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[davemac]

Hi Guys, Happy New Year to all! 

My recently acquired miggy is a tad on the hairy side handling wise.

I have had a track rod replaced and the tracking done. Two new tyres on the front, balanced and inflated to 32 psi.

Although it is a million times better than before there are still some issues. It is almost as if there is no give in the front at all, the slightest bump or pothole on the road seems to want to throw the car offline and I find myself holding the steering wheel for all I'm worth! I had my local garage do a mock MOT test on the car to identify what I would need to do to get her roadworthy and this identified the tracking as a major problem. They tested the shock absorbers and found them to be ok.

Obviously I am not using the car at the moment except to test drive occasionally.

Someone suggested to me that it could be bushes having degraded, I wonder if anyone else has found this to be the case - or could point me in the right direction?

Thanks Guys,

Dave.

[ffcgary1]

First you need to check your lower arm bushes for splits and tears. Go under the car and with a pry bar lever against the arms at the point the bush fixes to the sub frame, and check for excess movement, there should be some, but not sloppy. If sloppy then replace with OE or poly bushes. Then get the car to WIM IN CHESHAM.(GOOGLE IT)
The car will need FULL geometery not just tracking as many issues are caused by CAMBER issues.
What are the tyres like on the inside edge?
Also while under the car check the steering idler arm for play in the bush,
if play then replace with gen vx part. Start here then post up your findings. You will also find in the MAINT section plenty of guides to these parts and fixes.

[ffcgary1]

One other thing to check is the shock absorbers as they may well be fubar.

[davemac]

Hi, thanks for that.

I had a full geo test done and have the print-out. The tyres are only about 50 miles old.
I will check the other things you said.

Dave 

[ffcgary1]

When the full geo was done was it set to the green on the machine, as these are manufacturers settings and as the car has done a few miles then you can chuck those figures out the window, if also they were done with shagged bushes then you can also chuck them out the window. WIM has reserched the omegas settings very carefully and has developed a figure to set to to allow the car to drive properly. But first you must check and remedy all the other points first or you will just waste your time and hard earned.

By the way what were the old tyres like on the inside edge.?

[TheBoy]

Post up your geometry settings, we can advise if the place you used have done it right. Most don't, sadly.


Other things to check are bushes, shocks, broken springs (esp rear), steering idler and all balljoints.

[davemac]

The old tyres were completely shredded!

I think I should call my garage to have the points you raised checked out. One of the guys there used to have an MV6 so he is familiar with the car.

If I get all that checked out and the car is driveable after I will certainly contact WIM and see about them setting it all up for me.

Thanks again.

[TheBoy]

The old tyres were completely shredded!

On the inside edge only?

[davemac]

Yes, both on the inside edge.

The before and after settings are:
 Left front camber -2.10, caster 5.17, toe -2.07 - now -2.20, 5.17. 0.04
 right front camber -2.18, caster 5.30, toe - 2.07 - now -2.33, 5.30, 0.05.

Total toe was -4.14 front 0.18 rear - now is 0.09 front and 0.19 rear.

[ffcgary1]

ths figs will do that, !!! way out.

[TheBoy]

Yes, both on the inside edge.

The before and after settings are:
 Left front camber -2.10, caster 5.17, toe -2.07 - now -2.20, 5.17. 0.04
 right front camber -2.18, caster 5.30, toe - 2.07 - now -2.33, 5.30, 0.05.

Total toe was -4.14 front 0.18 rear - now is 0.09 front and 0.19 rear.

Those settings will wreck the inside edge of your tyres within 500 miles. You urgently need to get it done properly (though ideally after sorting out any other worn components first).

Contact wheels-inmotion (a member here). OOF members get discount on any geometry done at Chesham HQ.

[TheBoy]

In fact, the retards have actually got it worse than it was before 

[davemac]

To be honest I have no idea what the figures mean!

There were a lot of figures highlighted in red before that are now green so I assumed that to be better!

I will contact WIM as you suggest for their advice,

Thanks bud.

[ffcgary1]

Classic mistake by people who are trained to set the figures to green on the machine,(only) then wrestle the money out of your hands as quickly as poss and get to the next punter.
Retard sums them up compleatly.

[ffcgary1]

WIM will not change the settings if they find that you have worn suspension componants, and you will have wasted your time making the journey. But if you make the trip they will tell you what is shagged and what to get fixed, then you will have to make a return trip FOR SET UP.