Message text written by Mark Hooper
>I have 2 issues that I think are probably linked:
1 - At around 65-70 mph on what passes for a smooth highway in Quebec I can
get a vibration/shudder in the front of the car. I was sure that it was an
out-of-balance tire or rim, except for the fact that sometimes the car is
dead smooth. The shudder is odd in that it feels like the front of the car
is "wagging" side to side as much as jumping up and down. A bit of both. It
is definitely felt in the steering wheel. If I go faster, it damps down but
is not perfectly smooth until around 80 mph.
2 - When driving slowly 20-30 mpg if I run over a manhole cover or pothole,
the car really bounces around on the front end only. It feels like the rear
wheels are both on the ground while the front hops from one wheel to the
other. In other words the car feels like it is twisting along its length.
It
really feels like the whole machine is made of rubber for a half second or
so. Frankly it also feels like the top of the car is shaking side-to-side
relative to the bottom.
I have an appointment scheduled at the mechanics in Montreal to try and
identify the issue, but I thought the massed minds of the list might have
seen this question before.
<
Mark,
1) check the steering rack mounts. These things can get loose and let the
rack itself shift side to side making for vague and loose steering. The
mounting brackets are not the way I would design them. If this were to
start oscillating it could cause the effect you described.
2) welcome to the world of the TR6. These things flex. It is the nature
of a body-on-frame design. Fortunately the car is narrow enough that it is
typically not noticeable. But sarcasm aside, this could be the result of
stiff springs in the front and soft springs in the rear. This is the way
the factory set them up figuring the softer springs in the rear would give
a less harsh (more to the American taste) ride. Try pushing on the front
bumper and note how far down the car dips. Next push down on the rear with
the same pressure and note how much further the back end dips.
Another thing to do is verify that the front shock tower cross brace is in
place. That is one of the two pieces that makes belt changes impossible
(or nearly so) - the other being the steering rack.
Good luck.
Dave
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