is this normal?

[jenks04]

Hi everyone, looking for some advice....

My 43k trophy has been an absolute joy to own for the past year and a half although i am now beginning to wonder if something is up with it. When im driving along at normal speeds there seems to be a bit more play around the straight ahead when i wigle the steering, im sure the car used to react a more instantly and to even small steering inputs. This led me to press down on the front of the car and on the passenger side its as solid as a rock whereas on the drivers side it goes up and down a fair bit. Pretty sure thats not normal. On the road the car is predictable and feels fairly sure footed but doesnt seem to want to attack bends as much anymore, definiely didnt used to be like that!

So, having the mechanical knowlege of an amoeba i havent got a clue whats wrong. Steering? Dampers? bushes? everything? If anyone has any ideas i would be really grateful for input as my local mechanics know less than me and think i should shell out £1500 for new suspension.

Cheers

 

[BenG]

Hi.

Sounds to me like your damper has packed in, if it does not feel solid when you push down on the front end then It may be that the seals have gone, it should be pretty solid.
You dont need to pay £1500 for new suspension, you can get both dampers serviced at a price of around £400 from BG Motorsports.

 

[Smokinrubber]

They gave me a quote few days ago of £500 plus VAT... that was them doing the whole job drop off early morning pick up next day

 

[PB.283]

Its such a hard car to bounce test!

I'm quite big at 16st and I can't move it at all on the front.

 

[hoolio]

Its such a hard car to bounce test!

I'm quite big at 16st and I can't move it at all on the front.

Isn't that the idea :? :wink:

 

[PB.283]

Its such a hard car to bounce test!

I'm quite big at 16st and I can't move it at all on the front.

Isn't that the idea :? :wink:

As in this would imply everthing is ok? I thought it would be still hard to bounce test even with knackered dampers!!

I know there us much more to checking than just a bounce test but if what you are saying is right than that is reasuring!!!

 

[hoolio]

No, you're correct. There is more to it than just the bounce test but it is a good indicator as the springs are quite soft, relatively. Basically if the front is solid and it's drives fine then I would have said they were ok.

Jenks dampers arn't.

 

[PB.283]

Cheers!

Yep mine is rock solid at the front!! Even my fat arse can move it!

Got mallory park on Sunday so a bit of reassurance always helps!!

 

[Cue]

could be worn ball joints, top mounts, dampers.. basically a few things, i'd get it looked at. The bounce test i've come to the conclusion is highly inaccurate - one of mine was fecked but that didnt bounce either.

I think it'll only work if the oil's leaked out, if it's the air seal thats gone it'll still be difficult to push down under human pressure.

 

[son of solo]

"bounce" sounds just like mine before the dampers were done...in my case only the offside had gone completly, i messed about with tyre pressures and the like but it was the dampers all along...

 

[jenks04]

Thank you all, I'm pretty sure I'm gonna send my dampers off to get em refurb anyway. Someone else reckons that worn track rod end may be responsible for woolyish steering, will find out when dampers come back.
Cheers.

 

[hoolio]

could be worn ball joints, top mounts, dampers.. basically a few things, i'd get it looked at. The bounce test i've come to the conclusion is highly inaccurate - one of mine was fecked but that didnt bounce either.

I think it'll only work if the oil's leaked out, if it's the air seal thats gone it'll still be difficult to push down under human pressure.

Yep that's why I qualified my first reply to PB, on it's own the bounce test only tells you they are definately fooked, but if it's still solid and drives like a blamange you probably have a problem.It's also worth remembering the bridge to the remote damper touching the main part of the strut trick and also the visual check of oil on the damper.

 

[PB.283]

What's the bridge test?

 

[hoolio]

[attachment=0:3va1lq53]Dampers 001.jpg[/attachment:3va1lq53]

I didn't describe it very well, you will see the remote reservoir is attached to the main part of a damper by a "bridge" if the grey lower part of the remote reservoir rises up and touches that bridge it means it has lost pressure. The average space is about 5-6mm

 

[PB.283]

Cheers again, sorry for hijacking the thread!!

 

[jenks04]

its all good

 

[PB.283]

Well now done that check and that's fine too!!