My suspension woes continue.. (skip to end!)

Discussion and technical advice the SW20 MR2. 3S-GTE, 3S-GE, 3S-FE etc
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pbmr2
Posts: 929
Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2010 12:49 pm

Re: My suspension woes continue.. (skip to end!)

Post by pbmr2 »

Have a similar issue with mine. Had stock wheels and new tyres and it was allways trying to go one way or the other on the road. Even going left on lift off and right on power.

Changed wheels to 16" with decent tyres and had the front tracking done as it was visibly out. It was better but the issue is still there. Most noticeable on motorways. It's the lest relaxing motorway drive I've had ever. The car needs driving all the time even at 60mph.

I think my left rear shock is past it's best as it's gone very stiff and the right rear feels softer but is still damping. Fronts just feel old.
This issue feels like it's the front doing the movement.

Now and again I can feel the diff swap which wheel it's giving power to, normally from left to right. But this only happens a couple of times a week. If it's going to spin a wheel (doesn't really do it with the new tyres) it will be the right rear.

On twisty roads it doesn't notice at all as the direction is allways changing anyway. Bumps do show up the stiff rear shock though

The new wheels are not that light, a tiny bit lighter than the stock ones while being an inch bigger and wider. They have made the steering noticeably heavier. Though the 2's steering isn't stupid light anyway. (rev 4 power steering uk model)

Buying parts to the solve the problem is fine but don't want to buy parts to fault find as it's too expensive and could waste a lot of money not solving the issue.

Not sure taking it for an alignment is worth it before fitting new shocks and springs, which are now nearly 20 years old.
danjama
Posts: 640
Joined: Tue Sep 18, 2012 9:28 pm

Re: My suspension woes continue.. (skip to end!)

Post by danjama »

Maybe start a new thread and give your exact wheel and tyre specs. Tired suspension obviously won't help.
thomp1983
Posts: 1545
Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2011 1:30 pm
Location: newark, notts

Re: My suspension woes continue.. (skip to end!)

Post by thomp1983 »

Did you have the front and rear wheels aligned or just the front?
Willenium
Posts: 348
Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2011 10:36 pm
Location: Herts

Re: My suspension woes continue.. (skip to end!)

Post by Willenium »

CalMac wrote:IT'S FINALLY RIGHT!

I've hardly been driving the car since March last year because it was such a physical and mental drain, with it following every rut in the road quite violently.

Changed my front tyres for a new pair of AD08R's yesterday, the previous fronts were part worn AD08R's off Ebay over a year ago and it's had the sketchy handling ever since. Can't believe I never thought that this might be the issue.

Moral of the story, never buy used tyres again :eye:

Feels so stable now even on bumpy twisty country roads. So nice to have it sorted now, I've had about 14 months of the car feeling like it's trying to kill me this whole time :pale:

Now I can go and put some miles on it , with the GoPro :twisted:

Happy Calum :D (or at least until something else goes wrong)


Haha told you it was tyres :lol:
SteveI42
Posts: 42
Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2014 8:23 am

Re: My suspension woes continue.. (skip to end!)

Post by SteveI42 »

CalMac wrote:IT'S FINALLY RIGHT!

I've hardly been driving the car since March last year because it was such a physical and mental drain, with it following every rut in the road quite violently.

Changed my front tyres for a new pair of AD08R's yesterday, the previous fronts were part worn AD08R's off Ebay over a year ago and it's had the sketchy handling ever since. Can't believe I never thought that this might be the issue.

Moral of the story, never buy used tyres again :eye:

Feels so stable now even on bumpy twisty country roads. So nice to have it sorted now, I've had about 14 months of the car feeling like it's trying to kill me this whole time :pale:

Now I can go and put some miles on it , with the GoPro :twisted:

Happy Calum :D (or at least until something else goes wrong)

You know what'll go next don't you....those tyres on the mighty MR2 :lol:
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