This may get a little long.
Ill try to describe, about a month or two ago there was a rapid deterioration in the cars sureness and stability of handling whih is usually superb. At speed the car front track is a bit vague, the worse the surface the worse it can be same goes for increased speeds like motorway, hitting objects like cats eyes can cause the car to veer just a little bit, nothing huge but noticeable, car would also drift/track off one way or the other enough to require small corrections.
Had a check of control arms and steering, seems ok (font arms all recent maybe within 10k). Subframe mounts solid. Droplinks changed at same time and front ARB running powerflex bushes.
Convinced myself the front coilovers (shocks) must be at fault.
Car was running uniroyal rainexperts on front maybe about a year old but not wearing well at all, lots of uneven wear and sawtooth, had tracking done riight twice last 6 months. I should point out much of the harsh wear is likely down to rubbish roads Ive been using a lot.
So today I got get some tyres sorted out, to split what car is running on into a complete winter and a complete all weather set with some additions. Straight off fitter notices a little distortion in the sidewall of one uniroyal and finds both to be a bit poor, so I tell him to move them to back and Ill try them there and if theyre still no good Ill get rid.
Upon driving away from tyre place its quickly apparent car is much better, not perfect and sometimes you can feel the rears causing a little shimmy in the car, hoping to run them in on the back and see if they settle down once the wear evens out and corrects sawtooth after a good few miles.
Now Im in a quandry, I know for sure the front topmounts need changing bad, I have the parts prepped soon to do topmounts, and if neccesary pull the front coilovers and rear adjusters and springs and put in new shortened front sport shocks to matc rears and 40mm lowering springs all round.
I cant rule shocks out until I do topmounts, I can test them at that point.
To conclude Im wondering if others agree, could very worn topmounts and deteriorated tyres be the main culprits here? Ive never known tyres alone cause such bad handling effects like these, but Ive never had tyres and topmounts (and maybe shox) go bad on such a lowered car before.
So agree or other ideas?
Cars to be sold soon, Im hoping the expense of changing so much can be avoided but Im not prepared to pass it on in an unsafe condition therefore Ill put it right if necessary.
