11 replies to this topic

[morganb3]

Hi,

 

I have a 1997 Mini Balmoral which has now developed an intermittent "wandering"

 

Here are some of the Symptoms:

 

-it has started to feel like it is drifting around high speed (60Mph+) corners.

-Feels disconnected from the road.

-changes between stiff steering to loose steering at similar low speeds (~10Mph) at what appears to be random.

 

I have recently fitted new shock absorbers and new tires.

 

Can anyone help me diagnose this? It feels unsafe to me at the moment.

 

Thanks

[KernowCooper]

I would be checking out the steering rack and its mounting before driving the car again, wheels off the floor and lock to lock and a through check all over the steering

[morganb3]

Ok I will have a closer look. Could old cones be causing this as well possibly?

[KernowCooper]

would not have thought so, what worries me is the stiff to loose feeling, you dont have underfelt wound up around the pinchbolt at the base of the column ? Pinch bolt tight or column to steering rack spline worn ?

Edited by KernowCooper, 05 August 2015 - 07:21 PM.

[morganb3]

As I currently don't have access to a jack it is difficult. My garage floor is covered in dust which means it is quite low friction, When I steer the wheel both the wheels steer correspondingly at an equal rate the steering wheel. This leads me to believe that the steering rack may be ok (point it out to me if i am wrong)

 

The steering column is new and i have just undone the pinch bolt and all seems good there. 

 

Any thoughts?

[morganb3]

the cones are so bad i can easily see it running on the stops a lot during normal driving. could it be that when it is hitting the stops it is causing a bump steer reaction?

[cal844]

the cones are so bad i can easily see it running on the stops a lot during normal driving. could it be that when it is hitting the stops it is causing a bump steer reaction?

On my 998(avatar pic) the cones are old, the car sits at approx 210 mm from the sill seam strip to the floor.

The car is very twitchy to drive gives oversteer on some fast corners(60+), id be checking your ride height and changing the cones if needed.

As for the vaugeness,

Check the steering rack is centred lock to lock(use a drill bit or similar to lock by removing the grommet and the plastic dust cap, centralise the rack then lock it with the drill bit)

[morganb3]

Currently mine is at 205mm . I'm not sure what you mean by checking the steering lock as you suggested. 

 

I'm thinking that it could be down to really old springs. Guess I better learn how to fit them as there are no mini specialist garages near me :/

 

Thanks

[cal844]

Currently mine is at 205mm . I'm not sure what you mean by checking the steering lock as you suggested. 

 

I'm thinking that it could be down to really old springs. Guess I better learn how to fit them as there are no mini specialist garages near me :/

 

Thanks

Lift the passenger side of the front floor carpet. You are looking for a rubber grommet near to the steering rack U bolts, or indeed a curcular hole which exposes the small black 'cap' inboard of the passenger side gaitor in the pic link below :)

 

https://www.google.c...438897182143789

[carbon]

+1 for Kernow Cooper's suggestion about checking steering rack, in particular the u-clamps are correcly torqued

 

And also look for any signs of issues with the front subframe mountings, they may be starting to delaminate.

 

When turning steering wheel with front wheels on ground look carefully at subframe for any sign of movement.

[Guess-Works.com]

Tyre pressures

[morganb3]

Hi, 

 

Just an Update, I had my new springs and Hi-Lo's fitted and the problem has gone away :) Tyre pressures are good.

 

Thanks