Strange shaky sliding steering...

["Stian Birkeland" <delorean@xxxx>]

Ever since I got my DeLorean, I have noticed that a shaky steering appear quite frequently at low speeds combined with downhill driving, and I'd like to know what causes this.

The car is aligned, and the steering is tight. The car has had the safety recall on the front suspension/balljoint reinforcement. The car is lowered. There are no problems with the steering going at very high speeds, the car goes straight forward like a train on tracks, I can let go of the steering wheel and the car continues straight forward with no pulling to either left or right. 

My problem occurs only at very low speed or in a standstill downhill while turning the steering wheel, for instance standing still in a downhill/driving slowly and at the same time making a left or right turn. The front will then sort of "slide" on the front wheels - as if it gives way - and the steering wheel will go all the way to one of the sides.
Strange thing is, after I make the turn and speeding up, everything is back to normal.

What I also find strange when I think of it, is that the lower balljoints have been replaced by my garage 2 times since 1999! Are the NOS balljoints of poor quality, or are there other things that may affect the lower balljoints' lifetime?
To me it seems that these balljoints tend to wear out very quickly. I trust my garage, so when they say I need new balljoints, I order them from the US.

I notice the steering problem everytime I reverse out of my driveway at low speed. The steering seems to have a will of its own. When reversing, and when not holding the steering wheel tight, the car follows the surface of the road, making the steering wheel shake to left and right. After reversing out of my driveway, I have to drive down a very little hill (1st gear) towards an intersection and then either turn left or right. Often I have to wait for oncoming traffic, so the car stands still downhill. 

The wheel tend to slide sideways when I start to drive forward and making a turn - just as if the weight of the whole car lays on the front wheels which in turn cannot handle the weight/pressure from the engine in the back. Is it suppose to be like this? Often when I have serviced the car, it tends to be a bit more tight, but very soon its back where it always has been. Don't tell me that you have to tighten up the steering every year?

The reason I ask is that my other car (a Volvo) does not do this (or any other car I have driven). On other cars, the steering is tight.

Has anyone else experienced this or is it just my DeLorean?

I'm not a mechanic, but if this is a common problem my mechanic won't have to spend lots of time figuring out what causes this. I'm sure that some things are not like they should be. Looking through the parts manual, I find that there are upper balljoints and of course wheel bearings. When should these items be replaced?

I have recently ordered the balljoint reinforcement collar kit from PJ Grady. Would installation of this make my problems go away?

Hope to find a solution to this annoying problem.

Best wishes
Stian Birkeland
Norway

VIN # 06759


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