96 3.4 petrol 'wandering'

[EtheB]

Hi,

Nice site - hope it gets more 90 owners.

My '96 3.4 petrol Prado 90 has suddenly started 'drifting' left and right as I accelerate and decelerate. This only started happening the other day and so I've asked around and was advised that, because I had BFG's on the rear and Bridgestone on the front, and that there was about a couple of mm's difference in tread depth between front and back, that this was most probably the reason - even though I'd had that comination for very nearly 12 months without any problems at all.

So, off to tyre station, 2 new Bridgestone to match the existing (almost 12 month old) 2. Now we're down to about 1.5mm between new and old and - exactly the same problem!

Any ideas anyone?

 

[TEPUI]

Welcome to mud EtheB!

I find the fact that this just started happening very strange. Have you aligned it recently?

Is your Prado lifted?

What size tires are you running?

 

[EtheB]

Fixed!

After a suggestion from another forum member I decided to take a closer look underneath the car. off-side lower ball joint split pin had disappeared
and the castle nut was just about to pop off, must have been on only a
couple of threads max!

Considered replacing both the lower ball joints but after speaking
with a retired racing/vintage car constructer friend he suggested
tightening it back up good and snug, fitting new split pin and then
checking it over the next week or so.

Job done - 'wandering' fixed, happy punter!