I've replaced all the suspension bushings and rubber parts, the upper bearings and rubber isolator, and all the ball joints.  Basically replaced all wear parts in the front end.  And I currently have removed the sway bar and have the old (original I think) struts in the tubes.  I also compared the old vs. new upper rubber isolator dimensions and they are the same.

15 hours ago, grannyknot said:

So if you jacked the front wheels off the ground and grabbed the tire at the top and bottom you should be able to move the wheel in and out like it's doing while on the ground? Sounds like the rubber isolator at the top of the strut is worn and moving around or the ball joint is severely worn. This is bizarre.

I may try doing something like this tonight, just to see what the suspension components are doing.  It's almost like something is sticking but I don't know what.  Like I said, everything is new.  Maybe it just needs to be "run in"???  Never heard of that before.....

4 hours ago, BDJeff said:

I may try doing something like this tonight, just to see what the suspension components are doing.  It's almost like something is sticking but I don't know what.  Like I said, everything is new.  Maybe it just needs to be "run in"???  Never heard of that before.....

I doubt that. There is a problem somewhere, but finding it...

I made a movie of my wife backing the car down the drive then driving back forward (aft to the fore? :-)  ).  Sure enough, the wheels clearly moved out then back in.  I checked the ride height arbitrarily at the bumper and it changed from 18 3/8 to 17 5/8 or about 3/4".  And it was consistent, we did it several times and got the same result.  At 34M, I think the vid is too big to post unless the admins say otherwise.

Is it possible that the toe-in is so severe that the car sort of rolls up on itself going forward then settles down when backed up as the wheels track outward?  When I installed the new tie-rods, I had counted the number of turns taking off the old ones and matched the turns going back on with the new ones.  I think it was 17 turns or so for each.  And it drives pretty straight around the block so maybe the toe-in is equal?

I guess I'll put the new struts back in first (pretty well proved they are not the problem) and take it in for an alignment and see what happens.  I've got a local shop that's tuned in to "classic" cars so they should spot any problem right away.

It would have to be slop in the ball joints, at the control arm bushings or the tie rod I believe. Those are the only places I can think of that would allow that type of movement.

If you have spring compressors, you could jack it up, remove the wheels and take the spring tension off and see where the slack is. I would think it would be pretty obvious but maybe not.

The lower control arm pivots at the inner crossmember bolt and the ball joint at the outside.

I told Jeff that the ball joint appears to be jammed. Now looking again I think I may have spotted the issue there.

Have to run out to where I keep my Z and verify.

 

Pictures???

I put new grease in the ball joints before I put them in.  They are brand new and stiff but nothing out of the ordinary.

OK, I think I see what you're talking about.  Do I possibly have these links reversed side to side?  This is the piece that the steering arm connects to (the knuckle arm?), the top that the nut tightens against "slopes" toward the outside, i.e., inside higher than the outside.  The pictures in my FSM are not clear enough to see which way it slopes.

9 minutes ago, BDJeff said:

Do I possibly have these links reversed side to side?

There is an embossed "R" and "L" on the bottom side of these you can check. (referenced from the drivers seat)

Hmmm... not seeing them.  One is smooth (left) and one has what looks like a "T2" on it.  I'm assuming the R & L would be on the arm between the bolt and the joint.

Yep out near where the TRE hooks up. 

Your set up looks to be correct = tipped to the outside.

My 240 for reference (drivers side)......