Steering feeling a little wooly

red_dwarfers · Post by **red_dwarfers** » 09 May 2011, 22:59

Over the past few months I've been noticing that the Xantia feels like the steering is getting a little wooly and it feels like it wonders sometimes.
Whether this is just me or there is actually something up I dont know.

The first things I'll check will probably be the bushes and joints on either side and then the tracking. Though wish bone bushes, drop links and lower ball joints were renewed back in the summer. Is there a certain way of testing these? Does there need to be weight on the wheels, is some play built in on some components and is there any best practices on testing the bits?

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 09 May 2011, 23:09

This doesn't have anything to do with driving an Xm as well now does it!?
Being serious it may just throw up the way the Xant feels on reaquaintance
after jumping out of the Xm. I do this all the time to throw up things that
I've not noticed and got used to. Just a thought.

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 09 May 2011, 23:24

I remember you telling me about this a few months back, so it can't be the XM influence.

Could well be bushes, wear in steering components etc. You've not changed your tyres to another, more squidgy brand have you?

red_dwarfers · Post by **red_dwarfers** » 28 May 2011, 09:40

Tyres are still the same, last time I changed them were to the Toyos just before last years National.
I'm going to aim to check for wear/improper fitting this weekend.

Thanks

ashy90 · Post by **ashy90** » 28 May 2011, 16:01

Ive been having something similar with my Rover 45; steering wheel snatching and pulling - either to the right or to the left, kind of finding all the ruts in the road, trying to pull me into the curb etc. even going over the white painted lines on dual carridge ways/motorways was enough to cause the steering to 'snatch' when changing lanes! I believe it is called 'tram lining'

I was convinced that it was because of when I slid into a curb in the ice/snow and that it had bent something. I had 2 wheel tracking done - they said the tracking was fine, I then got a proper 4 wheel laser alignment/geomatry check done - they told me it was a little out and adjusted it, the car felt slightly better afterwoulds but deffinatly still tram lined. I then switched the wheels round front to back - BINGO! Drives much better since and doesnt tram line half as much. I noticed it has been doing it again the last week so checked the tyre pressures today and one of the fronts was 27psi, the rest 31psi so I think that was probably making the car handle a bit strange/different.

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 28 May 2011, 21:24

Tracking will make the car handle very oddly if it is out. Often picking up road imperfections and wanting to follow them.

When I got one car the tyres had been run over inflated so the centres were worn. After putting them to the correct pressures it tramlined very badly, so I swapped them to the rear.