aaaarghhhhh (steering wheel wobble) gonna drive this car off a cliff

[Race Idiot]

Ok this is driving me mad as i've had this problem for about six months and have spent a crapload of money trying to get rid of it. So far this is what has been replaced.

Recently
2x sets of wheels and tyres (both sets had minor bends in them) currently running on a set of advan rg's with brand new contis
God knows how many times the car has been alligned and wheel balancing i've had done, i've lost count
All new inner and outer tierods, recon steering rack
Swapped front hubs for a different set

In the last year or so
all wheelbearings
new discs and carbotech pads all round
new front discs (as somehow front discs warped in about 3 months)
cusco tension rods (setup by wim, car turns in awesomely)
Shocks replaced with new konis and TRD springs
Rear TRD Topmounts
New oe toyota droplinks

In the last couple of years
All 4 balljoints
Recon front calipers
Rear calipers cleaned up with new bolts etc
Full polybushing
TRD arb's front and back

Now allot of the vibration has dissapeared with the new wheels and tyres, however at motorway speeds there is still a fair amount of vibration in the steering and in the peddals. It seems the rougher the road the worse the vibration is, so on certain sections of the m25 that are concrete its pretty bad compared to some of the smoother tarmac surfaces. At lower speeds the car seems to bob back and forth a bit but its a bit difficult to descibe.

I'm pretty stumped and its p1$$ing me off no end. Making me think I should just sell and get something newer.

[LimeyMk1]

Seems like the only thing you haven't replaced is the steering column. Is there any play in that?

[loudandproud205]

mine to has developed a wobble around 45 mph it appears and around 90/100 you dont really feel it.

quite bad at 75ish mph but the slower you go the slower the wobble is

[Race Idiot]

Seems like the only thing you haven't replaced is the steering column. Is there any play in that?

How would you check?

I'm not overlooking anything am I? Like say if I managed to knacker the shocks again? The other thing that isnt new are the front topmounts however I have asked luke about this and he is pretty sure there isnt any play in them.

[bluesmoke]

Probably a daft suggestion but your wheels do have spigot rings don't they?

[Race Idiot]

Probably a daft suggestion but your wheels do have spigot rings don't they?

that is a good question, my last set did i'm not sure about the advans tho.

[HighwayStar]

Put a set of known straight and balanced standard wheels on and see if it goes... If it is you know it's wheels or tyres. If there are no spiggots you have an easy answer. However I reckon wider fronts with a lower offset eventually effects the steerings self centering abilities. Wheel and tyre combos may fit but there are other considerations beyond clearances.
I have a little vibration at 80-90 which then goes and doesn't appear to return through to maximums. Always been there at various different speeds though depending upon balancing. Maybe someone on standard true wheels would offer to meet us at Lukes one day... we could both both try 'em.

R.

[Rahzel]

Being advans your spiggot ring size will more than likely be 73.1mm bore. SO get 60.1mm ID 73.1mm OD.

They will help center the wheel onto the hub.

[Race Idiot]

Put a set of known straight and balanced standard wheels on and see if it goes... If it is you know it's wheels or tyres. If there are no spiggots you have an easy answer. However I reckon wider fronts with a lower offset eventually effects the steerings self centering abilities. Wheel and tyre combos may fit but there are other considerations beyond clearances.
I have a little vibration at 80-90 which then goes and doesn't appear to return through to maximums. Always been there at various different speeds though depending upon balancing. Maybe someone on standard true wheels would offer to meet us at Lukes one day... we could both both try 'em.

R.

I think my steering was pretty knackered anyway as now the car feels great in corners. I never realy had a problem untill winter so I dunno. Also I wish I hadnt got rid of my standard wheels now but I didnt have space for em. I'll ask luke tommorow if hes got a standard set.

Being advans your spiggot ring size will more than likely be 73.1mm bore. SO get 60.1mm ID 73.1mm OD.

They will help center the wheel onto the hub.

I had a check and damn I didnt realise the gap between the hub and the wheel. I'll have to see if I can get some spiggot rings. I wonder if wim do them.

[wadeski]

they dont. If your spigot ring is a standard size then a lot of the chavvy wheel suppliers will sell them.

alternatively, you can get them made by Freakyparts for about £35 to any size you want.

[red baron]

my wobbles at about 60-70mph goes away at 80 +
if i knew what a spigot ring was id check mine
(yes yes newbbie)

[wadeski]

Basically, if your rims werent made specifically for the MR2, the hole in the middle where the hub fits will be slightly too big. Only by a few millimitres.

As a result, at high speed you get a vibration. Just measure the hole and the hub with calipers, or get a wheel specialist (like Wheels in Motion) to look.

[marc GT Turbo]

brett , here's food for thought ! i have know this to be on several cars ! the front brake calipers can stick when warm and this in turn gives you wheel wobble ! it may account for warped discs also because of the heat generated . try this from cold !!! let the handbrake off and see if the car rolls freely . take it for a spin round the block a few times and then see if you can push the car freely again . or see if one or both of the front wheels is hot when you pull up ! give it a try , nothing to lose at this stage .

[Scott Barton]

Had the same thing and Elite in Rainham sorted it for me.
Turns out my wheels were not locating 100% on my spigots as i was using some Halfords 5mm spacers due to my Brembo claipers.

