Engine 850: B5204S/2.0/20v: wandering over uneven surfaces & pull to one side on braking

[reevoanders]

Hi All
When I brake (even very lightly!!) my trusty 850's steering wheel turns to the right, and the car wants to go that way (191800 miles on clock now). If I'm driving at high speed on the open road, and then brake, I have to HOLD the steering wheel tightly to stop it from driving off to the right. Very discomforting...!
Also, when driving over roads that have a curved surfaces (like roads that have been worn because of heavy vehicles driving constantly over it), my car gently "wallows" from side to side, and breaking over this surface just compounds the problem.
What can it be, and how can I fix it? (I seem to think it is suspension rubbers, bushings, etc...?).
Thanks very much.
Reevo

[Michael J]

Is the front left brake working?

[reevoanders]

Hi Michael J
Thanks for your response.
It should, because last year May when I had it MOT'ed, I replaced both front brake calipers.
Reevo

Originally Posted by Michael J

Is the front left brake working?

[Michael J]

Check again. Get the wheel off and pop off the inspection cover, make sure the pads are free to move. If so, then good.

My car "passed" an MOT last November, according to the station it was tested at. It's been making a bit of noise at the back since I got it though, a sort of graunching when braking or, particularly, reversing. That suddenly got worse and it started juddering heavily, so I looked through the wheels at the visible outer surface of the discs and, sure enough, the right rear was rusty. Wheel off, and it was immediately apparent that not only was the outer pad seized solid but it had clearly been so for a very long time. The inner pad is down to a third or less thickness, the outer looks like it has never made contact. It took over two hours hammering a screwdriver around the pad to remove enough corrosion to free it off so it could move at all. It now judders less horribly than before and it is getting better but it's still not nice at all. If I didn't know the cause I'd really be quite worried. I need some new brake parts now, one disc, hence a pair, one set of pads, hence two sets, all the pins and clips, etc., preferably a pair of calipers so I can swap them in and then refurb this set. I'd like to know how it passed.

My main point is that things can go bad quickly (although on my car I don't believe that is the case), so do check as it is easy and quick to do.

[Rick Barton]

I'm sure we could all list a load of suspension parts that could be causing this, probably mainly on the right hand side of the car, but frankly I'm more concerned with your and other road users' safety. You should not drive it until fixed!!

[reevoanders]

OK, will have a look ASAP!
Thanks very much.

Reevo

Originally Posted by Michael J

Check again. Get the wheel off and pop off the inspection cover, make sure the pads are free to move. If so, then good.

My car "passed" an MOT last November, according to the station it was tested at. It's been making a bit of noise at the back since I got it though, a sort of graunching when braking or, particularly, reversing. That suddenly got worse and it started juddering heavily, so I looked through the wheels at the visible outer surface of the discs and, sure enough, the right rear was rusty. Wheel off, and it was immediately apparent that not only was the outer pad seized solid but it had clearly been so for a very long time. The inner pad is down to a third or less thickness, the outer looks like it has never made contact. It took over two hours hammering a screwdriver around the pad to remove enough corrosion to free it off so it could move at all. It now judders less horribly than before and it is getting better but it's still not nice at all. If I didn't know the cause I'd really be quite worried. I need some new brake parts now, one disc, hence a pair, one set of pads, hence two sets, all the pins and clips, etc., preferably a pair of calipers so I can swap them in and then refurb this set. I'd like to know how it passed.

My main point is that things can go bad quickly (although on my car I don't believe that is the case), so do check as it is easy and quick to do.

[ShadeTek]

It sounds like your control arm bushes are worn. Jack the front of the car up and try moving the wheel back and forwards to see if there's any movement. If there is, then check to see if there's any movement in the control arm ball joint. If the ball joint is OK, then fit some polybushes on the arm to rectify your problem.

[reevoanders]

Hi ShadeTek

Thanks very much for that: will try to attend to that ASAP!!

Reevo

Originally Posted by ShadeTek

It sounds like your control arm bushes are worn. Jack the front of the car up and try moving the wheel back and forwards to see if there's any movement. If there is, then check to see if there's any movement in the control arm ball joint. If the ball joint is OK, then fit some polybushes on the arm to rectify your problem.

[Luxobarge]

+1 on the bottom arms - replace the whole lot, easy to do and that way you replace all the bushes and the bottom ball joint at the same time. Ideally do both sides to keep them matched. DO set up the tracking afterwards, as it WILL be out though - on my car it was way out, off the scale.

Also, +1 on don't drive your car like that, it's lethal to you and other road users.

Re. sticking pads - this is what happens when they aren't re-assembled properly, i.e. with copper slip on the metal-to-metal surfaces. I've been mechanicing on cars for 30-40 years and never ever had a pad (or a caliper)stick - but then I do it properly. Problem is it takes a little longer, so many garages don't do it!

[ShadeTek]

You should be looking for this kind of problem.







This is what I found on my car when I had your symptoms. Six month old Scantech control arms. Avoid.