help please im outta ideas ! Steering problems need advice

[aussieghostrider]

I recently went to pedders for their $14 safety check and got quoted a heap anyway the only things they found wrong was suspension need replacing shocks were ok and the bearing mounts in the towers which I took to my own mechanic as it was alot cheaper.The only thing they said was urgent was the steering rack as its leaking ( big deal stopped leak with nulon stuff)
but the problem I feel when driving the car is its hard to keep the car steady when the road might have lilttle bumps etc it feels like the wheels will rip off as they go on their own way if you get me..

when cars parked and I shake the front tire side to side I hear a clanking sort of sound like somethings loose and also if I grab the top of tire and shake back and fourth it makes a different noise.


Ive checked tie rods they seem tight no movement as they were replaced in last 2 years,The car drives in a straight line with out holding steering wheel so I know it cant be wheel alignment as i had that done few months ago and also had wheels balanced, tire pressures always checked every few weeks also.

Im thinking I need new wheel bearings as they have never been replaced and possibly lower control arm bushes??? The Ball joints seem ok cause pedders said they were fine and you know they like to fix things that are only partially worn.Can the steering rack if stuffed cause the problems ive mentioned ?

The steering works perfect no noises except an ocasional shudder but when the road im driving on isnt as smooth as new road is , I feel every bump & the steering feels very too light.


heres photos of the car..
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...ules/mycar.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7.../enginebay.jpg


Any thoughts people as Ive had car since rolled outta factory spent a bit on it and I look after it and its only just hit 190,000km's always 4000km oil changes etc .. changing coolant every 2 years
and servicing transmission every 40,000km's

[VN Commy]

but the problem I feel when driving the car is its hard to keep the car steady when the road might have lilttle bumps etc it feels like the wheels will rip off as they go on their own way if you get me..

I'm not sure if this is what you mean but does it feel like your wheels are bouncing over the bumps rather than absorbing them? If they said the shocks were ok though it shouldnt be doing this too badly. If the shocks are worn then they don't damp the oscillations in the springs very well so after you go over a small bump the spring bounces up and down and is still bouncing when you hit the next bump, increasing the amplitude of the oscillation (or bounce). I've driven cars with worn shocks that completely loose their grip just from hitting a small rough patch at speed.

and also if I grab the top of tire and shake back and fourth it makes a different noise.

When you do this is there any play in the wheel (even just a slight amount)? From the noise it makes it sounds like there is. This would indicate that the wheel bearing needs replacing.


By the way that's a pretty tidy looking VN you have there. Sounds like you've treated it well.

[samuels]

I recently went to pedders for their $14 safety check and got quoted a heap anyway the only things they found wrong was suspension need replacing shocks were ok and the bearing mounts in the towers which I took to my own mechanic as it was alot cheaper.The only thing they said was urgent was the steering rack as its leaking ( big deal stopped leak with nulon stuff)
but the problem I feel when driving the car is its hard to keep the car steady when the road might have lilttle bumps etc it feels like the wheels will rip off as they go on their own way if you get me..

when cars parked and I shake the front tire side to side I hear a clanking sort of sound like somethings loose and also if I grab the top of tire and shake back and fourth it makes a different noise.


Ive checked tie rods they seem tight no movement as they were replaced in last 2 years,The car drives in a straight line with out holding steering wheel so I know it cant be wheel alignment as i had that done few months ago and also had wheels balanced, tire pressures always checked every few weeks also.

Im thinking I need new wheel bearings as they have never been replaced and possibly lower control arm bushes??? The Ball joints seem ok cause pedders said they were fine and you know they like to fix things that are only partially worn.Can the steering rack if stuffed cause the problems ive mentioned ?

The steering works perfect no noises except an ocasional shudder but when the road im driving on isnt as smooth as new road is , I feel every bump & the steering feels very too light.


heres photos of the car..
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...ules/mycar.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7.../enginebay.jpg


Any thoughts people as Ive had car since rolled outta factory spent a bit on it and I look after it and its only just hit 190,000km's always 4000km oil changes etc .. changing coolant every 2 years
and servicing transmission every 40,000km's

a steering rack will give you a similar feel to what you are describing,try adjusting your wheel bearings first,as it sounds like that is one of your problems,before letting car down off car stands or hoist,rotate wheel,with you holding onto it(not flat out... )you should feel smooth and no hard drag on the wheel,you will feel a small amount of a light drag,thats your brake pads,also listen for any weird noises whilst turning wheel,or you can give the wheel a quick rotation(letting it go for this one) and listen for any weird noises.

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

I recently went to pedders for their $14 safety check and got quoted a heap anyway the only things they found wrong was suspension need replacing shocks were ok

Suspension needs replacing? Everything?

The steering problem when hitting bumps sounds like either front struts/shocks or radius rod bushes. Easy way to check radius rod bushes is to get in the car while someone is watching the front wheels and go forwards a bit then brake. If the wheels moves back more than 20 or 30 mm then they would need doing. Check the struts by doing an old fashioned bounce test. On each side, push the car down as hard as you can once, it should bounce up, down, then come to rest. If it goes up and down again, the strut cartridges would need replacing.

[aussieghostrider]

ok i did what u said and all seem fine except the front left which seems bouncy but how could that be i only had all 4 shocks replaced in last 4-5 months, can the springs give a bouncy feel if they stuffed cause pedders said the springs were ok & was told if they stuffed car would sit lower than normal ?

could it be a defect with the shock itself ??

when I got car back few months ago it seemed fine,could using the original 17 yeard old springs with new shocks be the cause ?

Im going to take back to mechanic in the morning ...

Im not happy .... cost me $900 for all 4 shocks and bearing mounts and rear brakes done ...

UPDATE I went to mate and he said now and then new shocks can **** themselves its factory defect so he gonna get another one and replace for me for free so all good...



hes good bloke so I dont think I will have any probs with him sorting it out .. but still ;(