Front End Suspension Problems

[c928jon]

Hi All and Happy New Year.

I'm just fishing for some help, i've had some problems with the car feeling very loose at the front end. I've had the car up in the air and done the usuall, hauling around with a big bar but the set up is so hard on these things I can't find anything. I changed the dampers as it looked like the left side was soft. This helped but didn't cure the problem totally then the shock failed again after 4000 miles.I'm just doing strut top mounts today but I couldn't feel any play in them before.

Does anyone know of any common problems?

My best description of the problem is that it feels like the left wheel is folding under when taking right hand bends, and then loose when driving straight.

Any help would be much appreciated....I'm getting a bit lost.

The car has been aligned properly, four times now, as well as my local specialist having a look over and not having a clue what the problem is, but driving the car and finding the same issues.

The car is a 99 c2 manual with sports pack (MO30?)

Thanks in advance

[Loren]

There are TSBs for loose sway bars and upper strut mount bearings. What are the front wheel sizes and offsets (front and rear)? also tire sizes - front and rear?

[c928jon]

Thanks for the TSB heads up. I'd pretty much followed your thought process and just changed the sway bar drop links and strut top today.

I have found something a bit odd though.

If you jack the right hand corner up the wheel is solid, you can't move it an inch upwards against the resistance of the suspension. You can on the left side. I originally thought this was a failed strut top bearing but it does the same with the new one fitted.

I called my local specialist who had a boxster and 996 on his ramps and he checked both of them. You couldn't move anything.

All I can think of now is the spring. The damper, top bearing and sway bar link are all new.

I've got to wait for the spring to come from Germany, my car has green and white marked springs which aren't in stock in the UK.

So next week i'll be under the wheel arch again.

The car has 18inch Turbo look wheels, all OE fitment, 245 on the front from memory.

[c928jon]

I've finished at last! I have had a persistent wandering problem for months now, new dampers, track rods and sway bar tie rods. It still wandered, it just didn't feel right, any slight change in road surface would make it feel awful. It felt like a large weight shifting around at the rear.

I gave up after changing things and decided to strip the suspension off each corner until I found something, I just knew something was loose but I couldn't find anything and neither could three seperate dealers who I used for checking alignment after each part replacement.

Tonight I have just done the last corner (why is it always the last one!) you couldn't feel any movement anywhere, i'd levered and pulled but it felt rock solid. Istripped the coil and damper out and felt some movement as soon as this was out.

I tracked this to the rear link where it joined the body, at the rear camber adjuster.

The bolts were tight but it still shifted, I removed the bolt and cleaned it, put it back together and it was fine!

All this effort for a loose bolt, that said you'd never be able to find it without pulling the suspension apart!

I guess this post is a cautionary one, don't overlook the simple things!

[mansourzianour]

I've finished at last! I have had a persistent wandering problem for months now, new dampers, track rods and sway bar tie rods. It still wandered, it just didn't feel right, any slight change in road surface would make it feel awful. It felt like a large weight shifting around at the rear.

I gave up after changing things and decided to strip the suspension off each corner until I found something, I just knew something was loose but I couldn't find anything and neither could three seperate dealers who I used for checking alignment after each part replacement.

Tonight I have just done the last corner (why is it always the last one!) you couldn't feel any movement anywhere, i'd levered and pulled but it felt rock solid. Istripped the coil and damper out and felt some movement as soon as this was out.

I tracked this to the rear link where it joined the body, at the rear camber adjuster.

The bolts were tight but it still shifted, I removed the bolt and cleaned it, put it back together and it was fine!

All this effort for a loose bolt, that said you'd never be able to find it without pulling the suspension apart!

I guess this post is a cautionary one, don't overlook the simple things!

I seem to have the same problem. Can you explaine a little bit more about what camber adjustment bolt you are refering to(with more details)? And, why was the bolt loose ? Was it loose due to any previous repair job ? Thanks for your help.