1993 Toyota Paseo "loose" steering

I recently purchased a 1993 paseo and am having troubles figuring out
why my steering seems so "loose" on the freeway. First it pulls to the
left pretty hard. Also every time I hit a bump it get's a little
squirrly on me. If I do a slight zig zag at 70 mph it feels pretty
scary. I noticed last night that the left side of the sway bar is not
connected to the A arm (bolt bushing system snapped in the middle). I
had an alignment and wheels balanced prior to noticing sway bar issue.
That did not help at all. Does anyone know how to adjust the sway bar
once I find the hardware to re-attach it to the A arm? Also do you
think that re-attaching it is going to cure my issue? I tried pivoting
each front wheel while in the air and they feel pretty solid. I have
replaced steering linkages before but they seem ok.

Thanks for any help you may be able to provide.

-Chris

"chris" <christopher.rivard@andersencorp.com> wrote in message
news:1166201777.237921.229520@j72g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
>I recently purchased a 1993 paseo and am having troubles figuring out
> why my steering seems so "loose" on the freeway. First it pulls to the
> left pretty hard. Also every time I hit a bump it get's a little
> squirrly on me. If I do a slight zig zag at 70 mph it feels pretty
> scary. I noticed last night that the left side of the sway bar is not
> connected to the A arm (bolt bushing system snapped in the middle). I
> had an alignment and wheels balanced prior to noticing sway bar issue.
> That did not help at all. Does anyone know how to adjust the sway bar
> once I find the hardware to re-attach it to the A arm? Also do you
> think that re-attaching it is going to cure my issue? I tried pivoting
> each front wheel while in the air and they feel pretty solid. I have
> replaced steering linkages before but they seem ok.
>
> Thanks for any help you may be able to provide.
>
> -Chris
>[/color]

There is no adjustment to the sway bar, just re-connect it. Before trying
to fix anything else, first re-connect the sway bar. If it still handles
the same, check for free-play on the bars coming out of the rack, and
double-check tire pressure.
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)

On Fri, 15 Dec 2006 16:29:27 -0600, Ray O wrote:
[color=blue]
>
> "chris" <christopher.rivard@andersencorp.com> wrote in message
> news:1166201777.237921.229520@j72g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...[color=green]
>>I recently purchased a 1993 paseo and am having troubles figuring out
>> why my steering seems so "loose" on the freeway. First it pulls to the
>> left pretty hard. Also every time I hit a bump it get's a little
>> squirrly on me. If I do a slight zig zag at 70 mph it feels pretty
>> scary. I noticed last night that the left side of the sway bar is not
>> connected to the A arm (bolt bushing system snapped in the middle). I
>> had an alignment and wheels balanced prior to noticing sway bar issue.
>> That did not help at all. Does anyone know how to adjust the sway bar
>> once I find the hardware to re-attach it to the A arm? Also do you
>> think that re-attaching it is going to cure my issue? I tried pivoting
>> each front wheel while in the air and they feel pretty solid. I have
>> replaced steering linkages before but they seem ok.
>>
>> Thanks for any help you may be able to provide.
>>
>> -Chris
>>[/color]
>
> There is no adjustment to the sway bar, just re-connect it. Before trying
> to fix anything else, first re-connect the sway bar. If it still handles
> the same, check for free-play on the bars coming out of the rack, and
> double-check tire pressure.[/color]


What gets me is, the guy doing the alignment didn't NOTICE the sway bar?!?!
Where I bring my cars, they tell me if the Left Nut on the tie rod end is
rusted!

Find someone else!

"Hachiroku ????" <Trueno@AE86.gts> wrote in message
news:_7Kgh.114$386.109@trndny01...[color=blue]
> On Fri, 15 Dec 2006 16:29:27 -0600, Ray O wrote:
>[color=green]
>>
>> "chris" <christopher.rivard@andersencorp.com> wrote in message
>> news:1166201777.237921.229520@j72g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...[color=darkred]
>>>I recently purchased a 1993 paseo and am having troubles figuring out
>>> why my steering seems so "loose" on the freeway. First it pulls to the
>>> left pretty hard. Also every time I hit a bump it get's a little
>>> squirrly on me. If I do a slight zig zag at 70 mph it feels pretty
>>> scary. I noticed last night that the left side of the sway bar is not
>>> connected to the A arm (bolt bushing system snapped in the middle). I
>>> had an alignment and wheels balanced prior to noticing sway bar issue.
>>> That did not help at all. Does anyone know how to adjust the sway bar
>>> once I find the hardware to re-attach it to the A arm? Also do you
>>> think that re-attaching it is going to cure my issue? I tried pivoting
>>> each front wheel while in the air and they feel pretty solid. I have
>>> replaced steering linkages before but they seem ok.
>>>
>>> Thanks for any help you may be able to provide.
>>>
>>> -Chris
>>>[/color]
>>
>> There is no adjustment to the sway bar, just re-connect it. Before
>> trying
>> to fix anything else, first re-connect the sway bar. If it still handles
>> the same, check for free-play on the bars coming out of the rack, and
>> double-check tire pressure.[/color]
>
>
> What gets me is, the guy doing the alignment didn't NOTICE the sway
> bar?!?!
> Where I bring my cars, they tell me if the Left Nut on the tie rod end is
> rusted!
>
> Find someone else!
>[/color]
My guess is that whoever did the alignment broke the bolt and didn't want to
fess up.
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)

