and back a few feet to centralize then take a carpenters square ( large one )and by putting short side on flat ground and long side against upper tire check for camber 1/2" to 3/4" out at bottom of tire. Then with tires still straight forward find a groove near center of tread and mark on front and back. Then get another person and measure marks at rear of tires and then at front of tires, and you should find that front is slightly less distance than rear 1/4" to 1/2" Is correct and this is what is called "TOE IN? If any is off this is what is causing steering wheel to be off unless it was installed wrong at some time? Then if you feel qualified I will explain how to change settings.
The noise in steering is it at top or bottom of column? If top try and spray lub under steering wheel may cure problem? If lower column I have found several universal joints at bottom of steering column and hooked to rack and pinion from factory with NO LUB? If sound is coming from universal you will have to replace as I cant find any repair parts or way to lub?

[golfcar guy]

My suggestion would be to put your car on level ground and have the steering wheel in the straight upright position. Look at the front wheels, one wheel should look off. Wheel Algnment will be required.Take two jack stands and piece of string 10' long. Take 1 jack with string attached and place behind car, put other jack stand with string attched and place by front wheel. Take up slack and have sting touching the rear tire, make sure the string is touching the rear of the wheel and the front of the wheel. run the string paralell to the car. measure the front wheel at the back and front, the front should be 1/16" in from the rear measurement. Adjust to get this point. Move over to the other side and redo.

[FIXEROFCARTS]

Originally Posted by golfcar guy

My suggestion would be to put your car on level ground and have the steering wheel in the straight upright position. Look at the front wheels, one wheel should look off. Wheel Algnment will be required.Take two jack stands and piece of string 10' long. Take 1 jack with string attached and place behind car, put other jack stand with string attched and place by front wheel. Take up slack and have sting touching the rear tire, make sure the string is touching the rear of the wheel and the front of the wheel. run the string paralell to the car. measure the front wheel at the back and front, the front should be 1/16" in from the rear measurement. Adjust to get this point. Move over to the other side and redo.

What are you trying to measure here?

[TahoeDawgZ71]

Originally Posted by FIXEROFCARTS

What are you trying to measure here?

Sounds like he's trying to line the front wheels up with the rear. Never heard of it being done this way, but not a bad idea... however, you can achieve the same toe setup several different ways on a precedent because it's got a double sided steering rack. IE... both sides halfway out, One side all the way out, one side all the way in... Vice versa.... Both sides of the rack should be adjusted to match each other, If you can't achieve perfect alignment this way, something is bent. Probably a spindle.

[OLD MEC]

Thats part of a old time way of aligning front to rear axles ( find lots of bent frames or spindles etc this way ) is mostly used on straight axle trucks and that also gives you "Toe In"

[FIXEROFCARTS]

Thats a round about way to set toe or find a bent spindle, but i guess if your billing by the hour its a good thing.

[TahoeDawgZ71]

It's a good concept if the width is the same in the front and the rear... but the front end is not as wide as the rear on a golf car. Seems to me that this would cause an extreme "Toe-IN" effect

[golfcar guy]

The only way to insure you don't end up with extreme toe in is the placing of the string. You have to bring the string around the back of the tire and have it just touching the front of the back tire and run it straight from there. At the front tire you can take your measurements and do adjustments

[FIXEROFCARTS]

Hell we did that kind of stuff when we were aligning my race car. Great if I want to win a race, not so sure I'd do it for the golf car.