Weird 172 Steering Issue

[Neuromantic]

Please help, I'm new to this forum and have joined because I am lost for ideas. My 172 has done nearly 170,000 miles with me behind the wheel. 10,000 miles ago I had K-tech's own coilovers which have made a fantastic difference to the handling. Recently, and quite suddenly the steering started acting strangely : under acceleration car pulls to the left or right , it follows cambers much more readily, Kwik fit checked the suspension and could find nothing wrong. Something is up though, any ideas please?

 

[DrR]

Take it somewhere that knows what they're doing?

 

[Neuromantic]

I only really use them as they're at the end of my road and will check for obvious stuff like loose nuts and bolts, using their 'free suspension check' for what it's good for My local Renault dealer will charge me a fortune and I'm based near Camberley so there are no non-dealer specialists nearby. But, I was hoping, assuming that what's up is something simple and that I could get someway to fixing it myself. My one is a 2002 btw and apart from the suspension is otherwise standard.

 

[Earpl]

Do the coil overs have camber adjusting bolts?

 

[Tigger]

Got your alignment checked?
Maybe even the PAS fluid

 

[Neuromantic]

Do the coil overs have camber adjusting bolts?

Yes they do and the type of wobble (hard to explain!) makes me wonder if one or both sides have come loose. If I get back home early enough today I'll see if they can look at the bolts.

 

[Neuromantic]

Got your alignment checked?
Maybe even the PAS fluid

The alignment was done only a couple of weeks ago and I've not done many miles since..PAS - that's an interesting one, I'll have a look.

 

[mr.pink87]

smells like balljoints.

 

[Neuromantic]

Thanks, I'll have a look. They were replaced about 30k ago, feels like yesterday the mileage I do!

 

[mr.pink87]

check the track rods and track rod ends, too. what are the wishbone and arb bushes like?

 

[Soot1e]

Steering rack mounting rubbers? Someone else had similar probs to you on this forum recently and it was down to the rack rubbers and with 170k miles under its belt these things need checking.

 

[Earpl]

Pretty sure the Rack just bolts to the subframe with no rubbers.

 

[mr.pink87]

pretty sure it has rubber bushes, except it is an electrical/manual one, which is non sport!