i need help with my shaky suspension.

brantgraves · 08-19-2008, 03:31 PM

im new to the mr2 scene. i have been a 240 guy for a few years, and just caught a good deal on a mark 1 that i couldnt pass up. i will have several stupid questions im sure, but this is the first.

when i hit a bump in the road my steering wheel shakes, the whole car shakes, it really feels like i have no tie rod or something, but i put the car up on a lift and checked those and the control arms and ball joints, all seems to be in good shape. could it be bad struts and/or springs? it is a high milage car.

toy-driver · 08-19-2008, 05:58 PM

I had a similar problem. I had excessive play in the streering and would wander. The tie rods looked good. It turned out the bushing in the steering column was toast.
Look under the dash in the pedal area, where the column going through the firewall. Move the wheel back and forth and look for play.
I filled in where the bushing was with black RTV. Steering feels so much better.

fvillota · 08-19-2008, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toy-driver

I had a similar problem. I had excessive play in the streering and would wander. The tie rods looked good. It turned out the bushing in the steering column was toast.
Look under the dash in the pedal area, where the column going through the firewall. Move the wheel back and forth and look for play.
I filled in where the bushing was with black RTV. Steering feels so much better.

thans for that. im gonna take a look tomorrow because i have the same problem

mr2stealth · 08-19-2008, 09:32 PM

when i had 17s on my car, before i got them balanced, they knocked a bolt on the lower control arm in the right rear, whenever i hit a bumb the back end would shake and the steering wheel would be hard to control. i took the 17s off and it still did that, because i didnt find out about the bolt till after i sold them. i fixed it and it ran great. but i dont suggest putting 17s on a N/A mr2. just my experience.

brantgraves · 08-22-2008, 03:42 PM

thanks, im going to go check the steering column right now!

and yeah, 17s are huge for a mk1!

brantgraves · 08-22-2008, 04:13 PM

i checked that bushing in the steering column, pretty certain that is not the problem, my steering is responsive and i didnt notice any play.

the problem is mainly when i hit a bump, and i know its in the front part of the suspention..

fvillota · 08-22-2008, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brantgraves

i checked that bushing in the steering column, pretty certain that is not the problem, my steering is responsive and i didnt notice any play.

the problem is mainly when i hit a bump, and i know its in the front part of the suspention..

ok this happens to me and i checked today and noticed the sound comes from my struts/springs. for some reason they dont have this rubber they are supposed to have on the top as soon as i touched it, it fell out.

im guessing thats it... if not i hope someone does before i buy all 4 struts and springs

brantgraves · 08-25-2008, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fvillota

ok this happens to me and i checked today and noticed the sound comes from my struts/springs. for some reason they dont have this rubber they are supposed to have on the top as soon as i touched it, it fell out.

im guessing thats it... if not i hope someone does before i buy all 4 struts and springs

yeah, thats what im sayin, i hope someone has another suggestion before i just bite the bullet and buy all new struts too.

Gairloch · 08-25-2008, 06:51 PM

Have you checked your tie rods and ball joints? They're much more likely to be the culprit.

Jack each corner of the car up in turn.

Grab the wheel at 12-6 and give it a good shake. There shouldn't be any movement.
Grab the wheel at 9-3 and give it a good shake. There should only be very minimal movement in the front wheels.

If you have movement in either direction it's time to start looking for where the play is. It's likely to be either the ball joints or the tie rods. You find out which by lifting the car (USE JACK STANDS!11!!111) and having someone shake the wheel for you while you watch for where the play is.

brantgraves · 08-25-2008, 07:11 PM

yeah, i have already checked those, they are solid..

Gairloch · 08-25-2008, 08:18 PM

Aside from possible dead bushings you probably are looking at deceased dampers :-/

brantgraves · 08-25-2008, 11:05 PM

new struts not the answer at all then?
what am i looking at parts price wise and my own labor wise at replacing the dampers?

Gairloch · 08-25-2008, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brantgraves

new struts not the answer at all then?
what am i looking at parts price wise and my own labor wise at replacing the dampers?

strut = knuckle, strut body tube, damper, spring and strut top

damper = bouncy thing with gaskets in it that go splut when they get too old.

The MR2 has damper inserts, you don't replace the whole assembly.

If all you want is OE replacement then your best bet is a set of KYB GR2s. (Avoid KYB AGX adjustables at all cost. They suck.)

