[Mk2] [Turbo] steering shaking when braking ?

[saj8162]

Recently purchased my tubby

the car pulls to 1 side, when i am braking the steering shakes, its more at higher speeds around 50 mark?

When i bought the car was told needed front ball joint, is this is why it is shaking? was told it knocks out the tracking that is why it is pulling to 1 side?

Not very good when it comes to mechanical side

Any idears guys?

[raptor95GTS]

likely a sticking brake caliper / slider causing the wandering / juddering. Is one wheel hotter than the other after some heavy braking?

[RobCrezz]

warped disc I reckon.

[saj8162]

could it be due to the ball joint? its more when turning into a bend and braking, if its due to a sticky caliper u can normally smell the burning, or it won't roll on a slight hill, had a couple of mr2's with rear sticking calipers so i kind of know if its tht.

[3S Service Centre]

Yes it can also be a ball joint or trackrod end.

[saj8162]

Yes it can also be a ball joint or trackrod end.

cheers... need to get it sorted ASAP, is it true there are 2 ball joints? lower and rear 1's?.. how can you tell which one is gone?

[3S Service Centre]

Each hub sits on a ball joint, secured by 2 bolts to the hub and 1 nut to the lower arm, this is the case on each corner.

With a completey knackered ball joint you will be able to find some "play" in the joint by leavering the hub and lower arm apart with a leaver bar. If you push your finger into the rubber boot part of the ball joint and leaver the hub and lower arm apart you will feel some "play"

Where a ball joint is worn but not excessive you will not feel anything, this does not mean its ok. On a 2 poster ramp or by jacking the car up the suspension pushes the hub into a un-natural road going position which pushes the ball joint together and making it harder to find "play"

A good ball joint will be very difficult to rotate by hand (if it were in you hand) so if your not sure get it out and check it. You have to image that with the cas weight sitting on the ball joint there would be very much more "play"

Alot of poor driving "feel" is created by ageing ball joints and often over looked because its can be difficult to diagnose.

The other possibility will be the wheel bearings/discs/track rod ends and even top mounts which are very much easier to check, let us know if you not sure.

James

[saj8162]

cheers james!