Improving steering....

[djandrey_M]

Hello all! I drive a 1999 Solara w/ 80k on it (although i do have reasons to doubt the mileage on it)

After driving around my dad's 2004 Honda Accord (100k on it), I was really impressed with the car, and now that my car is out of the shop (fender bender), I feel like it really should handle better than it does right now.

I installed the rear sway bar so far. KYB/Tein suspension is probably coming next week. I just gotta get myself into the car-work mood again somehow.

So back to my steering: its kinda weird: depending on road bumpiness it feels like it may pull slightly to the right or left. Also the steering is nowhere near as precise as I feel it should be. The heavy 18" Excels I recently got seemed to increase that problem, although not by much. Recently I drove a huge Dodge Sprinter van - and even that thing steered better than my Solara.

What kinds of parts do you guys think might be wearing down by now (that have to do w/ steering) that I might need to replace?

[SleeperSolara]

Try gettin' the Whiteline front sway bar, maybe the strut bar brace, the sub-frame brace.
Maybe your power steerin' is gettin' weak??

[99BlackSandv6]

Could be the tires you are using. If there is a series of grooves running all the way around the tire without breaks, they can actually act like tracks and cause the car to follow road crown more. A perfect example of this is the Kumho SPT. Look for this tire if you don't understand what I am talking about. Also keep an eye on your tire pressure, higher in the front always! Screw the factory recommended pressure, that's for comfort. I keep mine at about 38 front and 33 rear. Also you are correct that heavier rollers will decrease positive steering feel, so that should be kept in mind. You might also have squishy tires, if so the steering response will be less precise, but raising tire pressure will help.

[djandrey_M]

What about those whiteline bushings or whatever? Would installing them help?

My tires have a series of grooves that are straight and without breaks.

[PeterKesel]

Nice car.Could be the tires you are using. If there is a series of grooves running all the way around the tire without breaks, they can actually act like tracks and cause the car to follow road crown more.It's really cool.

Fog Light

[mazen222]

nahh... you cant fix that problem. Solara steering is like its suspensions... smooth and soft. It is designed that way for old people that toyota marketed the car for.

Honda's steering on the othe hand is ridgid and prcecise.

i got an alignment and bran new tires. The car still does goes slightly left or right sometimes depending on the road angle. i wish i could make the steering act like a honda

[sahuddleston]

sounds like you bought the wrong car if you want something that handles like its on rails. the mods can help tremendously, but it is going to be tough to change the overall feel of the car. have you thought of going with coilovers?

[djandrey_M]

dont want coilovers. got a set of kyb and teins sitting in the garage maybe tomorrow i will start putting them on. what other mods can help?

[sahuddleston]

dont want coilovers. got a set of kyb and teins sitting in the garage maybe tomorrow i will start putting them on. what other mods can help?

so you want better handling without coilovers but you'll install a strut/spring combo?

why dont you want coilovers?

[99BlackSandv6]

You'll notice a huge difference if you lower it with the setup you've got in your garage. After a while though, you'll get used to it and want to upgrade again, and such is life as a modder.

[SleeperSolara]

You'll notice a huge difference if you lower it with the setup you've got in your garage. After a while though, you'll get used to it and want to upgrade again, and such is life as a modder.

That's so correct.
Yeah know how that goes. lol.
I'm at the point i want coilovers.
Then when you get to a certain point, after you've wrecked your car and they use cheap OEM replacement parts, you want to get real OEM parts and redo the whole car.

[99BlackSandv6]

^^Hahaha, yep. You know exactly what I meant.

[djandrey_M]

Coilovers: too much work to put them on, also the work involves doing things that i am currently incapable of doing (as I read somewhere on here).

Also, too rough (as I read somewhere on here)

Also, too much money (as I read somewhere on here lol )

[SleeperSolara]

Coilovers: too much work to put them on, also the work involves doing things that i am currently incapable of doing (as I read somewhere on here).

Also, too rough (as I read somewhere on here)

Also, too much money (as I read somewhere on here lol )

1. Only real work you have to do is set the height of the coilover.

2. The TEIN coilovers from what i heard were still soft coiloveres.

3. Just save up.

[djandrey_M]

well considering the fact that i got the parts already, im going with kyb/teins.