HELP; this cant be good.

[Jarmizz]

Hey all,

I just picked up another VN commie and I'm having a problem with it. When I'm driving down the road, no matter the speed the steering some times tries to control its self. Its shocking when I hit a pot hole or man hole, it feels like the wheels turn the steering wheel either left or right and I have to straighten it up.

Ive just fitted 4 new tires which were balanced so I'm thinking its not them, could it be the ball joints....nothing looks wrong when under the car so I'm puzzled. Any help would be great!

Cheers.

[immortality]

did you get a wheel alignment? if so they should have pointed out any problems before completing said wheel alignment?

[wana s' charge stock vt]

dose it stick to the groves/hollows in the road or a lumpy white line if ya cross it??? or when ya change lanes its hard to get over the center/white line, then once ya over it just about sends ya flying off the road lol.

[Jarmizz]

No they didn't, it was only booked in for the new tires however the chap doing the tires did ask if my ball joints were OK because of the strange wear pattern on the front two tires. I'll get a wheel alignment done next week when the shops open and see if that makes a difference. Any other suggestions?

[Jarmizz]

A little bit of both to be honest. If I drive down a straight flat road and hit a pot hole, the tire will dive into that hole and turn the steering wheel towards the direction of that said hole. It feels like the connection between the steering wheel and the steering box is made of lose rope at times.

[immortality]

get em to check over the suspension before doing the wheel alignment. if the ball joints are stuff or anything in the steering rack then you are wasting money on a wheel alignment untill those issues are fixed

[wana s' charge stock vt]

A little bit of both to be honest. If I drive down a straight flat road and hit a pot hole, the tire will dive into that hole and turn the steering wheel towards the direction of that said hole. It feels like the connection between the steering wheel and the steering box is made of lose rope at times.

well mine dose the same thing and my steering rack is rooted. if i wobble the steering wheel side to side with car off n parked it knock's like buggery. got heaps of play and wheels car turn where ever they feel.

[zskinner]

i had the same problem a little while ago and turned out my strut mounting bearing plates were shagged. have a quick look, just open up your bonnet and look at the bearing plates on top of the strut tower and if there is any cracks or damage then thats probably be your problem. good luck mate

[Jarmizz]

Mine but be a slightly less worse that what you have described "wana s' charge stock vt".

Are they are checks that I can complete to see if there is an issue with my steering rack or suspension?

[Jarmizz]

Good point "zskinner", I will check tomorrow when I have more sun light. So I'm looking for cracks in the rubber or metal strut tower?

[donboy2000]

maybe it's your stuts they can feel pretty crappy when they are flogged.

[zskinner]

Good point "zskinner", I will check tomorrow when I have more sun light. So I'm looking for cracks in the rubber or metal strut tower?

yeah mate look for any cracks or damage in the rubber right at the top of the strut tower. just open the bonnet up and you'll see what im talking about (between the windscreen washer resorvoir and the coolant reservoir) and then obviously check the passenger side bearing plate too. good luck

[DavoVP]

I had bump steer aswell, Changed rack and rod ends, all good now

[Jarmizz]

What I found is the bolt holding the arm that the bottom of ths strut is attached to was very lose. I tightend this up and now all is perfect. thanks alot for all the help guys!