Technical Play in front wheel

[pooroldcodger]

Just had some tyres fitted and the fitter showed me that the tracking needs doing as fronts were a bit worn on the outer edges (nothing dramatic) but there is some play in the wheel. The lower arm and outer ball joint on that side were changed 3 years ago. Due to pot holes etc it might need it again. What is the best technique to find out which part (s) need fixing? The driver's side is finee so I don't think it's the rack.
Thanks

 

[Brendan W]

Check your last mot advisories. Tyre fitter should have spotted the offending item really - round here they would be queueing up to point it out to you.
Steering tie rods or track rods probably the easiest to check. Jack up, rock wheel at 3 and 9 o'clock looking for play at the inner ( rack end) of the rods and the outer ball-joint end.
Three year old arm would surprise me if failed. Check the ball joint boot, unlikely it's failed if grease still in there. Pry with a crowbar to check the two bushes.and balljoint. Difficult to explain but you know it when you see it - compare with other side ?
Dont pinch the joint boot with the pry bar - don't ask how I know

 

[pooroldcodger]

To be fair to the tyre guy he pointed out the play but is purely a tyre guy so he did the right thing and told me it will affect wear and that I should ger it sorted asap then get tracking done. Thanks for uour advice.

 

[AndyRKett]

Mine a couple of days ago



jacked it off the ground and pushed and pulled the front aspect of the wheel so it was pivoting on the track arms and top mount

 

[GrandeGuy]

Mine a couple of days ago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsgG3kb1xhM

jacked it off the ground and pushed and pulled the front aspect of the wheel so it was pivoting on the track arms and top mount

It looks like it Needs whole lower wishbone as that's moving in and out, also Roll bar bush needs changed.

 

[AndyRKett]

It looks like it Needs whole lower wishbone as that's moving in and out, also Roll bar bush needs changed.

all done now

 

[pooroldcodger]

Those roll bar bushes are a real b*****d to do aren't they? How do you get the anti roll bar through it?
I have just given my wheel a wiggle with the help of an assistant (thank you Mrs Codger) and it looks like the inner track rod end is loose. Nowhere near in your league though Andy!!

 

[AndyRKett]

Those roll bar bushes are a real b*****d to do aren't they? How do you get the anti roll bar through it?

I had heard this but had no trouble at all putting the new ones on

 

[pooroldcodger]

Maybe the warm weather helped?

 

[Ziggy122]

She requires lubrication
Its a lady style set up

you have to be most careful tho refitting the bolts to the arm tho, as they are soft metal and will snap bolts or threads very easily


Ziggy

 

[AndyRKett]

She requires lubrication
Its a lady style set up

you have to be most careful tho refitting the bolts to the arm tho, as they are soft metal and will snap bolts or threads very easily


Ziggy

I found I could easily wiggle them most of the way on and tap the the rest of the way with a rubber mallet hitting it on alternate sides.

But don't get me ****ing started on those ****ing bolts!!!!

Sheared 3 of the bastards in the subframe when removing the roll bar having sheared one in the wishbone!

4 hours later of drilling and not getting anywhere my neighbour walked up and asked me what I needed opened his van to racks of cobalt drill bits and a stupidly high torque makita drill ( I'm going to buy one) an hour later bolts drilled out holes re taped and car back together

The bolts are stainless steel so they are soft as ****e but when you drill them they heat up and harden like you wouldn't believe

 

[s and b]

I found I could easily wiggle them most of the way on and tap the the rest of the way with a rubber mallet hitting it on alternate sides.

But don't get me ****ing started on those ****ing bolts!!!!

Sheared 3 of the bastards in the subframe when removing the roll bar having sheared one in the wishbone!

4 hours later of drilling and not getting anywhere my neighbour walked up and asked me what I needed opened his van to racks of cobalt drill bits and a stupidly high torque makita drill ( I'm going to buy one) an hour later bolts drilled out holes re taped and car back together

The bolts are stainless steel so they are soft as ****e but when you drill them they heat up and harden like you wouldn't believe

why remove anti roll bar to replace arms though

 

[s and b]

Those roll bar bushes are a real b*****d to do aren't they? How do you get the anti roll bar through it?
I have just given my wheel a wiggle with the help of an assistant (thank you Mrs Codger) and it looks like the inner track rod end is loose. Nowhere near in your league though Andy!!

as you are probably aware these arms screw into the rack so if its loose i would junk the rack because its obviously now not safe on the threads
if its just inner ball in joint easily checked by grabbing it as helper moves steering wheeel slightly then these are less than £20 remember to loctight in position as no where to pean over

if its super tight and you cant get in with the monkey wrench try this way,never let me down yet and i know you have a mig

 

[AndyRKett]

why remove anti roll bar to replace arms though

As explained I sheared one in the arm when refitting and thought it would be easier to drop the roll bar on one side to improve access to the arm, all was fine till refitting the bolts and one of those sheered, needed to remove the whole bar so could access that one sheared bolt, the other two bolts on the other side of the car were unwinding lovely and both sheared after about 2 turns.

