Steering / Cournering Issue *serious*

[blk94r33]

i know this is not my thread but since we are on this subject........

I dont think i have the same problem as Willis because my car is pretty new with no or little wear .

I took my GTR R34 non VSPEC out on to country roads for the first time today and realised i was getting, mid corner weight shift putting the car off line ?

Its almost like the Hicas is kicking in about 80kms and darting the car around on long sweeping bends

The other thing i can think of from this thread is wheel alignment .

Also another thing to think about is the suspension on the Non VSPEC is pretty soft

Any help would be good . Thanks

I think 80kph IS the cut-in speed for the HICAS? Reason people disable it...

[bccccc]

Hey mate my R32 GTR got the same problem like urs, after i changed the inner and outer ball joints everything was fixed.

Go to nissan and get it inner ball joint was about 113 AUD forgot about the outer one.

GOOD LUCK dont worry!!!! easy fix!!!

[Willis]

Hey mate my R32 GTR got the same problem like urs, after i changed the inner and outer ball joints everything was fixed.

Go to nissan and get it inner ball joint was about 113 AUD forgot about the outer one.

GOOD LUCK dont worry!!!! easy fix!!!

Awesome, glad you got your issue fixed. Thanks for your input!

[MBS206]

Ok well abit of an update. Upon driving my car to Brisbane from Wagga Wagga NSW for my Christmas holidays i noticed that my steering issue is worse.

A mate and myself jacked her up and pulled the wheels off the fronts, to have abit of a look and see if we can see anything that looked out of place. First check we did was grabbing the brake rotor and gave it a good wiggle. I would have to say it had between 3 and 7mm of play .. indicating that the upper ball joint / something in that general area was completely rooted. As far as i know there is supposed to be ZERO play.

We also checked the otherside, there was a tiny bit of play there as well but no-where near as much. It all makes seems to make sense to me, the RH ball joint had the most play .. and my steering issue was when turning left. The RH side would load up under the weight of the car pushing outwards, and at a certain point the force would be great enough to allow the wheel / rotor / ball joint to "shift / play" mid-courner .. increasing the amount of camber on the outer wheel resulting in an increase of the already instructed turn.

I'm not sure if that is entirely correct (feel free to correct me) however i think it explains my cournering issue perfectly. I had to leave my car in Brisbane though due to the floods, so i won't be able to get the ball joint fixed for another 2 months or so to confirm my prognosis. But i thought i'd update this thread to let anyone else who has similar issue's know what / where to check

Thanks BWRGTR, as your suggestion was dead on.

I just diddn't think it would have been something so obvious.. my mechanic couldn't find it (isn't it the first thing to check, play in the rotor / wheel that is) .. so i think from now on i'll try and fault find my own problems!

Hope this helps.

Willis.

If you had the wheels off, and you grabbed the brake rotor, it WILL move around.

The wheel holds the brake rotor tight. Sometimes they lock on nice and tight to the studs (Your left hand side) other times they near on fall off.

Try and shake it around with the wheel bolted on tight.

[Willis]

If you had the wheels off, and you grabbed the brake rotor, it WILL move around.

The wheel holds the brake rotor tight. Sometimes they lock on nice and tight to the studs (Your left hand side) other times they near on fall off.

Try and shake it around with the wheel bolted on tight.

G'day mate!

Yes we did that as well. Not just the brake rotor moves around, everything does. Something is defintly wrong And also my rotor is locked on to my studs perfectly, no play between the studs and the rotor itself!

Perhaps i should have been more specific. Cheers tho!

Willis.

[Tony Brown]

Willis, it sounds to me as though you have front hub/wheel bearing issues.

When you were able to check the free play, was it only horizontal, only vertical or in all directions?

Horizontal only play would indicate steering/tie rods, vertical play only could indicate ball joints/bushes and if theplay was in all directions, I would think could only be caused by hubs/wheel bearings or more unlikely all of the above.

Hope this helps, Tony

P.S. if it is hubs/wheel bearings I would'nt be driving that car more than you absolutely have to.(5km maybe?)

To have a hub fail (if thats what it is) while moving would be very dangerous to you, anyone near you and to your car.

P.S.S. Can't believe your mechanic couldn't find this! Might be time for a new mechanic.

Edited February 3, 2011 by Tony Brown

[Beer Baron]

willis, check your steering rack mount bushes. you get this problem like you describe when the rack mount bushes are worn as the rack slides in it's mounts creating strange steering problems. could also be toe settings (get the alingment re-checked and find out what everything is set to), or could be stuffed ball joints or tie rod ends. you really need a suspension specialist to have a good look under the front end. the free play in the front suggests wheel bearings but could be a number of things. just get it checked by a professional asap.

[Willis]

Cheers, will do. I think i'll just take it to pedders and get them to tell me what's wrong, then go elsewhere to get it repaired? Most people don't like pedders

[SNOQPY]

well this sounds like my problem. but ive got more of a floating issue even on a straight. you start to feel it about 60km and gets to a point where at 110, youll be driving along and all of a sudden youll be in lane one, then bang lane two.

i have replaced:

bilstein coil overs all round, new brake rotors, pads, hubs & bearings, wheels, tyres, rack bushes, lower control arms and bushes, rack ends, tie rod ends, adjustable castor rods, front sub frame. and thats just for the front of the car.

as for the rear:

still have the HICAS as it has not given me problems. nolothene rear subframe bushes, yes i have IRS and a nolothene diff hanger from Z31parts.com.

i think my next card will be pedders.

[GTR-N1]

Cheers, will do. I think i'll just take it to pedders and get them to tell me what's wrong, then go elsewhere to get it repaired? Most people don't like pedders

The crummy Pedders places cop all the flack - and deservedly so. This puts their reputation into a bad light.

Some franchisee owners (eg an Exec of Lower Blue Mtns Christian Car Club) however, are absolutely superb; but the store owner can be wading against a tide of stereotyping.

[Willis]

Alright so i've now confirmed finally that my issue lies in the "Inner and Outer" Ball joints. I do however need some advice, upon speaking to a Nissan parts dude today.. he told me that on the imports BNR32 there is only a lower ball joint and the upper is called a "king pin" .. does this sound correct? Can anyone confirm that these are the 2 parts i require.

This is the first i've heard of the "king pin" as everyone seem to refer to inner and outer or upper and lower ball joints. (after searching SAU)

Any info or advice would be greatly appreciated!

[Willis]

hmm .. anyone ?

[Willis]

Ok i've fixed the issue. Replaced the inner lower control arm ball joint and it's all sweet now. Now to replace more worn out bits and keep improving the old girl Thanks for all your help guys

[femno]

Awesome mechanic!

Should be shot for not being able to find something so simple.

[Willis]

It's strange.. the peddars guy missed it as well. Shockingly simple.