[Mk2] [NA] Wobbly Ass

[Stretchermunkey]

Need some advice please, I've got a Rev3 N/A, , when driving it feels like the back end is wobbling around, as if the tyres are running very low pressure. mainly noticeable at speed and on hard cornering the car feels very unsettled. I had new KYB shocks and springs 6 months ago, Full poly bush kit & ball joints 1 month ago, New rear Yoko's and full geometry check yesterday. I have explained to the garage what my problem is and they are unable to find anything loose or damaged or moving when it should'nt, they took it for a drive around the block (30mph) and said it felt fine. There are no unusual noises etc. and I've tried the tyres at 3 different pressure... Help don't know what to try next, any help would be grateful. Or am I just going a bit bonkers?
Steve

[Rory]

Have you had the wheel geometry checked and adjusted?

Rory

[Stretchermunkey]

Full Geo check and adjustment yesterday, if anything it has made the wobble more obvious, as the front end now feels much tighter, but the back end is all over the place....
help.

[Rory]

V Strange. Who done your geo setup and did they do it properly? I had my geo done a few years ago at Ford. Paid £90 and thought they had done a good job. Alwasy felt a bit of wobble though. I then took my car to wheels in motion and they setup my car perfectly and the difference was amazing. It turned out that Ford has setup my geo wrongly! Once it was changed the handeling was amazing. Have a good read of this website http://www.wheels-inmotion.co.uk/

[Stretchermunkey]

The wobble was on the car before I had the geo done, proffesional Subaru Outfit, seened to know what he was doing, car feels much better, but the wobble is still at the rear, I've spent so much trying to get it spot on, now this happens
Almost had enough.....

[redrocket2807]

I too have a wobble at the back of my 2 but it's the MK1. I've had all wheels aligned and balanced and even changed the back two continentals for yokos yet still no joy...

I'm taking the car to be serviced Wed so i will ask then...I just hope it's not anything to do with the steering rack (recently replaced) or brake discs...

Is this a common problem with 2's?

Rob

THE ROSTER SO FAR...

CURRENT

1989 MR2 MK1b - Red - "The Red Rocket"

PREVIOUS

1994 Mazda 323 - Grey
1996 Suzuki Vitara - Grey
1996 Nissan Primera - Red
1994 Daewoo Nexia - Green - "Big Mistake"
1989 MR2 MK1b - Blue - "Held together with sticky tape"

[RST]

I'm interested in this one as I've had a bit of a wobble since I fitted gas shocks and lowering springs. Was much better when I went for bigger alloys and lower profile tires though. Couldn't get anyone to do the tracking so we did it at work with a set of tracking mirrors but there's no adjustment for any of the camber or the rear tracking on my rev 2. I just assumed it was because it's been windy, or the roads in Inverness are so crap -or I'm so used to driving a big diesel 4x4 for most of the time that I'm sensitised to the '2's great handling. It's still great round the corners but just a but wavy on the straights. I hadn't ruled out uprated sus. bushes yet though.

[HighwayStar]

New Yokos yesterday???? How many miles have you done on em mate? Could it just be they've still got some of the lubricant on their surface which is used to help em out of the moulds in the factory?
Wouldn't make any judgement till you've got 300 maybe even 400 miles on em.....
R

[HighwayStar]

Sorry mate, just reread and you've obviously had em on a reasonable time. I'd be looking at your rear geometry again as the others suggest....

[Stretchermunkey]

Robb, you were right, new yoko's only got a few miles on them, but the problem was their before I changed them.
I'm taking it back to the garage again today, i'l see what he says.
Thanks for the help.
Steve

[redrocket2807]

I was talking to a guy today who has an MR2 MK1a, 2 Celica Supra's and an MR2 MK2...he thinks my wheel wobble might be down to the front struts not being braced as the gear box and engine are in the back...he just thinks I need to brace the front struts (which come out either side of the spare tire in the front boot)...

Is he mad?

[TheRoadWarrior]

yes....!!

A front strut brace will stiffen up the car and make the handling tighter/more predictable but theres no way that without one the car should be weaving all across the road!

Might want to check balljoints, wheel bearings and struts for play as well. If your cars done more than ~80kmiles is likely the 1st 2 and possibly all of the above are shot.

[redrocket2807]

Darn! I'm going to get a brace off eBay anyhow...also get my garage to check the front break pads...the guy before me did trash the car so they could be warped...

[No_more_GT4]

Has the car been in an accident of any kind Steve

Rich

[Stretchermunkey]

Hi Rich, no accident in the 2 years I've had the car the car, and I'm fairly sure it was accident free when I bought it, The wobble seems to have started overnight, I went over a few of the block paved speed bumps on the eve before the wobble but not hard or fast and did'nt notice anything at the time. And nothing is loose, It feels like the dampers but they are fairly new and I guess both going at once would be strange?
I'm taking it over to Peter Giddens in 10 days or so, I'll let you know what it was if I find out.

[BenF]

Rear end 'wobble' can be caused by lots of things (search for lots of advice), but I'd check, in order:

1. Wheel nuts are tight and torqued evenly to ~ 80ft/lbs
2. Check rear suspension for damage / bent parts, bushes for excessive wear
3. Rear wheel bearings for free play
4. I'd replace the lower rear balljoints if you've done around 80k miles or more on the original item (and do the fronts at the same time, if you haven't already)
5. Check condition of shocks and springs - if they're dead, you'll get really bad handling.

After working your way through the above get a good 4 wheel alignment done (especially if you've swapped the shocks) somewhere that knows what they're doing setting suspension up - I use Elite in London - its a 140 mile round trip, and costs £60 but it is well worth it.

[Stretchermunkey]

Hi BenF,

1. all wheel nuts checked
2. no sign of damaged suspension parts, 1 month old poly bushes.
3. No signs of play in wheel, although bearings not been replaced by me.
4. New ball joints all round 1 month ago.
5 New KYB shocks and springs 6-7 months ago.
Full Geometry check and adjustment,
You see why I'm getting desperate

I think I might just buy a nice tubby instead

[Ja99a]

mate do you have the standard rims on the car or are the aftermarket, if they are aftermarket do you have the hubcentric spacers fitted (if they need them)..

[BenF]

.. and on that line of thought - if you've got aftermarket alloys on, could they no longer be 'true' - eg clipped a curb?

Other than that, sounds like you've done the right sort of checks just a shame the reason isn't obvious.

To rule out alloys (if you've got some fitted) can you try some standard 15" rims on and see if that helps?

Also, you mention new bushes - you sure everything has gone back on OK?

[jmachling]

Worth checking that the spacer penny washers are all present and correct on the control arm bushes (chassis end).

I had a control arm replaced after a prang and it wasn't until I changed the bushes myself recently that I noticed that whoever did the job hadn't put a washer in to stop the end of the control arm moving forward and backwards. The original arm on the other side had a spacer attached to the metal tube in the bearing.

TBH I didn't notice a problem with just one missing on the front, but I would guess that if the washers aren't in place all round it'd seriously mess up the handling.

Worth checking the torque of the various nuts/bolts on the chassis too - they're supposed to be retorqued after a few miles when you've had the suspension apart.

One element not mentioned specifically so far are your upper mounts. If they're shot they'd certainly make things wobbly.