Floating Feeling + Slightly Sideways at speed

[sadhvikv]

Hey guys! Car is totally fixed!!!! I must confess I was getting close the point of getting shot of the car as I no longer felt confident in it.

It's flipping amazing now!!
Sadhivkv I'd really suggest your local garage examines the state of the bushes and makes sure everything is done up properly... If you've already done that then fair enough...

Brilliant! Glad to hear you got it sorted mate, do you mind describing in a bit more detail what symptoms you were having?

[jvanzyl]

OK so the symptoms were as follows:
When driving at motorway speeds the car would feel slightly "detached" from the road. It was as though you were going forward but sometimes it would feel like you had a slight "yaw" as in going forward but nose pointing off to the side. I guess you could call it floating? Essentially you're going in a direction but you don't feeling like its very in control or "pointed".

Additionally when driving at motorway speeds it would be badly affected by the wind of passing vehicles, so if I passed a truck I know the car would shift around a lot.

Basically you just felt scared and unconfident, but it's incredibly hard to quantify to the garage!

It was when I noticed that when braking reasonably hard from 70 down to 40 that I found the car would "squirm/hunch" to one side then the other - that I figured I had something definite to take to the garage to resolve.

Whereabouts are you? My garage is in Kings Langley if that helps?

[sadhvikv]

OK so the symptoms were as follows:
When driving at motorway speeds the car would feel slightly "detached" from the road. It was as though you were going forward but sometimes it would feel like you had a slight "yaw" as in going forward but nose pointing off to the side. I guess you could call it floating? Essentially you're going in a direction but you don't feeling like its very in control or "pointed".

Additionally when driving at motorway speeds it would be badly affected by the wind of passing vehicles, so if I passed a truck I know the car would shift around a lot.

Basically you just felt scared and unconfident, but it's incredibly hard to quantify to the garage!

It was when I noticed that when braking reasonably hard from 70 down to 40 that I found the car would "squirm/hunch" to one side then the other - that I figured I had something definite to take to the garage to resolve.

Whereabouts are you? My garage is in Kings Langley if that helps?

The first paragraph is startling similar to the issue I'm experiencing! I'm taking the car in to the garage on Friday to have the UJ replaced, so I'll get them to have an extremely close look at the suspension bushes for any play (which I guess is what your garage found?). Don't really mind putting the money in to change the bushes just to give it a go, promising to have a lead on it though.

[jvanzyl]

Just spoke to the garage and they basically went back on my assumption that it was the suspension bushes... They pretty much put it down to the wheel alignment being badly out....

However you should definitely check the suspension bushes out...

Sorry not to be more specific, it's basically 3rd hand information!

[sadhvikv]

Ah okay so it was wheel alignment not the bushes that was the issue with your car. Ah what a shame thought the solution was found, I'll get them to check the bushes anyway!

[jvanzyl]

Thing is they spent a fair bit of time doing the work... And they didn't charge me anything... Which kinda makes me think that they were possibly correcting something that they had done incorrectly in the first place?... I totally reckon you should get the suspension looked at..

[sadhvikv]

Issue Sorted!

1) New shocks + lowering springs helped a little
2) Matts brace + front strut brace helped a little
3) Changing tyre pressures to 26/29 helped a lot (AD08r's)
4) Visited Wheels in Motion in Chesham after messaging Tony there, had a top guy called Joe check out the alignment, he evened everything out left/right and dialled in a little more rear negative camber, as well as a bit more toe in. This helped a lot!

The cumulative effect of all those things has resolved the issue, and my car feels very planted at any speed  s:) s:)

Thank you everyone for the advice.

[Ardent]

glad to hear a happy outcome.

Wheels in Motion - very highly regarded.

[jvanzyl]

Great news man! I'm sure relieved and looking forward to enjoying your car!

[shnazzle]

I love it when a plan comes together.
It's funny though as those 4 things you mentioned just highlight to new owners how sensitive this little car is to its running gear

[1979scotte]

I love it when a plan comes together.
It's funny though as those 4 things you mentioned just highlight to new owners how sensitive this little car is to its running gear

Agree 100%

It's a sports car and needs to be treated accordingly.
Not like your family wagon.

[tomaky]

Happy Days  s:) s:)