Hello all--I'm trying to correct my mis-assembled steering linkage (see my post "3.75 inch backspacing update" below for details) The short version: on replacing tie rod ends and steering rods, I found out these parts had been reversed the whole time I've owned the car, i.e. tie rod mounted outboard, steering rods inboard.

Car currently feels and steers like crap, which I'm chalking up mostly to the fact that caster and camber have been set by eye only. I set the toe-in and then had it confirmed by the local alignment-r-us, who didn't want to touch caster/camber on a PV. So, the goal now is to get the car driveable enough to get to the nearest competent alignment shop, and hoping that they'll be able to make it feel less like crap.

In the meantime, though, both front wheels are fully locking against the ipd front sway bar in a normal right turn. If I back out the steering stops far enough to keep the tires from grinding, I can't even make it around a traffic island, let alone execute a 180 degree u-turn across a lane and a half, like I used to...what's going on here?

This thing with the reversed tie rod/steering rod makes me feel crazy, esp since the car drove so much better with too-fat wheels and everything put together backwards. Am I missing something? Did later models have reversed steering linkage? Doesn't seem likely.

Conditions: all parts of the front suspension and steering are new or freshly rebuilt, except the idler arm bushings, which appear OK.

Stock front wheels and 165 R15 tires (argh).

Thanks for any counsel you can offer! Best--Nate