Escort Estate, M reg, 120k miles
STeering has been getting gradually odd over last 10k miles or so.
First - if you turn to near full lock, the "resistance" goes negative, so it stays on full lock - you can turn in circles with no hands on the wheel.
Are the all like that?? It's done that since we got the car at about 90k.
SLightly more noticeable one side than the other. The tyres sound like they're scrubbing, near full lock.
Main problem though, can be described several ways:
eg
like there's a spongy rubber mounting on the steering. If you're driving straight, slowish, it tends to "run off" small ridges in the road, as though the wheels can move a bit without the steering wheel.
or
If you go into a bend, it's like the lean (the camber), of the wheels is wrong, so the wheel tucks in at the bottom and you oversteer a little bit.
or
if you move the steering wheel a little, quickly, there's a sort of delay while the springiness of the steering gets the wheels to turn, then you turn a bit more than you thought you would.
There's no obvious sign of anything springy or loose. It's been through a service or two and an MOT or two and had new tyres, and the tracking done. Also had new front & rear shocks.
I wonder if-
eg
Whacking kerbs has bent something, so the camber angle is wrong. It's non-adjustable, and I don't know what the angle of dangle should be. ANyone???
It's had new McPherson's at the front - could they be at the wrong angle?
or
something like the lower wishbone inner pivot has gone soft or something, so the camber angle can change on lateral force.
I may have made it sound wildly dangerous, but it's quite a small effect, just a bit disconcerting! Tyre wear is pretty normal - a bit more on the outside as per power-steering cars do.
The vehicle is handy, but worth approximately nothing, so it isn't going into a Ford agent for dismantling!
STeering has been getting gradually odd over last 10k miles or so.
First - if you turn to near full lock, the "resistance" goes negative, so it stays on full lock - you can turn in circles with no hands on the wheel.
Are the all like that?? It's done that since we got the car at about 90k.
SLightly more noticeable one side than the other. The tyres sound like they're scrubbing, near full lock.
Main problem though, can be described several ways:
eg
like there's a spongy rubber mounting on the steering. If you're driving straight, slowish, it tends to "run off" small ridges in the road, as though the wheels can move a bit without the steering wheel.
or
If you go into a bend, it's like the lean (the camber), of the wheels is wrong, so the wheel tucks in at the bottom and you oversteer a little bit.
or
if you move the steering wheel a little, quickly, there's a sort of delay while the springiness of the steering gets the wheels to turn, then you turn a bit more than you thought you would.
There's no obvious sign of anything springy or loose. It's been through a service or two and an MOT or two and had new tyres, and the tracking done. Also had new front & rear shocks.
I wonder if-
eg
Whacking kerbs has bent something, so the camber angle is wrong. It's non-adjustable, and I don't know what the angle of dangle should be. ANyone???
It's had new McPherson's at the front - could they be at the wrong angle?
or
something like the lower wishbone inner pivot has gone soft or something, so the camber angle can change on lateral force.
I may have made it sound wildly dangerous, but it's quite a small effect, just a bit disconcerting! Tyre wear is pretty normal - a bit more on the outside as per power-steering cars do.
The vehicle is handy, but worth approximately nothing, so it isn't going into a Ford agent for dismantling!
That's what they look like new, the existing parts will be corroded on, covered in all manner of sh**e, inaccessible and removable only with a 7mm allen key 
