Bad handling 3.0 td 1994

[citizen101]

Can anyone give me some advice or ideas on improving the handling of my recently brought 1994 3.0 td surf, only had it for two days but have been wobbled and bounced all over the road, the previous owner has put after market 17'' wheels with 275/60/17 goodridge tyres. i've the wheels balanced at the local tyre centre who said they were a real pig to do and that they are really heavy wheels this has made a slight improvement in the wobble but it still bouncers alot and feels unstable on tight corners. Wouldn't want to travel too fast down country road because it might fly off the road. I don't know if this has anything to do with it but the streering wheel off centre when driving straight and feels like it has some play in it, not some much as streering the car it more like streering a boat having to correct when it bouncers of line. any ideas ladies and gents.

[Hazzo]

Its a Surf not a ferrari, I had similar feelings when I first got mine after driving a honda accord and still find that when its empty (just me) its quite a bumpy ride when you hit potholes etc, if its happening on a decent surface though I'd have it checked out.

Thats if you can find a decent surface with all the speed bumps, holes and other crap, also keep an eye on your speed, being so high off the deck you dont realize how fast your going till the roundabouts jump on you. H

[lord lucan]

sounds like you have bump steer, get it up on a ramp and check every bush, joint and link, suspension and steering front and rear

[Sancho]

Worn steering idler? Do the 'bounce test' on the shocks too.

[Apache]

Every time I drive Vicki's VW for a weekend, then get back in the Surf I think 'oooohhh shiiiit!' as it squirms and leans and stuff. Thats what they do. If it's your first 'old' 4x4, it could just be you weren't prepared for them being such barges! If its worse than usual though, it could certainly be the steering idler or steering damper.

Having said that, I noticed something odd about mine accelerating out of left hand corners though, which I'll try to describe later.

[wishbone]

Do you know your local decent MOT centre well ? If you're not confident with checking all your bushes / balljoints / steering parts yourself then see if you can just drop it in for a quick inspection of the steering / suspension.

They should find any physical problems. If they don't it will probably be alignment issues or wheel / tyre defects / balance.

Rob.

[citizen101]

more investigation

thanks for all your ideas i will get round to checking them out, but thought it might be quicker to use local tyre centre, after checking the balancing they said there is considerable play in the front off side wheel bearing and so will get round to replacing it,but really think they have no idea. so it's up to me now. cheers.

[charvell]

sounds like you have bump steer, get it up on a ramp and check every bush, joint and link, suspension and steering front and rear

i am with his lord ship, pay attention to the lower ball joints in particular. also worth changing the steering rack bushes as a matter of course