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[RichB]

I have noticed some strange handling problems recently.  The car seems to be following all the bumps in the road etc.  Driving home today I also noticed that when I go over the white lines the car seems to amplify the steering and dive over the line slightly.

The car also has had a problem since I got it, when I brake and turn at low speed, for example turning the car in the entrance to a side road, I get a grinding type of noise from the front wheel on the inside.  I always thought it was perhaps the tyres rubbing or mudflap etc but now I am starting to think they might be related.  Also the back drivers side wheel looks like it has some camber on it compared to the other side, all this kind of stuff confuses me!

I need to get some new tyres soon and was thinking of getting geometry done but dont want to spend money on it just to find out they cant do it due to something being worn out or knackered on it.

Any advice on what I can check?  MOT is due in March so I could perhaps get the garage to give a more thorough check over all the necessary parts for geometry so that I can make sure it would be ready to be set up?


Cheers,

Richard

[abdin]

hi
check the front wishbone bushes ...

abdin

[Kevin Wood]

Try rocking the front wheels at 12/6o'clock and 3/9o'clock positions to see of there's any movement in the suspension. Grinding might be a wheel bearing on its' way out, perhaps? Failing that, check wishbone bushes and steering idler. Ditto for the back end.

How are the tyres wearing? Nice and even or is there an unusual wear pattern?

Kevin

[CDX_Steve]

My CDX seems to do the same, It was just MOT'd so I would have thought they would have mentioned any problems? Do some tyres make it worse? It has Pirelli P7's all round, I have no noises and the tyres seem to be wearing even

[RichB]

How do you check the wishbone bushes?    I will check the wheels for play.  Tyres are all odd at the moment and need replacing soon.  Seem to remember having a reciept in the history for a steering idler not long before I boguht it but that could be possible due to it wandering around.  Where is the idler and how do you check it?

Tyres are more worn to the edges, not evenly.

Cheers,

Richard

[Kevin Wood]

Wishbone bushes - easiest way to check them is to find the front of the two bushes and insert a bar or large screwdriver between the bush housing on the wishbone and chassis. Lever the wishbone rearwards and see hom much force is required. The bush should be pliable, so there will be movement, but a bit of force should be required to deflect it. If it's sloppy, and moves very easily, the bush is suspect.

The rear bush can be examined visually for damage and any play should be noticeable by jacking up and rocking the wheel top to bottom.
 
Steering idler is the arm that supports the central track rod on the passenger side, the other end being supported by the arm from the steering gear.

Edge wear can indicate poor suspension geometry, particularly camber if it's the inside / outside shoulder only. Might be worth a trip to wheels in motion to get it set up, but have a look for any play first.

Kevin

[feeutfo]

as Kevin says really, standard procedure, is check wishbone bushes for rips/splits/play/slop (not movement)odds are they will need doing.
Stearing idler, look for any play esp on full lock, view from under drivers door/wheel arch.
Broken springs on the ends of the helix, needs the wheel off really to spot it.
Also check the rear donut bushes, behind triangular plate under rear door/wheel arch area, with 3 bolts and 1 big bolt in the middle, look for the rubber coming free from the metal cup. Jack the trailing arm to hold it, and remove the triangular plate for a good look but should be able to see without removal.

Once faults rectified, take the car for a FULL geometry set up. See wheels in motion web site, or oof map for other recommended company near you
Pm Albatross for password. Hth

[John Ball]

The solution is on your doorstep;
Fleet Fit Tyres,
Cumberland Trading Estate,
Cumberland Road,
Loughborough,
LE11 5DF
Tel 01509 266160

Specialist geometry checking equipment. DONT go to national tyre dealers.

[RichB]

Cheers guys I will try and have a look at these on Friday.  I have read about Fleet Fit in Loughborough and was thinking of asking them to check everything necessary to do a full geometry set up as I heard many people get to WIM and have worn parts so cant have it done.

With regards to the geometry, people say dont let them set it up to Vauxhall settings and that WIM have got a better setup.  Can you go in and tell them what settings to work to instead of the Vauxhall settings?


Cheers,

Richard

[Marks DTM Calib]

Cheers guys I will try and have a look at these on Friday.  I have read about Fleet Fit in Loughborough and was thinking of asking them to check everything necessary to do a full geometry set up as I heard many people get to WIM and have worn parts so cant have it done.

With regards to the geometry, people say dont let them set it up to Vauxhall settings and that WIM have got a better setup.  Can you go in and tell them what settings to work to instead of the Vauxhall settings?


Cheers,

Richard

The fleet fit settings are bang on......you could ask them to set the camber to -1deg 10' rather than 1deg 40'

[SteveMJ]

THis sounds a bit like tramlining - check tyre pressures; my Elite seems to do this when a) tyre pressures are a tad low b) when tyres are towards their end of life.

S

[RichB]

Well I have just had 4 brand new tyres and the handling is better now but still not right.  Also my car is noisy going over speed bumps in the morning when first driving the car.  Another problem that is now worse since fitting new tyres is that when braking and turning tight corners I get a scraping noise coming from the wheels.  Sounds like the tyres ir rubbing on the arch liner or mudflap or something.  Its really annoying me now as it is doing it lots more now I have new tyres.

Any ideas what this could be?


Cheers,

Richard

[RichB]

Any ideas on this anyone?  I am starting to thing must be worn out shocks / springs as it scrapes under braking and even going round roundabouts it is scraping!  Sounds like the tyre is rubbing on the mudflap or arch or something....


Cheers,

Richard

[Lazydocker]

Still sounds like wishbones to me... Have you checked them??

[blue_dream]

Hi

   Have you check front brake pads,!!   mine tramlines badly, mainly i think its down to tyres, buy cheap tyres does not pay and being large size wheels they find all bad cambers especialy in Rushden.