Couple of 16v questions

[Ben H]

Any help gratefully received!

1. My car seems to handle very strangely at the moment. The tracking has just been done, the tyres are new and the tyre pressures are all fine - but it seems to wander all over the place in no particular pattern and really cant brake in a straight line. This happens at both high and low speeds, and it will pull to either side. Could this be dead shocks? My car is on 97k miles. It doesnt just happen under braking.

2. My wheel bearings appear to both be playing up (more noise as each side becomes loaded). But theyre both only 10-15k miles old! Shoddy workmanship?

3. I get a "click" when steering at low speeds on either one side. It happens early in the lock and only once - so doesnt sound like a CV as they tend to repeatedly click on full lock.

Are any of these related to each other?

Help most gratefully received!

 

[aaronc]

Hi ben - unfortunatly i can help with only no.3

The click you are hearing i think is the release valve on the power steering and nothing to worry about, mine also does it on full lock. i may be wrong though...lol

 

[Ben H]

Cheers Aaron. Im getting more sensitive to these things, but am sure it didnt used to be there!

 

[Rajk]

Ben

My valver pulled to the left quite drastically, until i got the front shocks changed, look at the shock and see if any fluid has leaked. As regard to the wheel bearings- i was always under the impression that you got a rumble at high speeds which indicated knacked bearings. Check your bushes as they could be knackered- again i recently got mine changed to poly ones and has improved handling alot, you can really throw the car into the corners now without any noise.

one more thing if you are getting a single knock when cornering hard it could be the upper suspension bearing has given up the ghost. Best way to test is to go into a corner/roundabout let go of the gas and then give it a bit again this will cause the car to slightly jerk and if the top bearing is knackered should knock.

 

[Mikey16vClio]

Mine has stated to pull to one side under braking. What is it?

Recently put 195/45/16s on and thought it might be emphasing tracking being a touch out by making big difference to car pulling to one side when brakes applied. I have none of the other problems. ANY THOUGHTS?

 

[Ben H]

Thanks guys.

Raj - which bushes are the one youre talking about? Where are the suspension bushes?

 

[Alex M]

Ben H



My valver was handling strangely and making a few noises, I got rid of both by changing anti roll bar bushes. Noticed one outer link was gone, replaced them all, and the difference was unbelievable, wouldnt have thought that was the source of my problems, but it was, have a look!

 

[Ben H]

Thanks Alex, Ive already done the anti-roll bar bushes!

Ive got the car booked in to my local trusted Renault expert for Monday, so maybe he can shed some light on it all. I feel a big bill is coming!

 

[T.Ferrino]

Ben, I have exactly the problems your getting!!

I also had noise comming from one wheel bearing so thinking this was the problem I had both sides done(£95 per side at an good independant)but this did nothing for the wondering, I checked for any play in the steering and found some play on the inner track rod ball joint so I replaced that myself(part was £67+vat Reno), tightened up the steering a little but didnt solve the wondering! Ive also had the tracking chaecked and cheacked all the bushes ect myself but cant see anything obvious. Im thinking the same as you mybe its worn shocks or springs or top mounts/bearings but its an expenceive mistake if its not them!

Ill be interested to know what reno say on monday.

Good luck mate

 

[Ben H]

Interestingly, in answer to my question of why my bearings would go so soon, my Renault specialist said that 90% of bearings were not fitted correctly with a press. Banging them in may have the desired effect in the short term, but they soon degrade as a result of the banging force.

Ill see what he finds on Monday.

 

[T.Ferrino]

What did the Renault garage say ben?