I have no idea what the labor cost would be. I just do it myself

It's not all that complicated. It just takes some time, patience and persistance.

brantgraves · 08-29-2008, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gairloch

strut = knuckle, strut body tube, damper, spring and strut top

damper = bouncy thing with gaskets in it that go splut when they get too old.

The MR2 has damper inserts, you don't replace the whole assembly.

If all you want is OE replacement then your best bet is a set of KYB GR2s. (Avoid KYB AGX adjustables at all cost. They suck.)

I have no idea what the labor cost would be. I just do it myself

It's not all that complicated. It just takes some time, patience and persistance.

yeah, im going to do it myself, i was askin how much time and what is the difficulty level in the labor? suspesion on my 240 was rediculously easy, but on my truck its near impossible. thats why i ask

08-19-2008, 03:31 PM	#1 (permalink)
brantgraves i wanna slide it! Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: wichita Posts: 42 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	i need help with my shaky suspension. im new to the mr2 scene. i have been a 240 guy for a few years, and just caught a good deal on a mark 1 that i couldnt pass up. i will have several stupid questions im sure, but this is the first. when i hit a bump in the road my steering wheel shakes, the whole car shakes, it really feels like i have no tie rod or something, but i put the car up on a lift and checked those and the control arms and ball joints, all seems to be in good shape. could it be bad struts and/or springs? it is a high milage car.

08-25-2008, 06:51 PM	#9 (permalink)
Gairloch Dreaming of apexes Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 4,854 Thanks: 125 Thanked 258 Times in 228 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (7/100% )	Have you checked your tie rods and ball joints? They're much more likely to be the culprit. Jack each corner of the car up in turn. Grab the wheel at 12-6 and give it a good shake. There shouldn't be any movement. Grab the wheel at 9-3 and give it a good shake. There should only be very minimal movement in the front wheels. If you have movement in either direction it's time to start looking for where the play is. It's likely to be either the ball joints or the tie rods. You find out which by lifting the car (USE JACK STANDS!11!!111) and having someone shake the wheel for you while you watch for where the play is. __________________ "Inside the car, the world beyond the driver's immediate horizon ceases to exist. Alone with the solitude of his desire, survival sense numbed by the speed, he's outrun the mediocrity of the outside world, slipped the shackles it tries to clamp on us all. He is running free, chased only by a fear of failure, for failure is to risk ejection into the real world." ~Mark Hughes

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08-19-2008, 05:58 PM	#2 (permalink)
toy-driver Getting there Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 265 Thanks: 3 Thanked 12 Times in 12 Posts iTrader Rating: (3/100% )	I had a similar problem. I had excessive play in the streering and would wander. The tie rods looked good. It turned out the bushing in the steering column was toast. Look under the dash in the pedal area, where the column going through the firewall. Move the wheel back and forth and look for play. I filled in where the bushing was with black RTV. Steering feels so much better.

08-19-2008, 09:32 PM	#4 (permalink)
mr2stealth Gett Sidewayz Join Date: May 2007 Location: Colorado Springs/Pueblo, Colorado Posts: 598 Thanks: 11 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	when i had 17s on my car, before i got them balanced, they knocked a bolt on the lower control arm in the right rear, whenever i hit a bumb the back end would shake and the steering wheel would be hard to control. i took the 17s off and it still did that, because i didnt find out about the bolt till after i sold them. i fixed it and it ran great. but i dont suggest putting 17s on a N/A mr2. just my experience.

08-22-2008, 03:42 PM	#5 (permalink)
brantgraves i wanna slide it! Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: wichita Posts: 42 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	thanks, im going to go check the steering column right now! and yeah, 17s are huge for a mk1!

08-22-2008, 04:13 PM	#6 (permalink)
brantgraves i wanna slide it! Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: wichita Posts: 42 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	i checked that bushing in the steering column, pretty certain that is not the problem, my steering is responsive and i didnt notice any play. the problem is mainly when i hit a bump, and i know its in the front part of the suspention..

08-25-2008, 07:11 PM	#10 (permalink)
brantgraves i wanna slide it! Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: wichita Posts: 42 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	yeah, i have already checked those, they are solid..

08-25-2008, 08:18 PM	#11 (permalink)
Gairloch Dreaming of apexes Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 4,854 Thanks: 125 Thanked 258 Times in 228 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (7/100% )	Aside from possible dead bushings you probably are looking at deceased dampers :-/

08-25-2008, 11:05 PM	#12 (permalink)
brantgraves i wanna slide it! Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: wichita Posts: 42 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	new struts not the answer at all then? what am i looking at parts price wise and my own labor wise at replacing the dampers?