Can anyone recognise cause of my handling problem - no steering control at speed

[NCC-74656]

Thought this section of forum might be best place to ask.
Can anyone recognise cause of my handling problem - no steering control at speed.

My car is a 182 with only the following modifications to handling: Eibach Sportline Spring Kit, Whiteline Performance Adjustable Anti-Roll Bar which i don't suspect is the problem. Basically car handles and corners ok below 40-50mph. But i'm having big problems driving safely on motorway or higher speed roads. At anything over 70 ish I have next to zero control of the direction of the car, in that i can steer left/right a few inches turn of the steering wheel either direction and it just goes straight on. Equally at 80 ish it is near impossible to try to over take or change lane as i just don't have any accurate feel of the steering. It is very light/ sloppy and does not respond accurately or timely to change in direction of the steering wheel.

So far I have spent a few months and dosh chasing the problem but have made no progress. I have had it tracked, tracked, and tracked again, all camber and wheel alignment done again and again at different garages. Dumped the car at a trusted garage for 2 weeks and said please check everything. They adjusted poor camber on one wheel and did jet another wheel alignment- no change to problem what so ever. They checked track rod ends and steering and what ever else but could find no obvious faults. I tried changing the front tyres from nankangs to c-drive yokohamas. Zero difference.

Really fed up with it now. last garage said maybe try a harder/ stiffer tyre. But i have non performance cars which i can put any old shitty tyres on and it handles better than my 182. Never had a car that can't drive safely over 70 before.

Any ideas or specialists (midlands based) that could fix this. I just want some control at higher speeds. I don't need it to do anything special just to drive safely at higher speeds. It would be nice if turning the steering wheel influenced the direction of the car. Any help much appreciated.

 

[LeeRS]

Worn shocks cause the back end to get ropey on these.
I didn't see that you mentioned that above. Have yo changed them for new? They aren't to expensive and make a huge difference to the handling.

 

[NCC-74656]

Hi Lee. Thanks for reply. Yeh i changed the rear pair of shocks recently. no change.

 

[LeeRS]

Is it possible to get a video of said handling at 70mph?

 

[Crybert]

Does it feel like the steering is detached and almost snaking about the road? I read a thread a while back that it's the inner tie rods

 

[CJM]

Tie rods, track rod ends, ball joints, wishbone bushes, topmounts would all be worth checking over.

 

[Sesqui89]

Steering rack bushes may be worth checking as well

 

[Big P Dog]

If you've checked everything at the front end have you checked for play at the back end? That could be causing the car to get a wiggle on.

 

[mantis946]

I recently had problems similar to what you describe, normal at lower speeds but once near 70 the car seemed to be unsettled and uncomfortable changing direction at speed. It also used to tramline something nasty.

Slightly play in a tie rod and rod end along with too much toe out was my issue. Even after having the geo set properly, the slight play was enough to make the car dull at speed. Tyre pressures is another one to check.

 

[RichieJA]

I have the same thing was steering bushes replaced both full steering arms and was fixed, the bushes looked fine aswell

 

[Mash.]

It wont really be anything alignment related as such, even with any extreme adverse camber or toe you will still get instant steering response from the wheel all be it other aspects are challenged.

Steering rack bushes or the steering rack clamp bolts have come loose.

 

[GrahamS]

Low ball joints, had something similar on my car, used to wander and veer all over the place thans to probably 10mm movement.

Also had something similar on another car which turned out to be a combination of terrible tyres and the tracking marginally out.

 

[mikekean]

Did the geometry change in-between having it done multiple times? if so you have some wear in one or multiple componenets. I had a similar issue on an e36 328i sport I had and turned out to be the ball joints. Get it checked out by a Clio sport specialist, they should be able to track the issue down pretty easy. Doing anything else is just spunking money up the wall.

 

[NCC-74656]

thanks for all replies. have it booked in a a garage that set up race cars an stuff. hoping they can fix it. If not i give in and will sell it. Will update if i find out what was wrong.

 

[rubo]

http://www.ebay.es/itm/171643498424?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

 

[NCC-74656]

thanks for all replies. have it booked in a a garage that set up race cars an stuff. hoping they can fix it. If not i give in and will sell it. Will update if i find out what was wrong.

Sorted ! at last. These guys managed to get it to handle pretty good http://emcms.co.uk/chassis-engineering/ They found some minor problems that didn't need any immediate attention and just aligned it properly. Its great now. From what I can best remember they said it could be better with new bottom arms, and that the suspension is too low at the front that will give me bump steer. I'll sort that as well with them soon but its pretty good already now. Thanks for all the replies to this one.

 

[sonny172cup]

What are the before and after geo settings out of curiosity?

 

[NCC-74656]

What are the before and after geo settings out of curiosity?

They said one side was 3 degrees out and the other side 1.5 degrees out. I should have paid more attention so I could more accurate feedback / update. Sorry.

 

[bozothenutter]

Did they give you a printout?

 

[NCC-74656]

nope