[Mk2] [Turbo] [REV3] HELP! WOBBLING Side To Side...

[PUG_2_MR2]

Help!


I seem to have run into a problem...

I was going down the motorway and all of a sudden my steering wheel started shaking...

I experienced tires bursting in the past so I thought a tire must have popped and I was on rims...

Pulled over, by this time the car was really wobbling front to back (diagonally almost) if that makes sense. Almost like a Cadillac...but not in a cool way.

Got out, tires are all fine no punctures...so I checked all the suspension springs...all the wheel nuts...given the wheels a kick and a shake...checked the camber...checked for a fault code...had a look in the engine bay. Found nothing wrong...

Back in the car and I could only go 10-20MPH or the car starts shaking violently. But it starts shaking as soon as you're in motion.



Having had to drive a few miles to get home I had the time to listen and here is what I found:

1. Rubbing noise from the drivers rear wheel, the faster you go the quicker the rubs.

2. A clunking noise from the passengers rear wheel, heard when turning most.

3. Now parked, the car looks higher at the drivers front.



Tell me guys is this serious?

It obviously is cause the car cannot be driven in this state but what do you think is the issue?


Thanks

[ashley]

1. Stop typing everything in BOLD
2. jack the back of the car up, take the wheels off and check over all the suspension components and work out which one is broken.

By the way you describe the symptoms, whatever has let go should be pretty obvious

[PUG_2_MR2]

1. Stop typing everything in BOLD
2. jack the back of the car up, take the wheels off and check over all the suspension components and work out which one is broken.

By the way you describe the symptoms, whatever has let go should be pretty obvious

Why? Is bold not allowed?

Don't really know what I'm looking for only had it a for a few weeks...but will have to jack it up and see I guess.

Any suggestions on what it could be?

[aussieGT]

Why? Is bold not allowed?

Don't think so. But its nearly as annoying to read aS FuLly HeCKtic spEAk or EVEN CAPITALS.

[synXero]

Tell me guys is this serious?

Yes this is serious!!!

It's going to be a catastrophically failed suspension component or wheel mounting component. You need to get the car off the ground and wiggle everything with as much might as you can muster.

Possible suspects or first points of investigation are all four springs, all four ball joints, all four wheel mountings - check you haven't sheared a stud or something, a slightly loose wheel can cause all manner of chaos. Check the tie rods and make sure one hasn't come unscrewed (super unlikely). Check out the general condition of the suspension arms components and the mountings and bolt tightness of everything.

Don't worry, it'll probably be very easy to spot what is broken, and it'll be a cheap item to replace as well I'd bet. The only similar 'snaking' experience I had to this was once with badly balanced / unbalanced wheels, and once with spacers which were too wide for the wheel studs and caused one stud to lose grip, loosening a wheel.

[aussieGT]

Wheel bearing has collapsed I guess.

[ashley]

Why? Is bold not allowed?

No offence intended- bold is great for effect, but a tad annoying when you type your whole post in it

[PUG_2_MR2]

Ok sorry about the bold. I know some forums where you can write in the same color as the background.

Ok guys thanks I will jack it up tonight and investigate.

FYI the car was fine and then the wobble started...it bounces a few inches!

[RyanRs]

Check the 4 main subframe bolts have not come loose. My mr2 did this when i very first got it, hit about 60mph on a dual, come off the throttle and the ar$e started shaking like a pi$$ed off cat's tail! I thought i was going to stuff the car into the barrier. turned out all 4 of the subframe bolts was ready to fall out!!

[PUG_2_MR2]

Check the 4 main subframe bolts have not come loose. My mr2 did this when i very first got it, hit about 60mph on a dual, come off the throttle and the ar$e started shaking like a pi$$ed off cat's tail! I thought i was going to stuff the car into the barrier. turned out all 4 of the subframe bolts was ready to fall out!!

^ This sounds like my MR2.

If it is loose bolts I hope they haven't stripped or damaged the threads...

[PUG_2_MR2]

PROBLEM FOUND!!

Right guys, I found some time to jack the car up and it turns out the driver's rear tire was bulged...even the wires came out but it was all on the inside of the car so this was totally not obvious to me...but it shook like something snapped!

So I checked all the bolts on the control arms, links, ect, then stuck the spare tire on and took it out and it feels fine now.

And I was just two weeks away from renewing all of them! As the car mostly stood...so they have a lot of tread but cracked...


Moving on:

This will be a good time to ask this.

My current set up is, REV 3 standard 15'' alloys.

Front: 15x6 195 50 R15
Rear: 15x7 205 55 R15

I don't know what ET45 means but I assume I have this?

Is this a good tire size? I was trying to check on the web and the recommended size was NOT this...can't remember what it was but it was 55 front 50 back...reverse of what I have and I can't understand why.

So what is a good reliable size for standard 15''?

