Back end and Tyre trouble

3844 Views 13 Replies 4 Participants Last post by ampers, May 19, 2012

Goudy

Discussion Starter · May 18, 2012 (Edited)

Had a nightmare trip back from Brussels, I should have been home at lunch time, but I've serious issues with the back end of my 2.0D estate and I've just walked in.

The road noise started to get a little intrusive, more than normal and the car started to feel a little loose on the motorway, I pulled over to see if I had a soft tyre when I looked at the back, the O/S was canvas on the inner edge and the N/S was almost as bad.
The tread on both inner edges about a third of the way across, missing, gone, no longer there!

Managed to find a tyre place in the back of beyond and in pigeon foreign managed to explain that the tread was there this morning, but something must be wrong to wear them away like that.
I got the usual shrug and a couple of new tyres fitted at triple the normal cost.

All the way home, the car feels like it's steering from the back end if I changed lanes or hit a bump, the faster I went, the worse it felt, it felt just like the moment before the back end breaks free in an oversteer, slower speeds (under 40mph) and it's hard to detect.

The O/S tyres inner edge is still getting red hot compared to the other three and I had to nurse the car all the way back at 40mph!!

There are no knocks, bangs or rattles back there, just the wagging tail, the inner edge wear (and I mean almost instant wear) and the hot inner tyre edge.

What the f**k is wrong??

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jagryan85

· #2 · May 18, 2012 (Edited)

Sounds like worn rear lower arms. The bushes can deteriorate throwing the camber angles all over the show. Think of it like this you turn corners and because of the worn bushes they will be flexing making the back end very loose and unstable and killing the tyres at the same time.

Just because their is no knocking/banging/squeaking does not mean the bushes have not perished. Best to get under the car with a long screwdriver and check for play and movement.

I can almost certainly guess these will be the culprets. You also mention about the wheels gettin hot, if not the bushes i suspect sticking calipers. Jack the rear up and see if the wheels turn easily enough, and while its up, check for play by grabbing side to side and top to bottom

Ryan

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Goudy

Discussion Starter · #3 · May 18, 2012

Cheers Ryan, I'm thinking more clearly now, was a little fecked off and stressed earlier.

I'll have a good poke around tomorrow, I have a set of these tucked up it the shed as a just in case.

I was thinking the O/S control arm may be knackered as that's the tyre that took the brunt then the N/S has been dragged along pissed because of it.

I've had four good months problem free, so I guess it's time to pay for it!!

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jagryan85

· #4 · May 18, 2012

I feel 4 ya goudy! We've all been there! Least you have spares tho good to plan ahead! When mine went the back end was all over the show, quite interesting really, the x type really puts on a good show while going sideways

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Goudy

Discussion Starter · #5 · May 18, 2012

It was pissing it down and if I blinked the back end changed lanes, it was a little unsettling, by the time I got to London the mrs had to prize my fingers off the steering wheel.

And to top off a shi'te day, I even missed out on the usual vat of vin, as I didn't fancy weighting the back end up any more than necessary.

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jagryan85

· #6 · May 19, 2012

jeez..sounds a lot worse than some lower arms to me! Is there any noticeable difference in the camber angles? Hope you sort it out soon mate! Try gettin the mrs or someone else to wobble the car side to side while peeking underneath to see if anything noticeable has movement

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CORKY

· #7 · May 19, 2012

Think yourself lucky it was raining.....keeps the tyres cool

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Goudy

Discussion Starter · #8 · May 19, 2012 (Edited)

Been out this morning with the hammer and chisels.
I found this on the O/S

Replaced both sides with my spares and took it around for alignment.

Both rears toeing out big time (they are meant to toe in slightly)
All sorted and it's seems to drive spot on again, though I've yet to get up past 40 mph for any distance, will have to wait until I get on the motorway next.

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jagryan85

· #9 · May 19, 2012 (Edited)

I would say they were bad, and they are, but you should of saw mine

I guess thats the problem then!!

How were your bolts? Mine, just a nightmare :| I thought camber was set on these cars and can't be adjusted? Maybe its now straight and looks odd to you now

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Goudy

Discussion Starter · #10 · May 19, 2012

I've had these off before, so they were all copper slipped up and slid out nicely.

Mine's a diesel estate, so I have to contend with the tank shield that stops the inner bolt pulling free, but the mod I did last time helped, a big hole in the shield!!

Cheers for the replies guys, I guess I was lucky the rain kept the rears cool.

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jagryan85

· #11 · May 19, 2012

Lucky you! I noticed when i done mine that the tank shield had a hole in it - not done by me!! Saved me a job anyway

Here's to happy motoring....

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ampers

· #12 · May 19, 2012

Goudy,

Your picture shows the rear suspension lower front control arm and obviously both sides have gone.
I thought you had replaced both sides fairly recently.
Could you tell me how many miles you have done since replacing them?

PS. I've done one side on mine and the other is starting to creak a little under provocation.

Cheers,
Ampers

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Goudy

Discussion Starter · #13 · May 19, 2012

I replaced them in Jan or Feb 2011, about 15 or 16k ago.
When I replaced them then, I got hold of some pattern arms on a sort of test from a pattern parts manufacturer (long story), who have a email and pics of the offending item, that's why I had the others in the shed.

I guess the lesson may be to fit genuine parts, but I've also stressed out the back suspension by exceeding the recommended nose weight with a tow bar mounted motorbike rack (and bike, obviously!) I've worked out it's around 20kg above the recommended 75kg.

I'm also sure that the roads in my area haven't helped the tracking, the streets for miles around here are full of enormous "traffic calming" attempts.
(it's wishy washy Liberal controlled council, well at least the roads aren't ploughed and planted up full of organic tofu like the Greens what)
Feet high humps of tarmac, massive concrete, beveled squares and raised brick ramps as far as the eye can see!!

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ampers

· #14 · May 19, 2012

Goudy,

Thanks for quick reply.
I've just ordered new control arm from Jaguar(via EBay), to replace the one that I didn't change that's done 86k miles, so you are right, some parts probably need to be genuine.
When I changed the first one, I checked the other and greased it up, but the actual rubber was a bit floppy compared to the new one, and low and behold 10 months later, and it's started to creak.

Cheers,
Ampers

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