car lurches to left or right

[WarpSpeed]

By "tracking" do you mean wheel alignment?

From the sounds of it, either your car doesn't have the correct toe-in amount, or the front suspension is faulty. You might also want to check for a loose/damaged sway bar too I guess.

Edit: Seeing as you have aftermarket coilovers, it could also just be poorly setup. Cars generally have a slight amount of front toe-in to keep them going in a straight line (unless it's FWD?), but if the suspension compresses or is lowered too far, that can leave it with dead straight front wheels, or even toe-out, which would explain what you're experiencing.

Are you hitting the bump stops?

After 28 years in the vehicle suspension business, the above is incorrect in every detail. I would have the CV joints checked to see if one or both have gone bad.

Gonna have to disagree with you...Sorry to inform you, you've been wrong for 28 years.. And what in Hades does the CV joints have to with front end travel? Especially if it's rear wheel drive?

[WarpSpeed]

Oh so if he's modding an 8 and the engine in there previously was toast it likely over-heated on to the steering rack connections like I mentioned so it's quite possible they're corroded. BTW people there are a lot of cars that come with stock coil overs which merely refers to the type of suspension, just being coil over as I'm sure you know just means spring coils over top of the shocks instead of beside them or torsion etc.. Now, adjustable coil overs are a bit different with adjustable spring seats and sleeves but the stock coil overs are still coil overs which the 8 comes with stock just not height adjustable.

You normally wouldn't make it a point that you had coilovers if it wasn't custom suspension Still, yes, it could be OEM.

Well yes and no, if you're trying to give general info on the suspension without giving the car model, which is the case, for some unknown reason? You might at least include the fact that it has coil overs, but not specifically adjustable. The Rx8 suspension is quite adequate in stock form without the need for adjustable coil overs, but without the OP coming back for some clarification we'll never know? I also said "shocks" too when I meant struts instead and for those from across the pond "dampers".

Edited October 25, 2015 by WarpSpeed

[lostinisaan]

Unfortunately, does the OP not seem to be around?

Here's a great link regarding tire size and more. Hope the OP didn't crash. http://www.tyresizecalculator.com/

[Don Mega]

How does a tyre sizing calculator help the OP ?

[BSJ]

The Jeep in his avatar would be a strong clue for me he is referring to a Jeep Cherokee...but maybe it's a Jeep Wrangler...or maybe it is a Jeepster!

[JaseTheBass]

The Jeep in his avatar would be a strong clue for me he is referring to a Jeep Cherokee...but maybe it's a Jeep Wrangler...or maybe it is a Jeepster!

If it is a Jeep that sounds like their usual handling behaiour

[tomtaylor1]

Hi All, thank you for all the information, the car is RX8, Nissan SR20 DET, This problem is not a new one, the four corners of the car are pretty much solid, no discernible bounce when you push down hard on each corner. No noises or clunks when driving, the tyre pressures of 28 seem fine, these being indicated on the door panel by the previous owner. The car brakes in a strait line, no pull to any side.

I will take the car into a garage again to have the ball joints, track rod ends, steering and so forth re checked.

Thank you for all your input.

Regards Tom

[1BADDAT]

Hi All, thank you for all the information, the car is RX8, Nissan SR20 DET, This problem is not a new one, the four corners of the car are pretty much solid, no discernible bounce when you push down hard on each corner. No noises or clunks when driving, the tyre pressures of 28 seem fine, these being indicated on the door panel by the previous owner. The car brakes in a strait line, no pull to any side.

I will take the car into a garage again to have the ball joints, track rod ends, steering and so forth re checked.

Thank you for all your input.

Regards Tom

The tire pressure on the door pillar is for stock tires. It didn't come with that tire size from the factory. Both cars I had with 40 and 45 series tires ran around 40 psi tire pressure.

[WarpSpeed]

^ Yeah it isn't even stock pressure, I've no idea what pressures he's referring to since he mentions "the door panel by the previous owner", the pressure should be up around 34 front and 36 rear which is what I run on mine and the max PSI for mine is 50, if I have travel which I do at times, all I need to do is check my tire PSI and usually it's down around 28/30. What's really nuts is that it is sooooo easy to go and pump them up a bit higher and check? If no good? Drop them again, (though I still wouldn't) it costs nothing and to see someone be so adamant that that is not the problem without even testing makes me want to walk away frankly. Performance tires are not intended to be for ride they're intended for performance if you want softer tires and ride go buy some 65 profile tires instead.

I often get frustrated with clueless people where tire pressures are concerned, try just lowering the pressures on your tires 2 to 4 pounds and then try to push the car yourself versus going up the same amount and then try to tell me it doesn't make much difference? The same thing goes for turning the steering wheel with the car off. These examples magnify the real life conditions the car feels so you can feel it.

Edited October 26, 2015 by WarpSpeed