Suspension problems

**Blue 6** · 9-8-04, 1:24

Some of you may remember that a while ago i posted that drivers side front wheel had a rubbing noise when turning hard to the left. This was discovered to be the ARB which had moved in its mountings and was put back correctly. well its started to do it again. What with that and excessive tyre wear on the inside edges and the excessive camber on the drivers side front wheel i'm begining to wonder if there is something more serious going on here !. My local garage can't find any play in the suspension to indicate any trouble with any of the ball joints etc.
The car has done over 100k so could it be a spring sagging or shock ?
There are a lot of bits that could be replaced on the suspension where do you start.

Help

Can you easily change the mounting bushes on the ARB ? and are there some uprated ones

Thanks as always for the advice

**cruisemad** · 9-8-04, 1:53

Is your car standard or has it been lowered???

When was the last time the tracking was checked???

**Blue 6** · 9-8-04, 1:57

Hi Cruise
Its about as standard as you can get the tracking was checked and reset to +1.5 on both sides about a month ago was 3.0 drivers side and 2.5 on passengers

**cruisemad** · 9-8-04, 2:07

hmmmm. Was expecting you to say it was lowered. Ask john for the tracking and camber sheets from the bible and get all of it checked.

**Blue 6** · 9-8-04, 2:17

Thetracking has been reset to +1.50 both sides, but this now give a camber of NSF -1.35 (which is in tolerance) but and OSF of -2.45 which is nearly 2 degs off ideal !
the top strut mounts are set as standard
i Have heard that the springs do sag with time and wonder if this could be similar to the effect of lowering ? can you get springs tested.whats the cost of a new set

**Einstein** · 9-8-04, 2:34

Hi Blue.. the only other thing I can think of, is that the car has had an accident in it's life which has bent the chassis slightly.. I think you need to have the car checked further for alignment... there shouldn't be that much difference in the castor/camber settings... especially since the only adjustment is the top of the struts..

Something is not quite right there..

John

**Ian F Chequer** · 9-8-04, 13:41

According to one of John's responses to Ian on Tracking II the toe in should be 0 degrees 8 minutes 30 seconds on each side.

So 1 degree 30 minutes each side is way too much toe in.

regards,

Ian Chequer

**Blue 6** · 9-9-04, 1:31

John
I cant find any clue as to the car having been in any accident, except that two of the alloys (origional 96 mx6 ones)did have very very small cracks in the spokes only spotted when given a really good clean.( Mazda replaced them free of charge)

Its all a bit worrying, mind you the last pair of front tyres wore out very evenly, and this seems to have come on since i've had the car. I do suspect that maybe a bush/mounting has given up somewhere as there feel a slight knock/ vibration when you catch even a slight bump in the road. When your just rolling along at 40mph it tends to pull to the left (maybe just road camber sensitive) under harder acceleration it seems to pull straight. This makes me wonder if one of the control arm bushes has gone. I do hope the chassis isn't bent these no fix for that !

**Einstein** · 9-9-04, 2:46

Have you had a 4 wheel alignment done ??

or had the car checked for straightness..

just had another bright idea...

Jack the front end up... turn the wheel from lock to lock, and count the turns back so the wheel is in the middle of the travel.. The steering wheel should be near enough pointing straight. (just to see if the steering wheel has been removed and put back on off centre)
If not, remove the steering wheel, and put it straight... then start adjusting the tracking from there.

The amount of travel for each wheel is different... as in the inside wheel will turn more than the outer.. if it's off centre, this may cause some difference in allignment..

Clutching at straws, but in theory it's a good idea

John

**Blue 6** · 9-9-04, 3:23

Thanks John any suggestions are appreciated.

I just want the car to run as it should do. I'll find somewhere to get a 4 wheel alignment done on it.
How do you get the car checked for straightness ? will the 4 wheel alignment show this up ?
The fact that the arb keeps moving across to the offside and rubbing on the body work would suggest that somethings moving around somewhere.
I've booked it in with my mechanic for tomorrow aft we'll get it up on the hoist and see whats happening i hope. Then perhaps a 4 wheel alignment check and a cheap pair of tyres just to see if the trackings sorted.

One day i might have some money to think about upgrading stuff

**Einstein** · 9-9-04, 7:13

The chassis alignment is done on a jig.. "carOliner" springs to mind..

John

**StuartMX6** · 9-9-04, 11:16

John didnt we get a flyer from a bloke at trax about wheel alignment and club discount, could be worth finding out about, although northamptons abit of a treck from croydon area

but if it solves the prob then..........

Stu

**Einstein** · 9-9-04, 12:10

Yes Stu.. details in parts/suppliers forum..

John

p.s. this has been recommended by Richy Rich for a member on my club... but I noticed they do jig alignments... and it's in London..

Sinclaire of London 01708 34304 www.lotusrepairs.com

apparently very good and not only Lotus!

**Blue 6** · 9-13-04, 1:49

Well having got the car in the air and shifted the ARB back into the correct central position using a big crow bar the rubbing noise has now stopped. But why does it keep doing this.We also went right round the rest of the suspension and everything looks straight and feels tight. However knowing the camber is well out on the offside i was advised by an ex mx6 owner to measure the distance between the wheel arch and the wheel rim on level ground. The offside came out at about 13.2cm and the neaside at 15cm ! so perhaps its knacked spring

Any one got some standard ones for sale ? mazda wants £75 + each
What rating should they be ?
Can you get them checked to see what they actually are ?

**Einstein** · 9-13-04, 6:48

Standard spring spec:

Manual..

13mm wire, 175mm diameter coil, 301mm free length, 2.86 coil number.

Auto..

as above but 309mm free length, 3.02 coil number.

I dont reckon it's the springs, as they won't affect the geometry that much.

John