8 replies to this topic

[AndyM]

Hi all, hope someone can give me some advice.
I've just fitted new rubber cones and knuckle joints to the front of my '93 1275 Sprite and the suspension is now extremely high at the front (12cm from top of tyre to arch, only just got bottom bump stops back in). I expect it to drop as the cones bed in, but more worryingly it has developed a nasty tendancy to lurch to the left on hard acceleration. Similarly, it skips to the right when you close the throttle. It generally feels skittish when going straight. Is this due to the steering geometry being out of whack because the suspension's so high? I also get a nasty juddery wheelspin if I'm not careful when pulling away with left lock on, like out of a junction. I've checked and double checked and everything's tight, and the trumpets definitely fitted into the cones properly.
The cones have been in for a week, I've done ~120 miles with 4 people in and the suspension shows no signs of dropping.
Cheers. Andy.

[Guess-Works.com]

1st question, are they genuine Moulton Dunlop cones ?

2nd, is there a washer between the knuckle and the strut ( when suspensions drop, some people put washers in to raise the height ) ?

3rd, have you checked the tracking, and also the camber of the wheel will have altered from what you were previously use to, more of a +ve nature than before.

[Jordie]

just to add to JG's list

4) if you have directional tyres, are they fitted to the correct side. Try swaping the front wheels around.

I got some serious pull when my tires where wrong, as soon as i let go of the wheel

[Woody]

subframe mountings are worth a check , I had a simular problem , polybushes solved it .

[AndyM]

Hi.
I'm not sure if they're genuine cones, I don't think they had any manufacturer's marks moulded into them, and were about £25 each from Huddersfield mini spares, so probably not.
There wasn't a washer on the trumpet, I checked that.
I've not had the tracking done, but certainly will.
The tyres are not directional.
I'll look at the subframe mountings, there is certainly more squeaking from the front since I did the job.
Thanks. Andy.

[miniman5]

hello! i would put it down to tracking or maybe the new cones leave it a month unless its realy bad then see what its like

[Purple Tom]

i might be a bit off here but its probably worthwhile checking your tie rods aren't bent, and that the bushes are in good nick.

[Madmax]

yeah id check tie-rods, my tracking was out because of that...

i kinda self induced it however (slight dis-agreement with an icy roundabout at a fair speed)

[Dan]

You said the trumpets are definitely in the cones properly, but are the cones in the subframe properly?

You can get genuine sprigs for £25.00 each so they probably are real. The cheap copies collapse early anyway rather than sit up high so you'd know about if if they were dodgy.