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Hi guys.
Been gradually sorting various bits of my d to do with the braking and handling.
I have had judder in the steering and pulling to one side under braking. These were solved with new wheel bearings and calipers being rebuilt.
I am now left with a squirrely sensation that manifest itself if I accelerate reasonably hard then release the gas. It immediately pulls the steering to the left a bit and I get a wobble as the car corrects itself back into a straight line.
Chris N has had the car a couple of times and checked the rack and said there is no play there.
I initially thought tracking. I took it to a local chain garage a while back but as 'Delorean' was not in their database were a bit stumped!
If I try again should I go for 4 wheel alignment?
Failing that what else could it be?
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Check your track rod ends. I know you said Chris N checked steering rack, but if the ball joint is loose at either or both of the wheels, then this might sit fine and apparently stiff while not being pulled up under acceleration.
Lower ball joints. Same reason.
Upper ball joints. Unlikely but worth a check anyway.
Are your suspension wishbones and bolted joints all tight?
Grab your coils and give them a good pulling in different directions. Are they tight?
Rissy
(Forum Member 288)
(DOC Member 663)
May 1981 vin#1458 "LEX"
Grey, Flapped, Black
Chassis: #1073
Engine: #2839
Main Car(s):
2005 BMW M3 in Velvet Blue
2010 Honda Civic Type R in Sapphire Blue (1 of 115 made)
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Check lower control arm bushes and antiroll bar bushes
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Mine acted similar when the lca bushes were shot. Also any time I hit a bump in the road the car would squirrel a bit at the front.
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This is the best kit for replacing the items should it turn out to be the parts at fault. Even if it's not it's a superb upgrade:
http://delorean-parts.com/Merchant2/mer ... =K1006DP-C
Chris
Posts: 135
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Looking back at the work done by the previous owner its had new trailing arm bolts, Lower front ball joints,
Steering track rod ends and Lower stabilizer arm bushes replaced in the last 18 months or so.
I'll get under the car and have a wiggle round and see where the play is coming from.
I think I will go ahead and order the sway bar combo kit anyway as it looks to be a worthwhile upgrade.
P.S.
Does this kit have any advantage over the above kit or is it in addition
http://www.delorean.eu/catalog/product_i...s_id=95061
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Stick with the DPNW kit
VIN# 04708, Grey interior, 5 speed, October 1981
DOC 649
ex DOC 562
Posts: 135
Threads: 18
Joined: Jun 2013
So an update on this:
I went ahead and ordered the sway bar kit from DPNW but while waiting for that to come from the states we were due a weekend away and wanted to take the D. I took it to a local garage and had them look at the tracking, this time armed with the workshop manual settings.
After they had finished I took it up and down the road and still had the same problem, they then told me that they could only do 2 wheel alignment and to try a proper 4 wheel alignment centre! To be fair they didn't charge me anything!
It wasnt until I took her on the trip North and onto the motorway that I found they had made things much worse!
Constant snaking at speed, like trying to control a yacht in a storm!
The kit arrived a few days ago and I have just had that fitted, took it out on the road and... No difference!
I think my next bet is to take it to a proper 4 wheel alignment center and eliminate that once and for all, especially as I have no confidence it is anything like correct.
Does anyone have a definitive set of settings I can take into a modern center that wont leave them scratching their heads or doing it incorrectly (again!) been trying to read up but seem to get conflicting/confusing info!!
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Take it to somewhere with a Hunter 4 wheel tracking system.
The D is on their system.
You could go for somewhere with another system, and give them them manual settings, but I wouldn't.
I paid something like a hundred quid to Wheels in Motion in Chesham. They've done quite a few D's, and are very good. Not monkeys, not at all.
Note: my local Kwik Fit has a hunter system. ...monkeys.... I wouldn't recommend them, but its up to you.
I would turn up pre-armed with a few TAB shims. Available from Ed in a few days.
I would not expect the ARB kit itself to make any difference without alignment being done. However, I would only get the 4 wheel alignment done (For the cash), once you have made ALL changes you are going to do (for a few years at leas). Otherwise, its money down the drain (IMO).
Remember, any changes you make to the suspension should really be followed by re-alignment. 4 wheel. 2 wheel alignment is not really suitable on a D.
Good Luck!
a
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And...
And if you loosen off the TAB's, with the wheels off the ground, turn the head of the bolt. If the wheel/TA assembly moves at all ,then there is no point doing much till you have replaced the TAB's. (And then probably the TA bushes as well).
Then again, I am a pedant, and my car hasn'r run for two years. Maybe you just want to enjoy yours?!
a
