Blazer pulls left, when accellerating - UPDATE !

[roscoe]

I have a '96 baby Blazer 4x.<br />Had the local Chevy garage go thru the entire thing before I bought it a year ago, then took it to them to do the repairs needed after I bought it.<br /><br />Had the entire front end rebuilt, 4 shocks, intake manifold gasket, block heater, belt, hoses, new Goodyears, plugs, etc.<br /><br />Now, after putting 6000 miles on it, it pulls left under accelleration, then veers right when you take your foot off the gas pedal, most noticable at 50mph and above. Kind of feels like a frontwheel drive car under hard accelleration.<br /><br />Recently took it back to them for a tire rotation and an alignment, and had a rear u-joint replaced. No change. As far as I can remember, this started about 2 months ago.<br /><br />Any causes or solutions?

 

[steamboatwilly]

Re: Blazer pulls left, when accellerating - UPDATE !

Start out,look at rear spring-bolts.Then,check sway bars.Might have a bad shock.Sway-bar might have got bent.Might have something gone wrong with the differential,maybe the transfer-case.It might be trying to lock-up.Sorry to have norrowed it down to such a few.Maybe somebody else will norrow it down even less.

 

[Darren Smith]

Re: Blazer pulls left, when accellerating - UPDATE !

I agree with James, Check the Spring centerpin, but you can't see with the rear axle in place. Also check the U-bolts that hold the rear axle to the spring. If any of these parts are faulty, you should see fresh metal from movement between the two. Also check the spring bushings and front control are bushings. Hope you get it fixed soon because it could be a dangerous problem. Good luck!

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Blazer pulls left, when accellerating - UPDATE !

Two words<br /><br />Ball Joints<br /><br />They are infamous for going on the 90's Blazer. I would have them checked.

 

[mattttt25]

Re: Blazer pulls left, when accellerating - UPDATE !

bob may have it. my toyota acted the same way until i recently had the ball joints replaced under a safety recall. corrected the problem.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: Blazer pulls left, when accellerating - UPDATE !

You mentioned that you had new tires put on. Were they mud/snow tires? What pressure are you running in them?<br /><br />The reason I ask is this. I just put on two commercial TA's on the back of my Chibby van. Since then, I have noticed that on acceleration it pulls and then straightens back out after I let off. Going around a curve it acts like the back is trying to come around. I checked the air pressure and it was at its max. <br /><br />I called the place that mounted them and said that is a normal thing with the mud and snow tires. It is the flex in the sidewall that is causing it.<br /><br />Not sure if your problem is the same, but if you can borrow some other wheels/tires and try them might pinpoint your problem. If it didn't do it before you had all the work done, something that was new maybe is causing it.

 

[KRS]

Re: Blazer pulls left, when accellerating - UPDATE !

differential?

 

[roscoe]

Re: Blazer pulls left, when accellerating - UPDATE !

Wow, to complicated, I will throw it away and buy a new one tomorrow, Just kidding. <br /><br />Thanks for all the info.<br /><br />I will definitely have it checked out.<br /><br />Tires are Goodyear Wrangler RTS, so yes, kind of a mud/snow tire.<br /><br />SS Mayfloat, Are you saying that they should be at max air pressure listed on the tire to lessen the effect? Or should they be at recommended pressure on the door sticker?<br /><br />Had all the work done about a year ago, tires replaced May 1st. All seemed normal till recently.<br /><br />I will visually inspect what I can, then make a suggestion/hit list to take to the garage.<br /><br />Any other ideas?

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: Blazer pulls left, when accellerating - UPDATE !

roscoe, That is the air pressure that TCI (Tire Centers Inc) put in them. I thought maybe they didn't have enough in them is why I checked. Since these are not the orginal stock tires the air pressure is not going to be what is recommended on the door. <br /><br />When the roads are real bad, I'll let out about half the air to get better traction in the snow.<br /><br />As for your problem, I would put the max pressure in just to see if it takes away the problem.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Blazer pulls left, when accellerating - UPDATE !

Since it is a 4x4, it is possible that for some odd reason the left front wheel is engaged and the right front is not. Had you used the vehicle in 4wd at all? I am not sure how the front axle engages on those rigs, but a stuck automatic hub on that wheel could be the issue. Something to check at least...

