Sprint vague handling

[Bluevitesse]

Hi All

My recently aquired Sprint is getting closer to MOT time, but is sufferiing from terribly vague handling and feels very disconcerting to drive. It feels as though something is very loose but I cannot find out what by levering various parts with a stout screwdriver. There is a bit of play in the rack - up and down play on the neasrside, but not enough to be to sole cuplrit.

So far I have checked:

Tyre pressures
Both of the UJs on the column for play and siezure. The steering wheel spins freely with the the wheels off the ground.
The rack for play - and found a bit
The rack mounts
All front ball joints and rubber bushes
Track rod ends
Front wheel alignment
Rear axle location bushes.

The rear front subframe rubbers look soggy but I cant make the subframe move with said screwdriver. I will be fitting polys here very soon though - could these cause the waywardness?

Glen.

[GlenM]

Front wheel bearings?

[Dolly-Nut]

Subframe mounts

[PaulB]

Try the bush where the steering column goes through the bulkhead.

[xvivalve]

...and the front tie rod bushes at the subframe.

[GrahamFountain]

Check the flexible coupling (FAM1718) just above rack. That causes lots of wilfulness in the steering.

But if it is that, there are better options than buying one of them dangerous Chinese copies off eBay or from Lincoln - i.e. fit a UJ.

Graham

[matt of the vivas]

Could just be very old, hardened tyres.
One of the best things i did to mine was fit fresh tyres.

[Bluevitesse]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys.

Subframe mounts are top of my list.

Cheers

Glen.

[cliftyhanger]

when I got my toledo it was incredibly vague. I fitted new front tie rod polybushes, and a new lower arm (mine where the tyupe where you cant by the bushes, but new arms c/w with bushes were very cheap anyway) and the handling was much improved. I also added a front arb (which you already have) and changed all the shocks. That ll helped, but with so many bits of rubber in the front suspension/steering, a bit of wear in all of them adds up to a lot.
And agree, use a metal UJ if replacing the steering joint, and polybush rack mounts.

[GrahamFountain]

Sub frame mounts are top of my list.
Glen.

I really, really would look at the rubbers in the flexible coupling (FAM1718) early in the process. These rubbers are very, very close to the axis of the steering column. Hence, by simple leverage, a very small movement in there translates into quite a large effect at the steering wheel rim.

The reason for looking at that early is that it should not be difficult to do, compared to replacing sub frame mounts and such.

Graham

[Bluevitesse]

Hi Graham,

I know all about that coupling as when I got my Vitesse in 2006 I fitted a new rack when all it needed was that coupling! On the Vit it's mostly hidden by the turret.

The one on the Dolly displays no play at all and is dry. There is very little play at the steering wheel rim too. The Vit one had been soaked in engine oil with predictable results.

Thanks for the advice though mate.

Glen.

[Jon Tilson]

Next place I would look then would be the rack mounting bushes. Also look for the locating plate under the near side mounting
which locks it all in place laterally. If this has been left out it will cause vagueness...

Jonners

[michael C]

Hello Glen

My Sprint had always suffered from 'vague handling' and 'waywardness' which effectively amounted to a bad case of bump steer making the car very difficult to drive. I too was at a loss to find anything amiss - no play or soggy rubbers anywhere. Turned out (embarrassingly) that the spacer under the rack was on the wrong side - dead easy to check, just look under the car on a llevel surface and see if the tie rods are at the same angle.

Hope you get it sorted

[Bluevitesse]

Thanks again guys, all good advice.

I have ordered subframe bushes as Mr MOT will not like the look of the existing ones for sure.

I thought of a word that best describes the way it goes down the road "squirming" particularly on changing direction.

[Jon Tilson]

Could also be rear end steer if one of the axle radius arm bushes has gone....quite common is that.
Especially worth a look if nothing obvious is wrong up front.

Drag strut bushes into subframe are also good bang for buck as a polybush improvement.

Jonners