Also what make would you recommend? I heard of T1R's but heard they wear quick but I only use the car 2 days a week...

Any feedback will be good.

Thanks

[MR2 Rich]

Standard sizes on 15 inch original wheels is;

Front 195/55/15
Rear. 225/50/15

[RyanRs]

Is yours a turbo? If so I would go for 235 wide on the back minimum, 245/40/17 if you have 8j+ rims and 215/35/17 front. I can only guess this would be ideal size for an NA also.

[mr2matt]

If you're running stock 15" wheels then your two main tire setup choices are the standard:-

Front: 195/55/15
Rear: 225/50/15

Or the slightly larger fronts for more stability and (I find) better cornering, although apparently this causes more understeer in the wet:-

Front 205/55/15
Rear: 225/50/15

You can put 235 tires on the rear but they're quite wide for the rim and while they will fit, you'll have a lot more sidewall flex from them when cornering.

ET45 is your wheel offset, quite a long explanation so you'd be better Google'ing it, it's basically how far the wheel mounting face is away from the inside lip of the wheel.

[PUG_2_MR2]

If you're running stock 15" wheels then your two main tire setup choices are the standard:-

Front: 195/55/15
Rear: 225/50/15

Or the slightly larger fronts for more stability and (I find) better cornering, although apparently this causes more understeer in the wet:-

Front 205/55/15
Rear: 225/50/15

You can put 235 tires on the rear but they're quite wide for the rim and while they will fit, you'll have a lot more sidewall flex from them when cornering.

ET45 is your wheel offset, quite a long explanation so you'd be better Google'ing it, it's basically how far the wheel mounting face is away from the inside lip of the wheel.

That's great info. Thanks!

Since I don't know what standard feels like I can't compare it to anything...

So I think I will go for the standard size:

Now, I can pick up 2 x 195/55/15 T1R's for about £100 off eBay, good price...problem is the 2 x 225/50/15 T1R's are well over £300...

I read Falken's are a descent tire and I can get 2 x 225/50/15 Ziex ZE-912 for £180 from Blackcircles...

Will this be OK or should I make them all Falken's?

Doing around 200 miles per week...

[PUG_2_MR2]

So what are we saying guys?

Ziex ZE-912 for the rears? Choice is pretty limited...

Also if I'm going Falken's on the rear should I go Falken's on the front or will the Toyo's be OK?

[rev3gtturbo]

If you shop around you should be able to get the T1R rears for a lot less than 300!

It is harder to find rear tyres for the stock 15s as there is not much choice in that size. Suggest you get the rears first and then get fronts to match.

I prefer to have the same tyre make/model front and rear so they have similar grip levels and tyre flex and hopefully better handling than if you get a grip mismatch front to rear!

[PUG_2_MR2]

If you shop around you should be able to get the T1R rears for a lot less than 300!

It is harder to find rear tyres for the stock 15s as there is not much choice in that size. Suggest you get the rears first and then get fronts to match.

I prefer to have the same tire make/model front and rear so they have similar grip levels and tire flex and hopefully better handling than if you get a grip mismatch front to rear!

Thanks, you inspired me to have a look!

And I found a full standard set (195/55 and 225/50) T1-R for 290 thru Demon Tweeks...that's much better.

Yeah I quickly realized that the 225's are hard to come by...but I love the standard 15'' alloys.

[mr2matt]

PUG_2_MR2 wrote:

That's great info. Thanks!

No problem, happy to help

As for tire makes, Falken Ziex ZE-912s are good as are the Toyo T1Rs, however the T1Rs are no longer in production hence why they are so awkward to find (especially in 225 size) however if you're doing a lot of mileage each week I would personally recommend the Falkens as the Toyos are quite a soft compound and wear quite quickly, although running them at a slightly higher pressure does help.

But £300 for 2 T1Rs in 225 form sounds oddly high, they were on eBay recently at £180ish for a pair (although they have all disappeared now), sure you're not looking at the R888 trackday tires

As for mixing tire makes, as long as they're not different on the same axle line (i.e. two different front/rear tires) then there's no issue at all, unless you're OCD like me so if you wanted the Toyos on the front and Falkens on the rear that's absolutely fine mate.

I've recently had 4 brand new Falkens put on (205 front 225 rear - £300ish delivered) and they feel really good, nice and grippy can't wait for the proper summer weather to kick in so I can give them a real test somewhere

Had a look on Black Circles for you and for standard tire sizes as Falkens all around it comes to just under £280 delivered but you can opt for a fitting center near you as well

[PUG_2_MR2]

Great, Thanks!

Just needed someone to share their thoughts.

I think I will go for the TOYOs as they are back in stock and Falkens are now £30+ more!

What will replace the T1Rs?

So basically the Falkens are the last good tire you can get for standard 15''?