Light steering, wonky wheels, boo!

Does your 480 have tracking-problems? Does your car pull to one side? Or is your steering wheel vibrating? Read the posts in this category to find out what's going on.

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bkf_uk
480 Rookie
Posts: 419
Joined: Tue Apr 01, 2008 5:02 pm
Location: Yate nr bristol (uk)

Re: Light steering, wonky wheels, boo!

Post by bkf_uk » Tue Nov 16, 2010 11:37 pm

Sounds like you have a fault with a duff track rod throwing the tracking way out, or even worse the stearing rack has died. I would suggest take to the nearest garage and get it on to some ramps and have a good look. It might be a dead ball joint, dying wishbone. Ruddy front wheels are cursed on your 480!!
Toys:-
2001 Ford focus (not as much fun as my volvo was!)
94 440 turbo auto (Sent to the main dealer in the sky :cryhard: )
92 Suzuki gn250 (Still in rebuild)

User avatar
bkf_uk
480 Rookie
Posts: 419
Joined: Tue Apr 01, 2008 5:02 pm
Location: Yate nr bristol (uk)

Re: Light steering, wonky wheels, boo!

Post by bkf_uk » Wed Nov 17, 2010 12:11 am

Oh god, im on first name tems with my local motorfactor and the local scrappy, infact the scrappy now give me trade discount! oh talking of scrappys need to send glasgowjim a pm!

(oh if it is the rack thats dead give jim a pm he might have one avalible).
Toys:-
2001 Ford focus (not as much fun as my volvo was!)
94 440 turbo auto (Sent to the main dealer in the sky :cryhard: )
92 Suzuki gn250 (Still in rebuild)

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glasgowjim
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 4830
Joined: Sun Oct 01, 2006 5:28 pm
Location: GLASGOW SCOTLAND

Re: Light steering, wonky wheels, boo!

Post by glasgowjim » Wed Nov 17, 2010 7:01 pm

funnily enough I will have a spare steering rack available early next week.

Suggest that you phone this freephone number 0800 027 4444 it is McConechy's a scottish tyre fitting company who use a new type of computer controlled alignment system - tell them you are in bristol and is there a company in your area that uses the same system they should then hopefully pass you onto someone who will be able to tell you . Get a free check up !

I really think Kwik Fit are useless now having been a regular customer for a while but I wont be going back again.

changing the steering rack is not a hard job just takes time.

To be honest bushes wearing out and wishbones giving up the ghost really dont happen overnight they gradually over a long period of time degrade.

If there was a catastrophic failure then it could only be I suggest.....

1 track rod end snapped/stripped but unlikely
2 massive and sudden failure of bushes - easy check just jack up car , axle stand it and waggle wheel in all directions would be mega obvious.
3 ball joint again as above will be obvious in waggle test!
4 steering rack jack up car on both sides and get a friend to move wheeels while you feel the steering wheel then hold wheels in straight forward position and hold them firm now waggle steering (this can be done on the road before jacking and single handed) this should suggest steering rack.
5 check power steering fluid levels. and check for leaks as well if it is low.
6 get a free check up in a local tyre fitters.

the above are in no particular order.

good luck and keep us all in the loop. :D

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glasgowjim
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 4830
Joined: Sun Oct 01, 2006 5:28 pm
Location: GLASGOW SCOTLAND

Re: Light steering, wonky wheels, boo!

Post by glasgowjim » Tue Nov 23, 2010 5:23 pm

you didnt hit a big pot hole did you ?

If it is the steering rack a second hand spare will not cost the earth even with courier delivery ;)

Fitting it yourself will save a packet.

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glasgowjim
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 4830
Joined: Sun Oct 01, 2006 5:28 pm
Location: GLASGOW SCOTLAND

Re: Light steering, wonky wheels, boo!

Post by glasgowjim » Thu Nov 25, 2010 5:03 pm

The turbo has vented brake discs the Na doesnt . this may mean different ubs you need to check. I unfortunately dont have any as my daughter skelped the wheels in a crash and I wouldnt trust the wheels parts in another car.
Try "jameselwood" as he has quite a stock of bits.

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