T5 Handling woes. Discuss.

TIKIFULWOOD · Post by **TIKIFULWOOD** » 27 May 2010, 09:40

Hi Guy's and dolls. Trouble is this. When I brake, the cars steering wheel pulls to the right and when I accelerate it pulls to the left. It makes for interesting journeys. I reckon wishbone..

I've already changed the droplinks this year and the N/S wishbone. The beast has done 246,000. Any thoughts.

Post by **matthew1** » 27 May 2010, 11:54

Might* be the control arm bushing, which from what I've read is something you solve by putting in new control arms altogether.

This control arm topic and this control arm topic discuss the darting behavior you're talking about.

* I haven't replaced mine yet, so I'm not 100% sure

Post by **polskamafia mjl** » 27 May 2010, 11:56

I've got the exact same symptoms. I'm blaming it on the control arms as well. However, I'm redoing the suspenions/steering components in all 4 corners towards the end of July so hopefully the problem goes away but I won't know 100% that it was in fact the control arms.

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 27 May 2010, 18:08

You may have more than one issue going here. The car should never pull under braking but a small amount of torque steer is normal under acceleration.

Check and lightly grease the pins on the front brakes and then check all of the steering / suspension stuff - control arms, tie rod ends along with the bushings and end links on the delta arms in the rear for excessive wear. Excessive wear is if there is any discernible slop whatsoever.

...Lee

TIKIFULWOOD · Post by **TIKIFULWOOD** » 27 May 2010, 19:37

It's defo a component moving rather than brake pull in my opiion, as it settle's into it's new position and holds once loaded up with the power?brake force applied. Once the load is back to normal driving, she resumes normal steering whell position. I was worried it maybe the subframe bushes to be honest. But it only stated to happen after I got it back from KWIK-FIT (A major tyre/service chain here in england) following a tracking adjustment. Their motto is "You'll be amazed at what we do"..yeah, your right there.!

Anyway, back to the script. I presume and hope that when the car was jacked up and the suspension left to hang, the bushes gave way on the o's wishbone. Now, as I have no drive, and do all my own work, i'm hoping it's simple stuff like the wishbone and not subframe bushes as I won't be able to afford that.

Intresting angle on the delta bushes lee, as the o's\r tyre wears on the inside edge badly. and she does have a tendancy to tuck in rather too well during hard right hand cornering. i've done some research into these and it seems that genuine items are the best to get due to fitting issues with pattern parts. Instalation dosent seem to taxing.

I'll have a fiddle around a.s.a.p poiskamafia and let ya know if the control arm/wishbone replacement fixes our woes, but i'm hopeful it will...

Still, even with my old girls acrobating way's, she still manages to upset bmw 330 drivers.

Post by **polskamafia mjl** » 27 May 2010, 22:48

TIKIFULWOOD wrote: I'll have a fiddle around a.s.a.p poiskamafia and let ya know if the control arm/wishbone replacement fixes our woes, but i'm hopeful it will...

Still, even with my old girls acrobating way's, she still manages to upset bmw 330 drivers.

Amen to both of those sentences.

Post by **JRL** » 28 May 2010, 14:05

Gees
You changed the droplinks, big deal.
You have 240K MILES!!!!!
You need to rebuild the entire front end and at the same time have the brakes looked at by a capable mechanic

TIKIFULWOOD · Post by **TIKIFULWOOD** » 28 May 2010, 14:36

Yeah, it's plainly obvious that I should change every bush, washer and clip to conform to your exacting standards my friend. The car itself was bought for about 1200 of your dollars or clams or whatever you call them and i've done 50,000 hard miles in her. It makes no sense spending too much lolly on her...If she was an R, or a 164e, or a P1800, I would, gladly. I'll bang a wishbone on her and she'll be good to go.If the balljoint's okay i'll just rebush her. If anything else goes, i'll replace just that. As for getting a capable mechanic, I'm capable and thought I'd ask a question and see what people would suggest, as I was suspecting a subframe bush or something like that. Thats what forums are for innit.

Anyway cheers for your 'geez' and 'big deal', I thought i'd get the 'you tube' attitude on here at some point.

Post by **JRL** » 28 May 2010, 21:25

C'mon
Do you expect ANY car not just a Volvo to ride peachy and nice with no front end work with your mileage.
These cars can drive almost as new at your mileage but they need to be rebuilt every 100-130K or so.
See my T5 5 speed project in the performance forum, 2nd from the very top of the forum listings.
This is an almost complete rebuild of an entire wagon (mechanically) at 140K (but it IS a very rare Volvo).
Should you do this, not necesarily, actually probably not, but you do have some very worn out stuff down there so expect for it not to drive so hot

TIKIFULWOOD · Post by **TIKIFULWOOD** » 29 May 2010, 01:36

It's not rocket science is it. Yes, i'm aware that it's a good mileage, yes i'm aware that it needs a chunk spent on it to get it crisp again. But, to be honest, I think i've found the problem. The recent wishbone i put on (ball joint had excessive wear) was a pattern part, and i've got a sneaky that it's that. as it's got fore and aft movement in it now. where as the othere side wishbone is still solid and thats the original. That's why I asked a question as I was concerned it was subframe bushes as that is what it felt like.

Forums are here to help people. Not for people to get communicated to in a make wrong fashion...Anyway 25,000mls...
Girls mileage.