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tommyg3001
17th November 2011, 21:37
Hi Guys,

Have done a search but can't find exactly what I'm looking for, so wondering if someone can help?

Lately my car really hasn't been feeling as responsive in the steering and feels like your constantly fighting to keep it going in a straight line ... it just pulls all over the place.

I have had the wheels tracked up a few times but hasn't really sorted things. The garage apparently checked track rod ends etc to make sure that it was OK.

I jacked the car up just now .... and wondered if you could answer me a couple of questions.

1. Looking into the wheel arch the track rod is to the left on the top. Now if I grab the top of the joint and move it to the left and right is there something wrong ... surely it shouldn't be that easy to move, I don't have to use any force at all.

2. If I grab each wheel at 9 o clock and 3 o clock ... and move them, admittedly using a bit of force I can here the steering wheel moving in the car and feel the wheel moving (not sure if I have described this quite as I like, bit hard to to put into words) but is this normal or would this point to a worn rack .... or different?

Just to note its a 2000 (W) Furio and the only difference I have made is some VTR alloys, the front tyres are about 1 - 2 months old.

Many Thanks in advance.

Tom
Bedford126
17th November 2011, 21:47
could be anything mate could be play in the rack play in joint to the rack could be the inner rod end our could be the outer track rod ends. The track rod ends are about 10 quid each for a decent make like delphi and the centre rod end is 30 from citroen so start with those and see if there is any play.

Also when was the last time you had the car tracked up and checked the front tyre pressures?
Ben_SaxoForte
17th November 2011, 22:03
check out the wheel bearings too if you havent already they can sometimes affect the steering and maybe take it to a different garage to get tracked sometimes they don't use the correct settings for the car as in toe in/out
tommyg3001
17th November 2011, 22:16
could be anything mate could be play in the rack play in joint to the rack could be the inner rod end our could be the outer track rod ends. The track rod ends are about 10 quid each for a decent make like delphi and the centre rod end is 30 from citroen so start with those and see if there is any play.

Also when was the last time you had the car tracked up and checked the front tyre pressures?

Heya,

OK I will try that. What do you mean when you refer to the centre rod end?

Urmm tyre pressures I check regularly and last tracked up about a month ...? But if I'm going to have to have it tracked every month or so that's just ridiculous isn't it?


check out the wheel bearings too if you havent already they can sometimes affect the steering and maybe take it to a different garage to get tracked sometimes they don't use the correct settings for the car as in toe in/out

The wheel bearings seem OK .... and yes I was thinking about taking it somewhere else. Could you confirm the tracking settings? I'm pretty sure it depends on Power steering. The settings 2 toe in and 2 toe out sound familiar, but I don't know which is for with PAS and which is without.


Also, I forgot to add that when I reach about 60(ish) I sometimes get some wobble in the steering, but only though the steering wheel rather than the whole car. The wheels have been balanced recently as well.
Bedford126
17th November 2011, 22:19
inner track rod end:
http://www.106parts.com/websiteimages/highres/FTR4909.jpg
Not cheap but make a world of difference.
tommyg3001
17th November 2011, 22:30
inner track rod end:
http://www.106parts.com/websiteimages/highres/FTR4909.jpg
Not cheap but make a world of difference.

Am I right in thinking that that's under the boot ..... or am I wrong? :oops:

Thanks
Bedford126
17th November 2011, 22:32
no mate its not under the boot. I would deffo take your car to the garage that can be trusted before you get any work done to the car. Steering is not something to play with if you don't know what your doing.
tommyg3001
17th November 2011, 22:39
Ohhh ok ..... I am quite mechanically minded, but just not sure about that bit. Have done alllottt of work on my classic mini basically on my own since I was 12 and I'm 18 now hahah lol.

Your right, best to take it to a garage, and I don't want to skimp on steering, but as I am on an apprentice wage money is very tight, especially as tax is out at the end of the month.

Thanks for your help :)