Ray O wrote:[color=blue]
> "Hachiroku ????" <Trueno@AE86.gts> wrote in message
> news:_7Kgh.114$386.109@trndny01...[color=green]
> > On Fri, 15 Dec 2006 16:29:27 -0600, Ray O wrote:
> >[color=darkred]
> >>
> >> "chris" <christopher.rivard@andersencorp.com> wrote in message
> >> news:1166201777.237921.229520@j72g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> >>>I recently purchased a 1993 paseo and am having troubles figuring out
> >>> why my steering seems so "loose" on the freeway. First it pulls to the
> >>> left pretty hard. Also every time I hit a bump it get's a little
> >>> squirrly on me. If I do a slight zig zag at 70 mph it feels pretty
> >>> scary. I noticed last night that the left side of the sway bar is not
> >>> connected to the A arm (bolt bushing system snapped in the middle). I
> >>> had an alignment and wheels balanced prior to noticing sway bar issue.
> >>> That did not help at all. Does anyone know how to adjust the sway bar
> >>> once I find the hardware to re-attach it to the A arm? Also do you
> >>> think that re-attaching it is going to cure my issue? I tried pivoting
> >>> each front wheel while in the air and they feel pretty solid. I have
> >>> replaced steering linkages before but they seem ok.
> >>>
> >>> Thanks for any help you may be able to provide.
> >>>
> >>> -Chris
> >>>
> >>
> >> There is no adjustment to the sway bar, just re-connect it. Before
> >> trying
> >> to fix anything else, first re-connect the sway bar. If it still handles
> >> the same, check for free-play on the bars coming out of the rack, and
> >> double-check tire pressure.[/color]
> >
> >
> > What gets me is, the guy doing the alignment didn't NOTICE the sway
> > bar?!?!
> > Where I bring my cars, they tell me if the Left Nut on the tie rod end is
> > rusted!
> >
> > Find someone else!
> >[/color]
> My guess is that whoever did the alignment broke the bolt and didn't want to
> fess up.
> --
>
> Ray O
> (correct punctuation to reply)[/color]

The sway bar did take most of the play out. I think I am good now. I
appreciate the feedback. My next stop will be to the place that i paid
to do the alignment (tires plus). One other question for you guys.
Every time I start my car the 3 speed auto transmission will not shift
into 3rd until it heats up a little. Have you ever heard of that?
After it heats up it works great?!

Thanks again.

-Chris

On Wed, 20 Dec 2006 10:44:49 -0800, chris wrote:
[color=blue]
>
> Ray O wrote:[color=green]
>> "Hachiroku ????" <Trueno@AE86.gts> wrote in message
>> news:_7Kgh.114$386.109@trndny01...[color=darkred]
>> > On Fri, 15 Dec 2006 16:29:27 -0600, Ray O wrote:
>> >
>> >
>> >> "chris" <christopher.rivard@andersencorp.com> wrote in message
>> >> news:1166201777.237921.229520@j72g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>> >>>I recently purchased a 1993 paseo and am having troubles figuring out
>> >>> why my steering seems so "loose" on the freeway. First it pulls to
>> >>> the left pretty hard. Also every time I hit a bump it get's a
>> >>> little squirrly on me. If I do a slight zig zag at 70 mph it feels
>> >>> pretty scary. I noticed last night that the left side of the sway
>> >>> bar is not connected to the A arm (bolt bushing system snapped in
>> >>> the middle). I had an alignment and wheels balanced prior to
>> >>> noticing sway bar issue. That did not help at all. Does anyone know
>> >>> how to adjust the sway bar once I find the hardware to re-attach it
>> >>> to the A arm? Also do you think that re-attaching it is going to
>> >>> cure my issue? I tried pivoting each front wheel while in the air
>> >>> and they feel pretty solid. I have replaced steering linkages
>> >>> before but they seem ok.
>> >>>
>> >>> Thanks for any help you may be able to provide.
>> >>>
>> >>> -Chris
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >> There is no adjustment to the sway bar, just re-connect it. Before
>> >> trying
>> >> to fix anything else, first re-connect the sway bar. If it still
>> >> handles the same, check for free-play on the bars coming out of the
>> >> rack, and double-check tire pressure.
>> >
>> >
>> > What gets me is, the guy doing the alignment didn't NOTICE the sway
>> > bar?!?!
>> > Where I bring my cars, they tell me if the Left Nut on the tie rod end
>> > is rusted!
>> >
>> > Find someone else!
>> >[/color]
>> My guess is that whoever did the alignment broke the bolt and didn't
>> want to fess up.
>> --
>>
>> Ray O
>> (correct punctuation to reply)[/color]
>
> The sway bar did take most of the play out. I think I am good now. I
> appreciate the feedback. My next stop will be to the place that i paid to
> do the alignment (tires plus). One other question for you guys. Every
> time I start my car the 3 speed auto transmission will not shift into 3rd
> until it heats up a little. Have you ever heard of that? After it heats
> up it works great?!
>
> Thanks again.
>
> -Chris[/color]


