[Mk2] [NA] Tie rods & un-nerving handling

[Ste2]

Hello all, I'm trying to to do a little bit of handling diagnosis - which I fully appreciate is virtually impossible over the net.... but hey, I might get lucky!!

I have BC racing coil overs & fully polybushed suspension with other refreshed bits e.g. ball-joints. I had it aligned using the Dino settings and at low speeds its great fun and much tighter than stock.

However at higher speeds its a bit vague 'front-to-rear' in that once you turn the wheel your 'waiting' a little for the rear to decide what it wants to do... this is something I feel that can be 'dialled-out' as its 'consistent' but... perhaps a little more alarmingly... the rear does a very distinct 'twitch' on sweeping bends. I notice it most on a particular motorway exit - down hill, left hand, where it feels like the loaded rear right wheel makes a snap camber shift... almost like the camber bolt is loose (which I have experienced before!) - after its done that one movement it settles again but it certainly isn't 'planted' or confidence inspiring before or after that 'moment'!

Everything was tight on the last check and I plan on having an expert check it over... but having read around the web, it seems as if this might of been common with Rev1 cars? Now, for reasons I won't go into I did have to change the rear tie rods on this car to rods from an unknown source (poss rev1)... but this was part of the wider coilovers lowering etc so I couldn't possibly single it out as THE issue.

Also have new toyo T1R on the rear and word T1R on the front (OEM wheels&tyre sizes) a part of me hopes that its the new deep tread rubber modulating a bit but i just don't see it.

Any other thoughts?

Thanks

[thomp1983]

toyo's are well known for being twitchy and lacking feel when new there awful till run in and with the road conditions as they are at the minute i wouldn't be surprised if that's your problem.

afaik the rev1 tie rod thing was to do with the way they attach to the subframe, earlier cars the tie rods attached closer to the centre of the subframe compared to later cars so if you didn't change the subframe you probably haven't fitted rev1 tie bars. this image explains it better



chris

[Ste2]

toyo's are well known for being twitchy and lacking feel when new there awful till run in and with the road conditions as they are at the minute i wouldn't be surprised if that's your problem.

afaik the rev1 tie rod thing was to do with the way they attach to the subframe, earlier cars the tie rods attached closer to the centre of the subframe compared to later cars so if you didn't change the subframe you probably haven't fitted rev1 tie bars. this image explains it better



chris

Thanks Bud - might see if I can borrow some wheels to test the tyre factor.

My car is rev3 but I do remember remember ordering rev3 bushes but having to send them back for rev2 items...specifically the inner track control arm bushes -(number 5 in this pic: http://www.powerflex.co.uk/road-series/ ... 233/1.html

I'll get a pic of my subframe at somepoint

[ChrisW]

I'll second the suggestion that it's the tyres. Your description sounds like what I experienced with brand new 225/50/15 T1Rs.

After about 1000 miles I think they've improved but it still sometimes feels like the back end is squirming around on certain road surfaces.

[Ste2]

I'll second the suggestion that it's the tyres. Your description sounds like what I experienced with brand new 225/50/15 T1Rs.

After about 1000 miles I think they've improved but it still sometimes feels like the back end is squirming around on certain road surfaces.

thanks -sounds like I do need to rule the tyres out properly then. They probably have close to 1000 miles in them actually

Still, think I am done with T1R's now tho, starting to get v.suspicious of tread-squirm and soft sidewalls

Good excuse for a track day to ruin them ... looking forward to 16's and yokos

any advice on breaking them in - seen some say that low tyre pressures are the way to go...

[ChrisW]

any advice on breaking them in - seen some say that low tyre pressures are the way to go...

The Toyos? I'd heard that high pressures helped and I was running mine around 36-38psi (rears - I had different tyres on the front). I say "was" as I switched to a set of 16s at the weekend.