Control arm bushings? Sway bar bushings? Same thing?

[VirtualLarry]

Just curious. I own an older Honda Oddysee van, and it's been pulling to the right, sometimes strongly, sometimes not much, but it's persistent.

I pumped up the tires on the right-hand side, and it's still doing it. So I had a mechanic drive it, and he said that I needed "sway bar bushings", and a front-end alignment.

I had it in a few years ago, and the Honda dealer I go to normally, supposedly replaced the "control arm bushings". But at the time, I questioned if they actually did any work, because it didn't seem much different at the time.

If "control arm bushings" are the same thing as "sway bar bushings", then would they have failed in only two years again? Or did the dealer charge me for work that wasn't done, and it just kept getting worse, and maybe one of them is torn now?

Or are they different things, and one was probably replaced, and then the other one went?

 

[thomsbrain]

They are different things but I really don't see how sway bar bushings could possibly cause the behavior you are experiencing. Sway bar bushings are like a 10 minute job and cost like $20 if you ever do need them.

Find an independent mechanic that specializes in Hondas. No Midas or tire stores. They shouldn't need to drive it, just put it on the rack and inspect all the bushings, ball joints and tie rods, plus give it an alignment.

 

[Midwayman]

+1 on that. The first thing you should do it get it on an alignment rack.

Do you go straight when the wheel appears to be straight? Or do you have to constantly keep the wheel off center in order to go straight? Does the pull appear to be associated with acceleration or braking? Is it related to what road you're on? (Some roads have a lot of crown and can make it feel like its pulling.)

 

[Fenixgoon]

probably an alignment issue at the very least. sway bar bushings could just be something the guy noticed if he took a look under the car (they're also very easy to DIY).

 

[jlee]

+1 to sway bars not causing the problem - alignment could, though.

 

[bruceb]

It could also be worn tie rod ends. They will cause the car to not track properly and will mess up the toe in or toe out on the wheel alignment. Any good alignment shop can change them and the work is not much more than doing the wheel alignment itself.

 

[PottedMeat]

jack up the driver's side until the tire is an inch or so off the ground
grab the tire and try to wiggle it up and down and left and right
there shouldn't be very much play (repeat on passenger)
if there is look while you wiggle and you should be able to find the loose/worn part.

replace whatever's worn, then have an alignment

 

[leper84]

It pulling in one direction when you let go of the wheel is either a difference in camber or caster, or a tire problem.

Camber is the lean in and out of the tire. Negative camber will push to one side. So if your LF wheel is -.5 degrees and your RF is -1.2, the RF is leaning in .7 degrees more, pushing you to the left.

Caster is how forward or backwards a tire is from the steering line. So if both tires have 3 degrees of caster, they're even. One tire being ahead of the other will cause a pull in the opposite direction. If your LF is 3 degrees, but your RF is 4, the RF tire is more forward by the LF by a degree and will pull to the left.

Your Odyssey does not have adjustments for camber or caster, if they're out then you have something bent or broken.

Last- tires can cause pull as well. At any point if the belts inside the tire shift or start separating they will cause a pull. Happens on old as well as new tires. Easy way to figure it out, swap the two front tires. Does the pull change direction? Rotate all four front to back, does the pull change? Then its a bad tire.

 

[skyking]

camber problems arise with worn control arm bushings.
Sway bar bushing symptoms are typically a little more sway in the corners and often a new rattle on the bumps as the sway bar is loose. it will not cause a pull to one side.
Pottmeat's diagnostic suggestion is spot on, and when you get more experience you can simply push hard on the top of the tire sideways with your foot while it is still on the ground and see/hear the ball joint or control arm play.

 

[thomsbrain]

Last- tires can cause pull as well. At any point if the belts inside the tire shift or start separating they will cause a pull. Happens on old as well as new tires. Easy way to figure it out, swap the two front tires. Does the pull change direction? Rotate all four front to back, does the pull change? Then its a bad tire.

Good call, I should have mentioned that, too.

I had an issue in my S2000 where the wheel needed to be at an angle to go straight (only after left turns!), but the laser-alignment was perfect and all the parts where perfect. Turned out to be the front tires, which were worn to where you could see the shape of the cords. Swapped to fresh tires and the car drove perfectly.

 

[trenchfoot]

Check your tire wear pattern on the front tires. It's a good starting point indicator of what's happening with your suspension and steering gear.

Do a search for tire wear pattern guides. There's a whole lot of them available.

Hope this helps.