ClioSport.net

Register a free account today to become a member!
Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

  • When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Read more here.

Car is very twitchy/tramlining



  '03 1.2 Dynamique
I recently have bought an '03 plate 1.2 Dynamique with 63k on the clock for a run around for the missus, and as a car to do the Mongol Rally in later this year.

I'm completely new to Renaults, and tbh don't really know all that much about them. I bought this with doing very little research into it as it came along at a price that was too good to refuse.

Anyway, I gave the car it's first proper long run tonight, and I'm concerned about a couple of things.

1) The cars handling seems very twitchy. It seems to twitch a lot in corners, particularly when the road surface isn't great. The car can also feel like it's almost wanting to start fishtailing when hitting a dip on the road. It almost feels go-karty, but not in a good handling way because it does not inspire confidence at all. It shouldn't feel the way it does.

2) When driving up the motorway, again particularly when going over poorer road surface, the car tramlines badly, and at times it's actually quite scarily bad, to the point I'd even say it was borderline dangerous.


General quick inspection shows no obvious causes. Car is completely standard. Tyres are Kuhmos and fine and evenly worn, and standard size. No knocks coming from bushes or suspension, steering feels nice and tight and the car runs straight when hands are off the wheel.

Are there any known issues with the Clio that I should be looking at as maybe the cause of it.
 
  S4, Tamora, Conti GT
It is likely to be the rear shock absorbers, my 182 did exactly what you described until I changed them, for me it was just the back left shock, it had no obvious sign of leaking but when i took it off the car and compressed it, it was like a pogo stick, no damping at all, they should compress then slowly extend. I replaced both the rear shocks and it sorted the problem. It was especially bad going round slightly bumpy right turns, the back of the car felt like it was skipping across the road.
 
  '03 1.2 Dynamique
It's right corners more than left. I feel a lot more stable turning left than right on b-roads. On motorways, both left and right don't feel great.

The car does often feel like the back end is wanting to step out, but I'm not going fast. It doesn't inspire confidence to go fast as I wouldn't say it's a particularly predictable thing.
 
  '03 1.2 Dynamique
I know the ball joints were replaced 10k miles ago as I have a receipt in the service book for them. Theres no knocks or what coming from the suspension.

TBH the rear shock seems a likely culprit that would make most sense.
 
  '03 1.2 Dynamique
The other thing I'd maybe describe the sensation of driving it, is it feels like I'm driving on a gusty day and the car is being blown about a bit, despite it being good weather.
 
  '03 1.2 Dynamique
Other than that it's a very decent little car. Got it for £1k, so hardly expensive even if it does need a couple of new shocks. Doing a google they aren't particularly expensive new.
 


Top