[Mk2] [NA] New owner steering feel and ...... Slight wobble over 70

[Davepotty]

Hi gents.

I've read crap loads on MR2 steering wobble so before I start spending money I'd just like to ask you experts!

I'm not familiar with rear wheel cars so I don't know how they should feel.

I've got a Mk2 Rev umm 2 I think glimited import auto. It's got power steering but feels quite heavy.

Car has aftermarket alloys fitted and I haven't checked the sizes to make sure it's staggered but I will do.

So driving the steering feels very light in a straight line, almost too light and going round a corner it feels very bites/heavy.

I don't think there is any play in the steering.

Driving in to work this morning I gave it a good thrashing awesome!!! Anyway over 70 up to 100 my hands got a nice massage it didn't go away in a straight line steering still felt very light and I was gripping that steering!!!

I suspect geometry but I'd like your opinion please chaps

Dave

[nitrodave]

either buckled front wheels or they need balancing. take them to a tyre shop and get them checked before doing anything else.

[Hez]

Jack car up and check that your brakes are not binding, if there not go take it for the wheels balancing, most of the time its one of them 2.

[Davepotty]

Had the tracking and balancing done on the front ... Amazing difference and the wheels and tracking were waaaaay out!

So gave it a good drive this morning and still a slight steering wheel shake although it was a whole lot better than it was!

So I'll investigate a bit further tomorrow if the weather is better.

The car has wolfrace 17" alloys on it with 225 on the back and 205 on the front. I'm going to look for some stock wheels once I'm committed to replace the rear left quarter panel assuming there are no more surprises. I'd like to restore the car to original.

[gavsdavs]

What nitro Dave said...check for buckling and balancing...

[Mullen]

Had the tracking and balancing done on the front ... Amazing difference and the wheels and tracking were waaaaay out!

They didn't do the rears? Take it back.

The values you want are here - www.imoc.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=25719

I have the same car btw albeit a rev1.
Have a look at your ARB bushings too. Mine were pretty rotten and new ones have made a big difference.
They're not expensive & it's an easy job.

[Nic]

Just another thought, do your 17" wheels have spigot rings fitted?

[Mcflurry]

I had the same issue, but that was mostly down to the previous owner having ten year old knobbled winter 'racing' tyres on the front.

The guys at Kwik fit were slightly bemused to say the least.

[MartinF]

The guys at Kwik fit were slightly bemused to say the least.

Nothing new there then !

[Torero]

The guys at Kwik fit were slightly bemused to say the least.

Nothing new there then !

[toxo]

You are barking up the right tree. Geometry (full 4-wheel), wheel balancing, spigot rings to centralise your aftermarket wheels on your hubs, if the car has any wheel spacers fitted to make the aftermarket wheels sit with a nice offset then they may not be hubcentric which can contribute to wheel wobble. After all of those are eliminated you get in to things like stuck brakes causing things to wear unevenly, wheel bearings can fail in all sorts of ways that don't give you the standard grinding noise, and so on. Basically anything that turns