Steering Problem - Mr2 Mk3 ((2000 - W Reg)

Hi,

Can anyone advise on the following please!

I bought a MK3 Mr2 6 weeks ago and up until now i have enjoyed owning the car.

I have two problems with it.

The first is that i need to replace the exhaust (front and catalytic converter) and have been quoted £800 for the parts! I have been told i can get these cheaper so i aint too bothered about that because it isn't urgent.

The second more worrying problem is that when i am driving in a straight line, i am getting pulled to the left and to the right. When i accelerate the car pulls to the left, when i let up on the power it pulls to the right and when i brake hard it again pulls sharply to the left. It feels like its wandering, as if i am on an ice rink - not nice!

I had it looked at in a local garage and they swapped the front and rear wheels and re-balanced them. The brakes have all been checked and no faults. They said they couldn't see anything obviously wrong!?

The car had a new steering shaft fitted in july. Suspension seems to be ok too.

Any comments or suggestions greatly appreciated :)

J

Welcome to the club J

I hope they didn't swap front for rear and vice versa!

Are your tyre makes all the same?

What tyre pressures are you running at?

Les

Hey Les thanks for the welcome

They swapped existing front tyres (2 different makes) to the rear and the rear tyres (same make) to the front. Tyre pressures are 32 psi at the rear and 26 psi at the front.

When i bought the car it never done this, even before the tyre swap. Its only been doing it 2 weeks but is getting worse :(

J

Welcome to the club J

I hope they didn't swap front for rear and vice versa!

Are your tyre makes all the same?

What tyre pressures are you running at?

Les

Hey Les thanks for the welcome

They swapped existing front tyres (2 different makes) to the rear and the rear tyres (same make) to the front. Tyre pressures are 32 psi at the rear and 26 psi at the front.

When i bought the car it never done this, even before the tyre swap. Its only been doing it 2 weeks but is getting worse :(

Do you still have the standard wheels on your car?

Look at the sizes of your tyres, you should have two different sizes. The front tyres should be smaller than the rears, if (as it has been said) you now have the rear tyres on the front and vice versa then this will cause problems.. get the smaller tyres back on the front before you end up in a ditch due to snap over steer. (back end stepping out suddenly)

It is also very adviseable that all four tyres are the same make a model so that they all react to the road conditions in the same way, if there are different makes on the car it can sometimes cause handling problems.

A car pulling sharply under breaking tends to point to a brake imbalance, you have said that they have been checked and were told they are ok... was it the same garage who thought it was a good idea to put the larger tyres on the front?.. if so.. go to another garage where you might find someone who actually knows about cars and get a 2nd opinion. If however all of your tyres are the same size, then you need to get them soted out ASAP.. the sizes should be 185/55x15 on the front and 205/50x15 on the rears for the pre-facelift models, also make sure that the correct tyres are put on the correct wheels, the rear wheels are wider than the front wheels.. (J size)

If after sorting out all of the above then I would suggest you check out your suspension bushes and trackrod ends etc.. get the allignment done as problems here can also affect the handling.

You do know they run a staggered set up with 205/15 rears and 185/15 fronts don't you? if they have put them Rs about face no wonder you are having handling problems

Just noticed you are in Livingston.. what garage did you go to?

Thanks for the advice guys!

Will check all that out. I went to a garage in Prestonpans as i was visiting North Berwick and the handling got worse on the way there.

Will keep you updated!

J

quote name='cfc1' date='Sep 14 2008, 05:38 PM' post='799067']

Just noticed you are in Livingston.. what garage did you go to?

did you ever resolve the handling problem ?

The OP last posted in 2010, so you may not get a response.