Tracking

[obleo]

Just purchased a hilux 3l manual second gen. Handling is far from satisfactory and (to put a finer point on it) dangerous.
When cornering at modest speeds the vehicle wanders alarmingly. My first thought (after tyre pressures) was tracking. I would value any advice on the matter.

[Tallyman]

If you're not happy with it, take it to a tyre fitter and get the tracking checked. But avoid the usual car tyre fitters as many of them don't have the gera to do the job on a 4x4. Try a local commercial vehicle or specialist 4x4 place.

[stormforce]

if you get the tracking done then tell them to use the same settings as a 4runner or they wont do it

[si tate]

Not sure if you have "HI Q" garage's over there but they have all the correct data on import surfs. Took mine twice over the past 3 years & they have been spot on & only charged me £25.

EDIT: Just checked & you have 1 in banbridge & 1 in holywood.

[obleo]

Thanks all for taking the time and trouble to answer my question, a question I am sure you have heard many times.

[obleo]

Tracking or suspension

Had a friend look at it today and he thinks the problem is with the front suspension. he 'pointed out' that the front was very bouncy and incorrect tracking would not produce the severe drifting experienced on cornering.
Not familiar with the front end suspension setup and would value any advice as to checking for likely culprit.
Many thanks

[Sancho]

The front suspension (as you will have noticed) doesn't have any springs. It works on a torsion bar http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torsion_bar and is kind of rubbish.

First on my list to check would be the steering idler arm. They tend to wear out on surfs. Have a wiggle of your steering wheel whilst parked up and see if you've got a lot of play. If so, that's the likely culprit.

The front is very bouncy but should rebound to the starting position on the first bounce if you give it the time-honoured push down on the corner technique. If it keeps going, the shock on that corner has gone. The last possibility, assuming tyres and tracking are OK, is the torsion bar itself getting old, but that would probably give you a lower, softer ride rather than anything dramatic and could be dealt with for now by giving it a couple of twists.

[obleo]

Thanks Sancho.

[TonyN]

Had a friend look at it today and he thinks the problem is with the front suspension. he 'pointed out' that the front was very bouncy and incorrect tracking would not produce the severe drifting experienced on cornering.
Not familiar with the front end suspension setup and would value any advice as to checking for likely culprit.
Many thanks

Check the shocks like Sancho said, but to much toe out ( i think, might be to much toe in, but one or other does it ) on the tracking makes the front very reponsive to any steering movement, don't rule it out.

Also check the rear panhard rod if its broken or loose the back end flaots around on the radius arms.

Also cheap tyres on wet roads make the rear very skittish, especially if you've come from driving a car.

[obleo]

Does not seem to be excessive play in steering but 'Googled' steering idler arm and on one site found the following.
'If your steering has gotten sloppy they may need replacement. Signs of this are your steering wheel moving 2 inches or more from side to side without turning the wheels at all, front end shimmy that can't be attributed to out-of-balance wheels, or lurches to the left or right when you go over a bump.'
'Shimmy' the word that eluded me. My problem exactly.
Am I correct in thinking my 1993 3l manual has only one idler arm?
Would it be a big job to replace bushes and seals, or better to replace the whole unit.
I 'know my way around' a car reasonably well but this is my first 4x4.

[Canadian_Hilux]

I had to do my idler arm and it stopped almost all my steering play. It really isn't possible to diagnose bad handling without taking it into a shop or having the front end inspected. Take it into several shops (to make sure your not getting screwed) and ask for estimates on repairs. It could be a bad ball joint, tie rod, tie rod end or it may just need an alignment.

[obleo]

Not the slightest movement in the idler arm. Another friend says its the tyres, I have Falken rv landair tyres.
As I do not drive off road (purposely) could anyone recommend a good reasonably priced road tyre?
Would I be correct in assuming that all four tyres would need replaced, not just fronts?

[TonyN]

They are reasonable tyre brand, I wouldn't have thought they'd be that bad. Does your friend know about 4x4 tyres? Otherwise its a big expense on someones guess.

What happened about the front shocks? Are the Anti Roll Brackets in one piece? Tyre pressures?

[obleo]

They are reasonable tyre brand, I wouldn't have thought they'd be that bad. Does your friend know about 4x4 tyres? Otherwise its a big expense on someones guess.

What happened about the front shocks? Are the Anti Roll Brackets in one piece? Tyre pressures?

I 'take your point' on the futility of just guessing.
The front end when pushed at each side returns to its former position on the first bounce.
The anti roll brackets (if I have identified them properly) are intact.
Tyre pressures are at 31 'all round'.
Cannot identify the rear panhard rod but all seems solid and intact in rear.
Many thanks for your responses, also a very good point re. being used with driving a car.

[Sancho]

Ummmmmm. Jack the front end up and make sure the wheels are properly attached?