 

[roscoe]

Re: Blazer pulls left, when accellerating - UPDATE !

Thanks to all again.<br />JasonJ, yes I use the 4x4, for boat ramps, and when the roads are snowy/icy, as this little thing likes to spin around. Used 4wd several times in the last month, as roads have been bad. Engages/disengages normally as far as I can tell. Used 4Lo last week to pull a car out of shallow ditch.

 

[CalicoKid]

Re: Blazer pulls left, when accellerating - UPDATE !

Could it just be the monster torque of your engine twisting against the motor mounts and chassis causing the car to list a little? One of our work vans, an aerostar v6 acts that way under hard acceleration.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Blazer pulls left, when accellerating - UPDATE !

CalicoKid, might be if I had frontwheel drive like the Aerostar.<br /><br />I don't know.<br />Gonna look it over and check tire pressures tomorrw.

 

[KRS]

Re: Blazer pulls left, when accellerating - UPDATE !

had a bizzare thought, so here goes...<br /><br />if the steering is sloppy, an increase in power steering pressure could cause movement in the steering arm (as it pushes the arm to to the end of the slop).<br /><br />Get the vehicle going downhill at 40mph or so, put it in neutral (engine running), hold wheel lightly, and bring the rpm's up to normal acceleration levels (5,000?), see if it happens. If so, then it's power steering related.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Blazer pulls left, when accellerating - UPDATE !

Yes that is a bizzare thought , but welcome.<br />Will add that to the list.<br /><br />I did inflate the tires to max this evening, 44psi.<br />But did not get to test it much, dense fog here tonight, 30 mph max, and that was pushing it. Will try on highway tomorrow.<br /><br />I was running them at 34 psi, and the jump to 44psi sure made a difference in the ride and a slight increase in tire noise.<br /><br />Steering wheel slack/slop is 1/2 to 3/4 inch, same as it was for the last year.

 

[CalicoKid]

Re: Blazer pulls left, when accellerating - UPDATE !

Oh, forgot to add, the aerostar is rear wheel drive

 

[roscoe]

Re: Blazer pulls left, when accellerating - UPDATE !

Wow, didn't know that. Thought it was fwd.<br /><br />OK, tested on highway with tires at 44psi, no difference. <br /><br />Actually measured steering wheel play, = to or less than 1/2 inch.<br /><br />Will have to dig deeper.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: Blazer pulls left, when accellerating - UPDATE !

roscoe, I'll talk to a bud of mine that is a mech. He drives one of those small Blazers for his daily ride. I would jack up each corner of the blazer and check for any play in each wheel. Check for any broken springs. Wouldn't hurt to measure the springs to see if any have become weakened also.

 

[CalicoKid]

Re: Blazer pulls left, when accellerating - UPDATE !

Have a look at swaybar links and bushings while you're under there too.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Blazer pulls left, when accellerating - UPDATE !

Well, I can't find anything.<br />Heard a few new noises, like a a broken coil spring moving against the break.<br />Now that stopped.<br /><br />Finally took it back to the shop.<br />Took them for a ride, confirmed the left pull on accell, confirmed the vibration I was feeling.<br />Told them to keep it, find it, fix it.<br />Told them to start by balancing and rotating the tires as it is time and maybe I lost a wheel weight, may be causing the vibration, just like I told them 2 weeks ago when I took it in and they changed the u-joint, but didn't do the tires. ???<br /><br />Guess what? One of my new Goodyears has a broken belt. That solved the vibration problem.<br /><br />Don't know when or how this happened. The last time I hit anything was the beginning of July, ran 280 miles of bad logging road in Canada. I think I would have felt it then, if that is when it broke.<br /><br />Pull left on accelleration problem is still there.<br />Front end was all new less than 6000 miles ago.<br />Inspection shows no wear or anything out of whack.<br />Wheel bearings checked for play or binding, ok.<br />They said springs/mounts are ok.<br />They are concerned about play in steering wheel.<br />It has the same amount of play that it has had for the last year, just under 1/2 inch.<br /><br />They are going to have a close look at the steering box tomorrow or Thursday.<br /><br />In the mean time, I drive the 19 year old van, that never gets warm when its this cold. BRRRR.