Something wrong, car feels like it's moving on straight roads

[mikeswagon]

Bit of an odd one, first noticed it last Friday.

Driving on a straight bit of road, same roads I drive 5 days a week, and it feels like it's squirming below me, like there's a diesel spill or something. This is happening on straight roads, that I've never had a problem on before.

I've not hit any bit potholes or anything, checked tyre pressures on Saturday, they were all fine, only thing was front offside looked slightly more worn but nothing drastic

Has anyone experienced anything similar?

 

[R20BTG]

Could be alignment or a worn suspension component. You’re only really going to find out if you have a good poke around. I’d jack up the front end and get a pry bar and see if you can see any obvious movement in wheel bearings, EE bracket, front arm bushes, steering arms etc.


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[burrellbloke]

When was the last time you had the alignment checked or changed any of the suspension components or bushes?

 

[mikeswagon]

Could be alignment or a worn suspension component. You’re only really going to find out if you have a good poke around. I’d jack up the front end and get a pry bar and see if you can see any obvious movement in wheel bearings, EE bracket, front arm bushes, steering arms etc.


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That's a good idea, I'll see if we can have a poke around tonight. Failing that I'll get it booked into my local chap.

When was the last time you had the alignment checked or changed any of the suspension components or bushes?

Never touched it, nothing has been replaced in the time I've had it, wheels were off to swap summer to winter tyres and back but obviously that was months ago. I was planning a general service when I get winters back on, so maybe that'll be sooner than I hoped.

Thanks guys.

 

[bedoef]

I would bet money on worn lower ball joints. My car felt the same, wandering all over the road when they were worn out.

 

[mikeswagon]

I would bet money on worn lower ball joints. My car felt the same, wandering all over the road when they were worn out.

Thanks mate, down on the list to check this weekend if the rain eases up.

 

[sysak]

My clio 200 felt the same way you describe it when i bought it at 81k miles. The mot history indicated worn inner track rods.
I had that done at AWMotorworks. I also asked him to check all the components and he found that the front top mounts were worn and very floppy. I had my mate replace those for me with new oem style febi o es and as he was disassembling the suspension to remove the struts he found that the ball joints on both my anti-roll bar drop links and the anti-rotation links were completely trashed and one of the anti rotation links was bent
I asked Alex, my MOT man and an alignment shop separately to check over the suspension and none of them found the problems with the links. Alex later said it's difficult to find when the suspension is all assembled and under tension. I recommend you do or at least specifically check those. I replaced all the links with supreme motorsport uprated ones. They do look higher quality than oem and are quite cheap. After the top mounts, inner track rods + ends and the four links the car drives like a dream.
I'd also check the steering rack bushes.

Hope this helps

 

[mikeswagon]

Update time:

Got the car sorted last week, picked her up on Friday. Problem diagnosed as a very worn lower ball joint, so that's been done along with new rear pads for the MOT, and serviced while in there. Held off on swapping onto the winter tyres for another month or so.