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Where To Go R.e. Suspension


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#1 M0U5EY

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Posted 11 April 2019 - 10:14 AM

Hi guys,

As can be seen from this thread;

http://www.theminifo...l-alignment-ok/

I have a bit of an issue with my suspension (possibly an understatement!)

 

I'm now wondering what the best course of action is from here.... The first thing that definitely needs to be fixed is the steering wheel being approx 20 degrees left when going down the road, I first noticed this after the engine and gearbox seals were replaced (yikes £££) and it was suggested that it could possibly be due to a bent lower arm or from my own looking maybe the rack jumped a spline with all the messing about with the engine coming out etc. Whats the best way to check if they are ok? Take the wheel off and check if they're straight? Or looking at the wheel alignment graph done at kwik extortion (https://imgur.com/BdUL370) would it be worth just doing the whole lot with a kit like this; http://www.minispare...c/MSSK3013.aspx and then getting it set up by someone who knows exactly what they're doing??

 

As you may be able to guess i'm rather new to this and have very very few tools but would like to do more and more on my car as time goes on so sorry if a question seems obvious! The car was bought about 2 years ago after a ran-out-of-money jobby and this is the best pictures I could get of it last night but will probably go and have another look today; https://imgur.com/gallery/OLtyoWr

 

 

From what I know its running hi/los on 13 inch wheel with fiesta calipers (done by a mechanic for some reason when we first got it)

 

Any help/guidance would be much appreciated!


Edited by M0U5EY, 11 April 2019 - 10:17 AM.


#2 nicklouse

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Posted 11 April 2019 - 10:18 AM

center the rack. then you can center the wheel. and the wheels should be point ahead.

 

when it was checked they should have done it with the rack centered.

 

changing the power unit will have had no effect on the steering unless you actually bents something.

 

first thing I would do is buy a Haynes WORKSHOP manual (IE not the service and repair one, but then that is better than nothing). and read about the steering section on centering the rack.



#3 M0U5EY

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Posted 11 April 2019 - 10:26 AM

center the rack. then you can center the wheel. and the wheels should be point ahead.

 

when it was checked they should have done it with the rack centered.

 

changing the power unit will have had no effect on the steering unless you actually bents something.

 

first thing I would do is buy a Haynes WORKSHOP manual (IE not the service and repair one, but then that is better than nothing). and read about the steering section on centering the rack.

Got a manual arriving today but not the workshop manual... Im guessing thats something that can't be done with literally the most basic of tools (don't even have jack stands yet)


Edited by M0U5EY, 11 April 2019 - 10:29 AM.


#4 Icey

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Posted 11 April 2019 - 10:45 AM

Get 4 cheap nylon chopping boards. Put a pair, sandwiched together under each front wheel.

 

Lift the carpet in the passenger footwell and pull out the rubber bung from unused (LHD) steering column hole.

 

Pull the bung out of the steering rack (should make sense when you see it).

 

Use a small punch or drill bit (3mm comes to mind, but can't remember exact size), insert it into the hole and rotate the steering wheel. You should find a small hole in the inner rack it will slot into. This locks the rack in the centred position.

 

You can now centre the steering wheel and adjust the tie-rods so the wheels are pointing in the right direction (the chopping boards act as slip-pads).



#5 M0U5EY

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Posted 11 April 2019 - 10:47 AM

Get 4 cheap nylon chopping boards. Put a pair, sandwiched together under each front wheel.

 

Lift the carpet in the passenger footwell and pull out the rubber bung from unused (LHD) steering column hole.

 

Pull the bung out of the steering rack (should make sense when you see it).

 

Use a small punch or drill bit (3mm comes to mind, but can't remember exact size), insert it into the hole and rotate the steering wheel. You should find a small hole in the inner rack it will slot into. This locks the rack in the centred position.

 

You can now centre the steering wheel and adjust the tie-rods so the wheels are pointing in the right direction (the chopping boards act as slip-pads).

Perfect! Will give that a crack hopefully today



#6 M0U5EY

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Posted 11 April 2019 - 02:07 PM

Get 4 cheap nylon chopping boards. Put a pair, sandwiched together under each front wheel.

 

Lift the carpet in the passenger footwell and pull out the rubber bung from unused (LHD) steering column hole.

 

Pull the bung out of the steering rack (should make sense when you see it).

 

Use a small punch or drill bit (3mm comes to mind, but can't remember exact size), insert it into the hole and rotate the steering wheel. You should find a small hole in the inner rack it will slot into. This locks the rack in the centred position.

 

You can now centre the steering wheel and adjust the tie-rods so the wheels are pointing in the right direction (the chopping boards act as slip-pads).

Just went and had a look and a chat to my dad, it appears there is an allen key insert in the rack that needs to be removed before you can insert the bit? Also, it sounds like there was an issue with the airbag when the garage did all the engine work so they took off the wheel to fix it and that makes me think maybe they put the wheel back on at an angle? Is that something that could happen?



#7 Icey

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Posted 11 April 2019 - 04:53 PM

He could well be right re: the Allan key, I can’t remember what the plug was, it was 4 years ago the last time I did it!

Yes, you can put a steering wheel back on on the wonk.

#8 M0U5EY

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Posted 11 April 2019 - 05:32 PM

He could well be right re: the Allan key, I can’t remember what the plug was, it was 4 years ago the last time I did it!

Yes, you can put a steering wheel back on on the wonk.

Figured it was just an allen plug and that verified that the wheels were straight with the steering wheel so took it back to kwik fit and they seem to have fixed the issue, tiny bit in the other direction but its an old car so can't really complain, was definitely a caster issue!






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