Handling 99% sorted - Long-ish post, sorry...

[System-G]

Well I finally got my handling all sorted (well nearly) - just need to sort out the geometry later today.

Ever since I had Red Betty since Feb I thought the handling didn't feel quite right (well quite effin scary - not in the "step-out" way though). I knew the front droplinks needed replacing as they were rattling and knocking like a child's toy. There was severe steering wheel vibration at motorway cruising speeds. It was also very apparent the previous owner hadn't done any geometry work after putting the car on PI lowering springs. Also more recently I became aware of the rear off-side going soft and begining to leak.

Three weeks ago after accumulating all the bits I needed, we began overhauling the suspension. We started with the fronts and replaced the shocks with KYB's and the droplinks with Sbits parts.
We got to the rear and found the off-side suspension assembly had already been previously replaced with a sealed unit from Toyota and therefore could not accept the KYB insert
The handling over the last three weeks was, should we say, improved, but "interesting"

Lauren offered me a complete replacement suspension assembly. BIG THANKS

Yesterday we set to begin the rear work and replaced the off-side with Lauren's assembly with my KYB insert, replacing the original spring with the PI item that was on the knackered assembly.
Then we discovered something really interesting on the near-side - it already had a KYB insert But we replaced with a new shock nonetheless.

In conclusion to all my handling issues:

1] front droplinks shagged - replaced with Sbits
2] front shocks soft but not leaking - replaced inserts with KYB's
3] Front lowering springs hadn't been fitted propperly by previous owner - re-fitted correctly
4] rear off-side previously replaced with sealed unit and had gone soft and leaking - replaced with one of Lauren's spares
5] rear near-side had previous rebuild with KYB shock.
6] geometry not re-done after previous owner fitted springs.

Now with all the above done, steering vibration is now much less and the car now corners on rails. It's exactly what I have been waiting for, for so long now Have the car booked in to get the geometry set up correctly later today.

It just amazes me how naieve some people can be and the sort of botch job they do to get something to "appear" in good working condition

Roll on the fun times

[kaiowas]

Glad you got it all sorted out

I really should get mine done before the winter but I can't reallly afford the bits atm

[MartG]

Crikey - different shocks on each side of the car, no wonder handling was a bit 'interesting'

[crazylegs]

just a little hijack here ,whats the opinion of eveyone on avo springs?

[Speedy]

good stuff!

So you coming to Anglesey

[System-G]

good stuff!

So you coming to Anglesey

Might come up for the day and try blag a few rides again
I can't justify the expense of a track day just yet as I found out yesterday my mortgage has finaly come through and need to start gathering furnishings for my house And then there's the body work that needs to be done preferably before winter is in full swing

[System-G]

Forgot to add,

I took my car into the local tyre place to get the geometry done (Thanks Stevenb for the TRD settings!). I landed up getting a new set of shoes for the car whilst I was at it. They offered the alignment for free with a full set of tyres. But they still cocked it up.
The mechanic said they can only align the front to the rears and that camber adjustment was not possible on the MKI (bunch of toss). I told them to do what they could as it was included. Now my steering wheel is well off centre too.
So back to them in the morning to get it all re-done and then possibly fork out some more next weekend to get propper 4-wheel laser alignment done.
I thought any decent tyre place would be able to do camber and toe-in on both the fronts and rears of the MKI?

[crazylegs]

no most places can only do front alignment most wont touch the camber either.i always go to michedever tyre as they do all four wheels.perfect every time.my local place did them once "full laser alignment mate" i took the car and the handling was rubbish.went back and they rechecked it.same laser alignment same results but now it handled ok."must have changed something yourself mate,cant be wrong" strange a non laser tyre centre checked them and told me they were way out prior to the recheck.