General strange traction

[Chris-blk2000punto]

Hi guys, Im getting some strange traction from my front left wheel. Everytime i hit the throttle and do a small wheelspin on the rare occasion the left tyre seems to grip the road differently to the right side (its like a juddering as im moving off fast, like the traction isnt constant to the road as it is on the right side wheel) doesnt matter if im turinng left or right do you think it is beaucse the left side tyre could be newer than the right one or could the tracking be off or wrong tyre? any1 know? thanks. 1.2 mk2 8v btw.

 

[Tris Harris]

you should change tyres as a pair really... front at the same time, back at the same time. Un-even wear could be causing it.

To check you tracking just see if the car is going in a straight line when you take your hand off the steering wheel, cant see it being the reason your losing grip though

 

[Ffoxy]

Weak roadspring / dodgy damper can cause that too.

 

[a1ant]

Its called chatter, and is most probably caused by as Ffoxy said a a dodgy shock absorber.

Cheers,
Alan

 

[Focus Owner]

mine does it i found its cause I'm heavy and so
due to momentum's more weight in car at right hand side

I found adding a friend in fixes it
5 friends = both wheel spins

occational too depends on clutching

 

[a1ant]

mine does it i found its cause I'm heavy and so
due to momentum's more weight in car at right hand side

I found adding a friend in fixes it
5 friends = both wheel spins

occational too depends on clutching

If your shocks are working properly, your wheels should not bounce up and down when you accelerate/ wheel spin.

 

[Focus Owner]

ok
should i be scared?

 

[faster4_tec]

no.

but it don't do your tyres any good.

get the shocks changed, but you will find cheap ones will do chatter from new.

rear ones need doing about every 5yrs aswell, and they're even cheaper, they make the car bounce and lurch pretty badly.


while I was away on hol last year, my parents took my car to quickfit/hiQ to get some new front dampers and their pants, chatterd' like hell on the left side constantly from new.avoid. had to buy new ones and fit again!! :bang:

 

[Focus Owner]

I shall examin them tommorro any ways of telling how bad they are?

 

[a1ant]

Se iff you can see any oily substance all over them or leaking from them anywhere. Another way is to stand over the wing and then push it down towards the ground (with all your weight) nd then let it spring up again. It should come straight back up and stop still, not carry on bouncing up and down a bit (if that makes sense)

Alan

 

[Focus Owner]

makes perfect sence
how my dad found out about his hydrolics on his citoren me sitting on the boot and bouncing

 

[Ffoxy]

Citroens can be slightly different, more active suspension via the spheres they sometimes use, model dependent.
IMO dampers are good for maybe 30 - 50k miles 70 - 100k kilometres or whatever the conversion is, and should be changed for best performance but cost can be a problem.
If they are so bad they chatter they should fail the annual roadwortyness test anyhow.

 

[faster4_tec]

you WILL get chatter with cheap shocks, they're not very well built, the lubricants and oils inside are pretty lame, and the valving is prehistoric, meaning small movements up and down will be pretty much undamped = chatter. larger movements e.g bouncing up and down on it, like they do in the MOT will reveal they are perfectly OK


buy the OE magnetti morelli shocks as fitted to the car as new, cost pretty much the same as other cheaper brands, and are KNOWN to work fine.