I needed hub-centric spacers so they sourced some for me, turned them down to my required size and fitted. No more wobble as now the wheels are sitting perfectly true and centre on the spigots.

Drop Claire from Elite a PM.

http://www.imoc.co.uk/forums/profile.ph ... le&u=14220



This was before i had the hubcentric spacers made. You can see there is hardly any centre for the spigot ring to locate onto, and this was before i added a 5mm spacer!


For the newbie's...the green 'spigot' ring pictured here locates onto the hub.

[Race Idiot]

i literaly have no spiggots and the gap between the wheel and the hub face is more than 10mm i'd say. I'm gonna call round to see if I can get some.

[LimeyMk1]

Seems like the only thing you haven't replaced is the steering column. Is there any play in that?

How would you check?

Sorry, forgot about that post , seems like you've narrowed it down though.

For reference check how much you have to move the steering wheel before the wheels start to turn. A common issue with Mk1s (not sure if Mk2 are the same) is that a piece of rubber padding round the column perishes allowing it to flop about. This can lead to wobbly wheels.

[Race Idiot]

Well I got some spiggot rings which made some difference on the motorway. But on rough surfaces and bumpy roads im fighting the steering wheel as its kicking back at me which is incredibly frustrating.


http://www.mr2-tech.com/bgb/mechanical/ ... eering.htm

I realy cant tell if there is excessive play although it always seems a bit sloppy at the straight ahead i dont know. I have tried turning the wheel to see if there is a delay in reaction to the wheels moving and it doesnt look like there is.

One thing I remember reading on the US oc was that there is a way to set the tension in the steering rack as apparently if not set correctly it can end up with bumpsteer.

Again has anyone got any ideas? As I just feel like im wasting time and money on this car.

[wadeski]

Mate just take it to Luke @ PacWorks

[RST]

Well I got some spiggot rings which made some difference on the motorway. But on rough surfaces and bumpy roads im fighting the steering wheel as its kicking back at me which is incredibly frustrating.

...Just a thought -I've uprated all the suspension parts on all my current motors and the inevitable draw back is increased steering feel at the expense of better road holding. Worse with smaller steering wheels. I say that because on local roads up here (roads are crap) then there's allot of steering wheel wobble on my deuce and you have to "drive" the car forwards -just come back from way down south with much better road surfaces and the difference is night and day. You sure this isn't just the difference in feel between road surface types? I mean I can tell whether they used gloss or matt paint to make chevrons through the feel through my wheel (sorry -blatent Clarkson quote but it's true). I get frustrated up here because it's such bad road surfaces to drive on!!!!!!

If you're steering wheel is juddering on rough surfaces though isn't this called "bump steer"? I can't remember what causes it -would have to yahoo again but remember there's allot of write-ups on it. EDIT -just seen you mention that.

I've been told that spiggot rings make more difference on steered wheels by my local fitters who know their stuff. Think that means it makes the steering les juddery through the column which makes sence from your post though thery're really needed on all the wheels.

Would you not be able to check for column play by jacking the car up (or using a ramp) and holding the rack static somewhere inside of the wheels and track rod ends then moving the wheel side to side. Can't remember what the rack on the MR2 is like from underside though.

Give you any more ideas? (Sorry for long post)

[Race Idiot]

Well I got some spiggot rings which made some difference on the motorway. But on rough surfaces and bumpy roads im fighting the steering wheel as its kicking back at me which is incredibly frustrating.

...Just a thought -I've uprated all the suspension parts on all my current motors and the inevitable draw back is increased steering feel at the expense of better road holding. Worse with smaller steering wheels. I say that because on local roads up here (roads are crap) then there's allot of steering wheel wobble on my deuce and you have to "drive" the car forwards -just come back from way down south with much better road surfaces and the difference is night and day. You sure this isn't just the difference in feel between road surface types? I mean I can tell whether they used gloss or matt paint to make chevrons through the feel through my wheel (sorry -blatent Clarkson quote but it's true). I get frustrated up here because it's such bad road surfaces to drive on!!!!!!

If you're steering wheel is juddering on rough surfaces though isn't this called "bump steer"? I can't remember what causes it -would have to yahoo again but remember there's allot of write-ups on it. EDIT -just seen you mention that.

I've been told that spiggot rings make more difference on steered wheels by my local fitters who know their stuff. Think that means it makes the steering les juddery through the column which makes sence from your post though thery're really needed on all the wheels.

Would you not be able to check for column play by jacking the car up (or using a ramp) and holding the rack static somewhere inside of the wheels and track rod ends then moving the wheel side to side. Can't remember what the rack on the MR2 is like from underside though.

Give you any more ideas? (Sorry for long post)

The thing is my car didnt have this problem last year and I was running the same suspension setup and with wider wheels and spiggot rings.
The suspension setup on my car isnt realy a hardcore track setup. Its fairly stiff but compliant.

To be honest yes what I described does sound like bumpsteer, which seemed to have started occuring ever since I had the rack changed at rogue.

You know I probably need to drive someone elses car to see how different it feels. Oddly my powersteering is very light after I had the rack changed.