Need Help. steering problem.

[kapzi]

Try explain as best as i can.

i have just put new front brake pads in so its not the pads. , the discs are fine. When i am braking fast and hard on the pedal there is no shaking of the steering wheel sometimes a little. But when i brake lighty pulling up to a long or short distance, sounds like the left hand wheel is shuddering like a wobble sound and the steering wheel shakes to those sounds. it feels like something is loose along the steering colum any ideas?

and it has worn my left hand tyre the inner side to pritty much wire. lol

[accentstencil]

It sounds like you need a wheel alignment or something is badly worn. Your worn tyre is most likely the reason for the for the steering wheel shaking.

[hako]

Either the tierod end or the rack end on the passenger side is worn allowing that wheel to move side to side when braking - this will rapidly wear the inner tread to the wire. The other 'possible' is that you have hit the gutter hard in the past and bent the lower control arm resulting in serious misalignment. To check for tierod or rackend wear just jack wheel up and move side to side - there should be no movement.

[kapzi]

k thanx i will check those things out ASAP in the morning. i did let a friend drive and he said hed hit a gutter but not hard , but the wobbles happend before anyway. Its definatly one of the above because the inner side of the tyre is down to wire and the outer looks brand spankin new.

I did play with the wheels while the car is jacked up and they do not move side to side. maybe it needs some force and weight on it ?.

which bar is the tierod or the rack end.?

[kapzi]

here is how the tyre wore.

checked and wobbled the balljoints they seem stable still here are a few pics.


and are the suspension nuts under the bonnet ment to be easy to turn around? cause the black thing the nut sits on top spins fairly easy using a shifter. both of them do.

other then that im out of options any help would be appreciated.

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

Try tightening the top nut. That won't affect the tyres though.

Your problem is the radius rod bushes. In the 3rd pic on the bottom row you have the rod going through the control arm. The bushes on that are worn. This will cause the control arm to move back and forth when braking. See how there is more of the bush poking out on one side?

[VT-565]

and are the suspension nuts under the bonnet ment to be easy to turn around? cause the black thing the nut sits on top spins fairly easy using a shifter. both of them do.

other then that im out of options any help would be appreciated.

The nuts under the bonnet that you mention are the tops of the shock absorber rod, these should be able to turn, so there is nothing to worry about there.

Have you checked your wheel bearings? Have you hit anything hard that you know of?

[kapzi]

thanx not an abba fan , i checked all the ball joints some are worn but still should be ok for a while . cant belive i didnt notice the bushs there should be two right? the one in the Pic and another one on the other side of the control arm too?. because the one on the other side is pritty much gone.

how hard are they to change . and how much , and wat are the rubber things actually called.

here is the backside of it. rubber hangin out of it :O

my mum works at repco she got me a price on the set 26$ with discount and im ganna have ago at doing them my self. hope this fix's my problem.

[hako]

Check the bushes at the opposite end of the radius rod as well - if one end is gone you can bet the other end is as well. To instal new radius rod bushes you really need to remove the lower control arm and use a vyce to press the new bush in. Dunno what they'd cost but I'd guess about $100 for the front and rear radius bushes for both sides. You might find a good control arm and rod bushes from a wreck if you're trying to fix it for minimal cash.

[Cheap6]

The anti-roll bar link washers are installed upside down too .

[kapzi]

last person who had this car probly had no idea. I was thinking of just replacing the rubber bushes and putting the old Z bar back in n hope to stop that wheel wobbling while braking , till i get some real cash together to fix the whole lot.

[jdstrat]

silly question. hoping to get a silly answer. one one of your first pics you showed the tie rod end... without a crown nut and split pin. please tell me you took it off and it wasn't missing? i'm guessing you did because the thread doesn't look rusted but i thought i'd just ask and make sure.

[jdstrat]

The anti-roll bar link washers are installed upside down too .

i thought the washers were supposed to cup toward the bushes like that.

[Cheap6]

i thought the washers were supposed to cup toward the bushes like that.

Nope. Definitely not.

[accentstencil]

Nope. Definitely not.

I'll second that.

[jdstrat]

Nope. Definitely not.

well oops, cause that's how i did mine a few days ago.....

[jdstrat]

you're right... just referred to mr. gregory and the pic shows them the other way.... i just followed what was already in the car.... grrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!

[kapzi]

hmmm yeh thats how they where when i jacked her up . so u reackon there not meant to cup the bushes

and yes i took the nut off cause the thread was a bit rusty ,was just checking to see if it was safe still.

[kapzi]

Is there a guide around on how to change the radius rod bushes?.

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

How To Replace Radius Rod Bushes VT / VZ

There ya go. It's on a VT but it's basically the same.

The reason the washers go the other way is because the pin moves when the steering is turned. When it moves the washer pivots on the bush, if it is left upside down it will chop the bushes out pretty quickly.

[kapzi]

cheers someone wanted to charge me 100$ an hour. and said they take time to change. ? if the chassi bush's are worn id be wanting to do the control arms too and possibly the rear of the cars bushs