used the new improved access to fit the new arm on that side then tackled the 3 sheared bolts in the subframe.

annoyingly the one sheared in the arm easily unwound with some grips which i wouldn't have been able to do with the roll bar in place as it was blocking access to that bolt. Now I suspect you probably won't read this all the way through or this far as its unusual for you to read anyones posts so can start drawling on, you probably shouldn't have asked the question, so anyway at this point i had a cup of tea took the mini down to the motor factors bought a packet of drill bits some stud extractors and a can of plus gas which came to about £20 ones id started finding other things I decided there and then i needed, drove home had another cup of tea, got out the drill and decided to drill the bolts out,

the bolts only allowed me to drill 4-5mm into them before they hardened up with the heat and many hours and many drill bits where wasted trying to get further before neighbour intervened.

hope this clears things up

the moral of the story is these bolts are stainless steel so don't touch them unless you 100% absolutely have to because chances are they will break and swearing will ensue

 

[pooroldcodger]

why remove anti roll bar to replace arms though

Doesn't the anti roll bar bolt in to the lower suspension arms?
When I replaced my suspension arms I took the a-r bar off.
I did notice that the bolts are quite small and delicate, and also you have to be really careful to tighten them all up gradually and preferably with the weight on the wheels so that you are tightening it up in its settled position otherwise you are having to hold it under tension as well as tightening the bolts. Just my little experience!

 

[atom0007]

Doesn't the anti roll bar bolt in to the lower suspension arms?

I suspect he meant remove completely from car. As you said, you only have to pop the end screws off, 4 places.

 

[s and b]

As explained I sheared one in the arm when refitting and thought it would be easier to drop the roll bar on one side to improve access to the arm, all was fine till refitting the bolts and one of those sheered, needed to remove the whole bar so could access that one sheared bolt, the other two bolts on the other side of the car were unwinding lovely and both sheared after about 2 turns.

used the new improved access to fit the new arm on that side then tackled the 3 sheared bolts in the subframe.

annoyingly the one sheared in the arm easily unwound with some grips which i wouldn't have been able to do with the roll bar in place as it was blocking access to that bolt. Now I suspect you probably won't read this all the way through or this far as its unusual for you to read anyones posts so can start drawling on, you probably shouldn't have asked the question, so anyway at this point i had a cup of tea took the mini down to the motor factors bought a packet of drill bits some stud extractors and a can of plus gas which came to about £20 ones id started finding other things I decided there and then i needed, drove home had another cup of tea, got out the drill and decided to drill the bolts out,

the bolts only allowed me to drill 4-5mm into them before they hardened up with the heat and many hours and many drill bits where wasted trying to get further before neighbour intervened.

hope this clears things up

the moral of the story is these bolts are stainless steel so don't touch them unless you 100% absolutely have to because chances are they will break and swearing will ensue

if you want my honest opinion i had watched your video and was disgusted to see the amount of play in the balljoint
you cant tell me you couldn't hear it knocking, so frankly you were driving a very dangerous car and then have the cheek to lecture people like me
my question regarding sheared bolts was an open one,i guess next time you should leave repairs to your neighbour who would appear to have the right kind of tackle and know how to use it

 

[AndyRKett]

if you want my honest opinion i had watched your video and was disgusted to see the amount of play in the balljoint

you cant tell me you couldn't hear it knocking, so frankly you were driving a very dangerous car and then have the cheek to lecture people like me

my question regarding sheared bolts was an open one,i guess next time you should leave repairs to your neighbour who would appear to have the right kind of tackle and know how to use it

That's the thing I don't want you opinion,

It wasn't knocking at all the only symptom was poor steering feed back, if you quote someone that's not an 'open question' that's a direct question in reply to what someone else has said.

Congratulation on reading the post though it is very unusual for you to read someone post, usually you start arrogantly/obnoxiously (for example "then have the cheek to lecture people like me") preaching after reading the first couple of lines of someone's text I hate to think what a new member thinks when they ask a question and get your replies but I have noticed a few never come back.

Seriously time to wind your neck in and start acting like a member of a community rather than some Punto messiah you seem to think you are this attitude is growing and spoiling the atmosphere of the mk2 forum

 

[pooroldcodger]

Hey let's not get too overheated

I statted this thread about a wobbly wheel and now we've got too regulars sparring.
I agree I have had some rather curt and some downright strange replies from both of you in the past.
I would add though that even though sometimes s and b's replies might look a bit off putting to a newcomer, in my case he has been right every time. Sorry but that is my experience and I have been grateful for his experience

Let's mot fall out guys, it's a lovely day and there are serious horrible things happening in the world.
Love n peace and all that.

 

[rocky420]

Am i missing something here? Cause i never see a problem with s and b hes a knowledgable guy, but likes to crack a joke here and there but then again, i think andys problem is he takes things way too seriously ill happily buy you both a handbag each and fight it out that way