Crabs

ebod · Post by **ebod** » 27 Feb 2005, 14:55

Okay, the post title should have caught enough attention. And I'll admit its a problem on my Laguna....but this Citroen forum has a higher number of contributers so I'll try my luck here.
My 99 dTI seems to have two distinct handling probs.
1. There seems to be a 'deadzone' in the handing on the rearend most noticeable when vering right. It feels like as if an anti-roll bar is needed but someone forgot to fit it. Or perhaps as if the NS rear tyre is deflated ( yep I have checked its okay )
2. On acceleration there is a distinct pull to the right. It doesn't do freewheeling or when braking.
The car recently had its MOT in January and need a NS tie-rod end plus an OS bottom balljoint. After passing the mot I then took it for a basic tracking adjusting ( standard 2-wheel alignmet )
However, worried that someting wasn't right, I've since been back to the MOT guy and he's given the entire suspension a onceover an okay'd it. Plus I've also been to ATS for a 4-wheel alignment check and thats also proved to be okay.
Can anyone evaluate whether the above symptoms leed to a probable cause that might sneek unnoticed through and MOT , eg soft rear or something.
[:)]

oilyspanner · Post by **oilyspanner** » 27 Feb 2005, 16:42

Tired shock absorber on the rear?
Stewart

bxbodger · Post by **bxbodger** » 27 Feb 2005, 17:49

Another possibility is one odd tyre, i.e. different profile to the others.
Has it always done this- if so there could be some previous accident damage prior to your ownership.

ebod · Post by **ebod** » 27 Feb 2005, 18:10

I've owned it since Dec2003 and done 22K miles. The front tyres were replaced last summer but the rears are still from prior to my ownership. It was light rear ended in a shunt just before Christmas and fixed at a Renault dealer in Leeds. This is why I've been getting it checked/double checked in case the car is out-of-line.
I think plan A will be to swap the fronts/rears over to gauge the effects , then maybe get a pair or rear shockers as plan B.
I can't relate the above to the drifting on acceleration though.

bxbodger · Post by **bxbodger** » 27 Feb 2005, 18:20

It was just a thought that if the front tyres had a slightly different rolling diameter then it may cause a drift on acceleration.

oilyspanner · Post by **oilyspanner** » 28 Feb 2005, 00:26

The rear Axle bolts on forward of the wheelarch so bent stuff is unlikeley in a light rear ender but has anyone at anytime had the torsion bars out? it is possible to get these a spline off, to check remove both rear wheels, ottom shock absorber mounting bolts and possibly the anti roll bar bolts and measure/observe the free "Dangling height" of the arms,if they differ refer to the book of lies (pretty good in this case apart from not needing a slide hammer to get the torsion bars out) just screw a bolt and a big washer into the ends and if you have disconnected ewverything mentioned above then pulling on the bolt/washer whilst wiggling the arm should see the bar out easily, take note about what the manual refers to as dimension X
Stewart

ebod · Post by **ebod** » 28 Feb 2005, 03:49

The car sits okay and I don't fancy playing around with these torsion bar thingies. I do reckon the twitchy rear is tyre/shocker related and will persue that avenue.
I'm sure all the tyres are the right size.
They only thing that might account for the front drifting is the wheels are some kind of Halfords aftermarket jobbies ( called 'Fox' ) and perhaps the offsets differ from a std Renault size. Maybe the alignment has to be slightly different from 0° the compensate for a different offset ?
To clarify though, this drifting has occured since the alignment following new balljoints. The twitchy rear was developing through last year but seems much more prominent since the alignment.

oilyspanner · Post by **oilyspanner** » 28 Feb 2005, 03:54

Would still do the "angle of dangle! test, have you got the original wheels, you could fit them and rule out some things.
Stewart