Generally naff steering!

[Leigh]

I'm after suggestions as to causes here folks..!
Over the last few months I've noticed that the steering & handling of my baby has been going downhill. I'm getting more and more pull/twitch when pulling away from a standstill (traffic lights etc) , especially if it's given a bit of gas, and it seems to be VERY sensitive to the road surface, so dips/bumps/ruts really pull the steering wheel.
The car in general drifts to the left if left, and also under braking slightly, so first things I thought were tracking and / or sticking caliper, but would that also account for the severe twitchiness on pulling away?
In the last few days it's got me seriously thinking about it as just turning a corner in a car park tonight at slow speed, when I straightened out the car was twitching back the other way. The grip when turning anything more than a gentle corner while moving anything other than slow also seems to be a lot worse than it used to be, they front tyres (Toyo Proxes T1-R's have 'fair' tread left I would say)

I'm not getting any knocking from the front, so could it still be an antiroll bush?
The other things I guess would be the shocks and /or springs, but the usual 'bounce' test seems OK to me (haven't tried it for a month or two but I'll check again tommorow),

I've seen trackrod ends mentioned a few times on hear with regards to various steering problems...

ideas anyone? what can I check with limited tools (i.e a jack ,axle stands and torch etc !)
thanks!

[houston]

if its only slight then i would just put it down to road camber, you are gettin more used to the car and noticing it more, but if it seems to get more of a pull then i would look at ball joints, replacing the wishbones isnt that expensive for peace of mind, then i would be looking at track rod joints, again not expensive but your car will have to go back in for tracking. but for any of these i would expect the symptoms to be a random quick pull to one direction whilst driving.

i doubt it would be a bush as youd normally get a 'squeaking' sound over bumps, but a nice set of propylene bushes wouldnt go amiss, would help the handling a bit.

silly question here but you have checked your tyre pressures?

an unlikely but still potential cause is the brakes, could be a sticky caliper, take them off and grease them up, might just be that one side is not fuly releasing the pad against the disc.

also could be a bracket for your anti roll bar has snapped, get the car on axle stands and look the tie bar that attatches to the top of the wishbone, this was snapped on mine and made steering twitchy, only 5 quid from car shop too!

[Leigh]

Cheers Houston,
I've been driving it for 3+ years now, so I don't think it's just getting used to the car. In fact I used to be able to 'throw it around' quite a bit,but at the moment I'm having to take it easy. There are a horrendous amount of quite severe speed bumps around where I live and work, I'm pretty convinced it's killing the suspension & related bits quicker than 'normal' driving.
I do the tyres every week usually, wish it was that simple [img]/smile.gif[/img]
The 'pull' when it happens on setting off from lights etc is what I'd call quick, it doesn't just drift over.
I'll try and have a look at the wishbones and tie bars this weekend weather permitting (and assuming I can figure out which bit from the Haynes..LOL)
I forgot to mention that currently (due to a BIG whack on a kerb mid last year dodging a errant forklift truck) my steering wheel isn't straight compared to the steering, only a few degrees out, but it's there, but this handling problem has got really bad the last month or so, so I'm thinking somethings worn out or snapped, perhaps spurred on or started by that initial whack.

I'm just hoping it doesn't turn out to be shocks or springs as the originals are nigh on impossible to get anymore.

[johnny_adidas]

the fact u hit a kerb def wud indicate damage to a wishbone unfortunately.
best bet to inspect your tie rod ends, arb links,or wishbones. if the wishbone wasnt damaged,i would suggest its the tie rod ends, very cheap and easy to change.
it might be worth taking it in for tracking for the few quid it will cost and if they are any good they will tell you exactly what is wrong and what part needs to be changed. just i wudnt go changing wishbones straight off if you werent sure as they are kinda expensive and a balls to change.
id say road camber is very doubtful esp off traffic lights

[Leigh]

I keep forgetting to put things.. lol
I had the damaged wishbone changed just after the kerb incident, it was VERY bent (so much so that the wheel was rubbing on the back of the arch liner when turning hard).
I've 'meant' to get it in to get the tracking sorted / steering wheel aligned since it happened, but you know how easy it is to just live with it for a few weeks....few months...etc etc

[johnny_adidas]

id change my tie rod ends if i was you and then get it tracked. as if its these that are the fault u will need to get the tracking done again afterwards. at least if u do them now, they are done before u fork out for tracking and they aint that expensive or laborious to change

[houston]

track rod ends can be bent so easy and just a tiny amount can affect so much! get it for less than a tenner at a car shop and fit it yourself, then take it for tracking.
also id take the wheel to get it balanced, might not be affected but its worth checking

j

[Cheater2k]

<!--QuoteBegin-Leigh+--><div class='quotetop'>(Leigh)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I keep forgetting to put things.. lol
I had the damaged wishbone changed just after the kerb incident, it was VERY bent (so much so that the wheel was rubbing on the back of the arch liner when turning hard).
I've 'meant' to get it in to get the tracking sorted / steering wheel aligned since it happened, but you know how easy it is to just live with it for a few weeks....few months...etc etc<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

id sayyou have answered your own questions here

bent wishbone (fixed) but then not getting tracking done, problem there stright away [img]/smile.gif[/img] mines was 22mm out after i hit a kurb in one of my old cars.

[Leigh]

Houston - wheel was replaced , ..sorry, I was in "I'll just forget to mention everything relevant" ™ mode last night....
How hard are the track rod ends to replace? I'd always got the impression they are/can be a git with being seized on etc.

It's just strange that it seems to have got a lot worse over the last month or so,.
right, time for several coffees, read of the Haynes and hopefully have a look see what I can see..
thanks for the advice so far guys

[Mac]

If it's pulling severe left when you pull away from a standstill, or you give it some gas when rolling then it could be a bit of torque steer, or your right cv joint is more worn than the left side. I think the shorter shaft is on the left anway so this could be something else to look at.
I only sujest this cos' I replaced my left outer cv joint and have found that my car now pulls badly when given' some stick or from a standstill (lights).
I have another joint to put on the rihgt side but just waiting for some spare time to sort it out.

Hope this helps a bit as you seem to have done all the normal checks, and replaced afew things already.

Mac.

[Leigh]

thanks Mac, I think it's normally a left pull from the lights (funny how you forget details of something you see everyday!), I'll pay attention next time I'm out in it. I was asuming it was some sort of torque steer effect seeing as it's normally from standstill or hard accelerating (even if it's only an 8V..), but then I started thinking something must be worn/broken as it's never been this noticeable since I bought the car (3+ years ago now.)
How hard are CV joins to replace?
Probably gonna be tommorow before I get a chance to look at all the things listed above, and I ain't got a ball joint seperator if I need to take the tierod end of completley, but at least I can take a look-see at them and see if anything obvious jumps out at me.

[dj_smurph]

i had a broken left rear spring it was the bottom coil very hard to spot found that out when i changed the suspension to konis now i just get a bit of torque steer when i floor it, wishbones are on the todo list for me this year

[Tits&ass]

I suffered the same problem, check the level of the front of the car, is it lower on one side to the other?

My spring broke and it made the handling just as poor as you have said, its only a quick check but get it done. ~Not costly to fix but time consuming!

The springs maybe about to break, I only noticed it broke cause my girlfriend was changing CDs at the time (so it was quiet, and for once she wasnt chatting!), went round a sharp right and heard something drop out onto the raod. Went backt o pick it up and found it was the bleeding spring!