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MG MGF Technical - Wondering Steering

Guys,

anyone suffered from wondering steering and pulling from side to side before?

It's a real pain, your drive on a motorways and the steering just decides to pull a different way - it's only very soft by you can well notice it.

Also on bumpy roads it's all over the show - I get pulled from side to side.

Any ideas guys?

Regards,
Mike Gibson
Mike Gibson

What does it feel like if you pull out the big EPAS fuse under the bonnet?

The only things I get like that are:

1. in cross-winds at very high speeds, and I assume this is a front-end lift problem rather than a steering problem

2. certain rare patches of road with weird camber, and I put this down to th e215 tryres I've got on the front

So neither of those sound like what you've got. Try switching off the EPAS maybe.
David Bainbridge

old tyres and/or knackered suspension bushes?
t
tony

Tony,

tyres are nearly new front and back - are the bushes easy to fit, which ones?

Regards,
Mike Gibson
Mike Gibson

mike, i suggested this because it’s exactly the same symptoms i had. the tyres needed replacing, which i did first, but it only slightly helped. someone then mentioned the bushes may need looking at and that’s exactly what the problem was. they only cost a couple of quid i think but they definately did the trick. i’m sure someone on here can tell you how to check/change them.
t
tony

Tony,

which bushes do you mean mate?

Regards,
Mike
Mike Gibson



Mike
This was my post last year which helped to resolve the problems you describe.
However since then I have visited MS and had 4 new adjustable shocks fitted and Mike set up my suspension
to his spec. based on his experience.The car is excellent now. I beleive this is the way to go.

If you are in my area(Newbury) send me a mail and you can try my car before you spend all this months housekeeping on having work done.

>My F is a '96 model but has only done 36k so when I took it in for a 72k service I was surprised to hear that the rear ball joints were slightly worn but not enough to cause any problems or fail the MOT.
However I decided to have them replaced anyway,(not too expensive).

To my surprise this has completey changed how the car steers and the problems I have had for sometime now have gone away. For the last year or so when diving along a straight road, eg.motorway/dual track, the car appeared to 'wander' as if there was a strong crosswind pushing it off course therefore requiring constant small amounts of input to the steering.
I have had the usual tracking,ride height,tyres and bushes etc. looked at in the past but with little effect.<

HTH
Regards
Tom
Tom Grayling

Tom,

I look through the archives the other day and found your string there which helped out a lot. What do you think to the bush idea that the others mentioned?

Many thanks

Regards,
Mike G
Mike Gibson

Guys,

just took the car out for a lunch time drive and the handling was crap - even worse then before..

Going to have a good look at these rear ball joints I think

Regards,
Mike

Mike Gibson

Mike, I know I suggested this well before Xmas when you were reporting problems with handling etc but have you tried another F recently?

Get to a dealer and have a test drive in another one or take one of the BBS members up and try theirs or let them try yours.

I know from this BBS that you have been 'complaining' for several months now; did you ever change the tyres? how are the pressures? what tyres did you fit? what sizes?

This BBS is full of brilliant help but you cannot guarantee the same symptoms so you cannot guarantee the same fix. You could be about to start spending a lot of money trying everything that everybody else has tried and still not get to the cause.

It may be worth contacting a suspension specialist (e.g. TechSpeed) and getting them to check it out and advise you; the cost should be low for just checking / advising.
JohnP @home

This thread was discussed on 14/02/2003

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