Shift into 3rd, or Overdrive?

Especially on the smaller cars (I had a 1995 Tercel, basically the same as
a Paseo with a sedan body) the coolant temperature has to get up to approx
120 degrees before the ECU will allow the trans to go into overdrive. This
is built in to the control units.

I always wanted to get a Paseo and do some suspension work and then put a
4A-GE motor into it...va-VOOOOOM!

"chris" <christopher.rivard@andersencorp.com> wrote in message
news:1166640289.885256.194180@73g2000cwn.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
>
> Ray O wrote:[color=green]
>> "Hachiroku ????" <Trueno@AE86.gts> wrote in message
>> news:_7Kgh.114$386.109@trndny01...[color=darkred]
>> > On Fri, 15 Dec 2006 16:29:27 -0600, Ray O wrote:
>> >
>> >>
>> >> "chris" <christopher.rivard@andersencorp.com> wrote in message
>> >> news:1166201777.237921.229520@j72g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>> >>>I recently purchased a 1993 paseo and am having troubles figuring out
>> >>> why my steering seems so "loose" on the freeway. First it pulls to
>> >>> the
>> >>> left pretty hard. Also every time I hit a bump it get's a little
>> >>> squirrly on me. If I do a slight zig zag at 70 mph it feels pretty
>> >>> scary. I noticed last night that the left side of the sway bar is
>> >>> not
>> >>> connected to the A arm (bolt bushing system snapped in the middle).
>> >>> I
>> >>> had an alignment and wheels balanced prior to noticing sway bar
>> >>> issue.
>> >>> That did not help at all. Does anyone know how to adjust the sway
>> >>> bar
>> >>> once I find the hardware to re-attach it to the A arm? Also do you
>> >>> think that re-attaching it is going to cure my issue? I tried
>> >>> pivoting
>> >>> each front wheel while in the air and they feel pretty solid. I have
>> >>> replaced steering linkages before but they seem ok.
>> >>>
>> >>> Thanks for any help you may be able to provide.
>> >>>
>> >>> -Chris
>> >>>
>> >>
>> >> There is no adjustment to the sway bar, just re-connect it. Before
>> >> trying
>> >> to fix anything else, first re-connect the sway bar. If it still
>> >> handles
>> >> the same, check for free-play on the bars coming out of the rack, and
>> >> double-check tire pressure.
>> >
>> >
>> > What gets me is, the guy doing the alignment didn't NOTICE the sway
>> > bar?!?!
>> > Where I bring my cars, they tell me if the Left Nut on the tie rod end
>> > is
>> > rusted!
>> >
>> > Find someone else!
>> >[/color]
>> My guess is that whoever did the alignment broke the bolt and didn't want
>> to
>> fess up.
>> --
>>
>> Ray O
>> (correct punctuation to reply)[/color]
>
> The sway bar did take most of the play out. I think I am good now. I
> appreciate the feedback. My next stop will be to the place that i paid
> to do the alignment (tires plus). One other question for you guys.
> Every time I start my car the 3 speed auto transmission will not shift
> into 3rd until it heats up a little. Have you ever heard of that?
> After it heats up it works great?!
>
> Thanks again.
>
> -Chris
>[/color]

I'm pretty sure that the automatic transmission in a 1993 Paseo is a 4 speed
automatic transmission. If you have an OD button somewhere on the shifter,
that would lock our 4th, or overdrive.

The transmission is designed to prevent shifting into OD until the engine
has warmed up a little so that the engine warms more quickly.
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)