Funny Steering

Post by **Other-Power** » 03 Mar 2007, 11:58

Hi all,

got the van all working again, but now steering wheel wobles at about 30kph and stops around 60kph and is worse around 50kph. im thinking a wheel is of balance or could it be somthign much worse? I had this on my bug and it was the shock absorber for the sterring, do these have them still? I have LLE wheels with 205/70/14 on it all round lowered 60mm apex.

Thanks Jon

Post by **Fritz** » 03 Mar 2007, 13:37

Looks like you are gunna have to jack the van up on each corner if anything just to spin the wheels ,to check if anything is obvious.

Could be anything from an out of shape tyre to a worn steering part.

Regards

Fritz,,,,,

Post by **Fox McIntyre** » 03 Mar 2007, 15:59

Fritz wrote:worn steering part.

Not likely you can 'Drive through' the wobble (starts at one speed but as you get faster dies away). If you can, as you say you can, then it is most likey a wheel or tire, is it deffinitly through the steering wheel? swap the wheels front to back and see if it changes, quickest way of identifying wheel balance/shape issues!

Post by **HarryMann** » 03 Mar 2007, 16:31

1a) Check the wheels and tyres visually (inspect) for kerb damage and bubbled tyres, both inside and outside tyrewalls...

1b) Check the wheels for security and nuts for tightness etc...

2) Either change them for new or if plenty of tread and no visual damage ask to have them balanced (which might reveal problems , ask for out of balance figure, roughly from tyre fitter)..

3) Road-test... if severe the take care.

4) If still wobble, then get back to us here...

5) Visually check the steering UJ's, rubber discs for perish cracks and condition (2, one under the bash-plate as intermediate rod goes into rack)

NB. Careful visual inpsection is always 1st on list of things to do when a problem... witness Railtrack - That's all it would have taken! Simple is best, eyes save lives :

Post by **Other-Power** » 03 Mar 2007, 18:48

Ok thanks for all the advice,

I had a look at the front wheels and because i know i washed the van only a week a go i could see that the front left wheel had lost both its weights as there are some black retangular shaped patches on the wheel. I had a new tyre fitted when i got the van so i swaped that one from the back with the front left one and have just come back from a spin. I am glad to report all is good, the weights need to be replace / rebalanced which i will get done monday.

One thing i now need to ask is, how much movment is permited on the front wheel bearings as i liffted the front right and there was a fraction of movment on the bearing and nothing on the front left.

Thanks again lots of help.

Jon

Post by **HarryMann** » 03 Mar 2007, 18:57

Well done - if you get that balanced up and you should have a nice smooth ride..

Wheel bearing play - None effectively..

Are you sure it is the bearing? Not the lower ball-joint, track-rod end or any other joint (top ones)?

You say you lifted it up... ? Not sure what you mean, lifted it outwards?

Post by **Other-Power** » 03 Mar 2007, 19:24

Hi,

Lifted the van, grasped the wheel and moved it verticaly, may be other wear on track rod end, but nothing i could see, will have another look tomrrow.

Thanks Jon

Post by **HarryMann** » 03 Mar 2007, 20:08

Wheel bearing play is detemined by rock both side-to-side and also top-to-bottom(i.e. rock in both planes)... even then you really want to be watching the hub and bearing housing (wheel off) to see if the play is actually in the bearing (if you can't get any force on it bolt a bar across the hub face to use to rock it)

If the play is such you can get vertical or sideways movement (translation), tand it's the bearing, then that is not worn but completely breaking up..

See what you think, trying it that way, I still think its not the ebaring, but never say never