I have a 98 Legacy Outback and the steering has started tracking to the right. Pretty bad. I have just replaced the front struts and had a complete realignment done, but that has not fixed the problem.

 

Could it be a bad bearing or something wrong with the tye-rod? Any ideas?

 

Thanks for your advice in advance.

 

Paul

Homer, Alaska

Paul:

 

Mine's pretty picky about tire psi, if one or two are off it wants to wander off a bit. When the pressures are consistent side to side it's very straight. Have you checked that out?

 

Steve

Ya know Steve, when I had my alignment done, I watched the guy checking the air pressure. As I drove away from the mechanic it drove straight. Later that day, I noticed on the highway it was drifting again.

 

I just went and checked the air pressures, and sure enough! Right side front was at 22psi and all the rest are at 36psi. I must have a small leak. I do live on a dirt road! I will try and match the two on the way home from work and hopefully that is all it is!

 

Thanks for your advice. Paul

36psi seems high. What is recommended in the manual for your veehickle or on the door post on the driver's side? Fill 'em all to spec. and then run it on the highway to see if you still have a drifting problem. If OK, relax and wait to see if the tire runs low again and then get it fixed. I once had 4 new tires mounted and balanced and an alignment only to discover when I had drifting problems soon thereafter that they just eyeballed the tire pressure. Way to go boys, lunch time!

Ya know Steve, when I had my alignment done, I watched the guy checking the air pressure. As I drove away from the mechanic it drove straight. Later that day, I noticed on the highway it was drifting again.

 

I just went and checked the air pressures, and sure enough! Right side front was at 22psi and all the rest are at 36psi. I must have a small leak. I do live on a dirt road! I will try and match the two on the way home from work and hopefully that is all it is!

 

Thanks for your advice. Paul

I hate to disagree with ya Jake, but recommended pressure takes "how soft the ride is" into account. Most usually, tires set at the recommended pressure wear on the outside edges.

 

I set all mine at 32psi. Maybe I feel the slugs as I run over them, but I maintain even tire wear.

 

Paul,

 

I had a tire cause that on a GEO. The treads were good, alignment was good, but it pulled pretty hard. I swapped the fronts, and it pulled the other way. You can try that for free.

I hate to disagree with ya Jake, but recommended pressure takes "how soft the ride is" into account. Most usually, tires set at the recommended pressure wear on the outside edges.

 

I set all mine at 32psi. Maybe I feel the slugs as I run over them, but I maintain even tire wear.

 

Paul,

 

I had a tire cause that on a GEO. The treads were good, alignment was good, but it pulled pretty hard. I swapped the fronts, and it pulled the other way. You can try that for free.

I second that. Wore down the edges of my original tires within 30k miles using the door jamb pressures (29-30 psi). There was plenty of center tread left at that time, however. My second set lasted nearly 60k when kept ~34psi and wore pretty even.

 

YMMV, of course (sorry, couldn't resist).

In the winter I try and keep them near what they recomend...but when its isn't slick out I keep them at 33 psi.

Thanks for all the advice... All tires are set to 30psi right now and it is still pulling alittle. I will try and swap the right front and rear and see if that makes a difference. I bought a second set of rims and studded tires last year and so I changed them back myself this Spring. So tire tread maybe the culprit, I must have one swapped.

 

I was just worried about a tye-rod end going or something. I agree with keeping a higher tire pressure than they recommend for fuel efficiency too, but I think 36 was still too much. I will try 32 all around.

 

Thanks again. Paul

Speaking of tire pressure, any rim defects that could cause slow leakage with one of 4 new tires, around the valvestem as seen in tire shop tub? Valvestem has been replaced twice.

i had a similar prob on my 86 gl wagon way back when i had it,it turned out that my right side tire was worn uneven .inside of tire was fine but outter edge was pretty much bald.so it just kept trying to go to the right an made left turns hard.

I just wanted to put a final note on this cause I hate threads that just end with no conclusion...(for those of us that use them as a database!)

 

Tire air pressure did not make all that much of a difference. I did rotate the right front and rear tire, but that too did not make a big difference. It is alittle better though. I may try and rotate the lefts to see of that helps, but really, my tires will need to be replaced at the end of this summer season anyway, so I will revisit the issue at that time or when she is back in the shop for other reasons (Heavens I hope not! hee hee)

 

Thanks to all for the help and I am happy to find a very active and helpful Subaru forum!

 

Paul