2001 3Dr Seems To Be Steering From The Rear!

[davef2901]

Hi guys, puzzled here, wife's 3dr mk3 vvti auto seems to be steering from the rear! It's not as bad as it sounds, just a vague pitch and wander from time to time. Now if it were a Jag with independent rear suspension, I'd just change the rear "A" bar bushes, but the Rav hasn't a rear "A" bar!

My thoughts are drop links first, then anti roll bar bushes, but to be honest I haven't a clue here and can't find anything relevant on yahoo or google.

Anyone got any ideas?

Help much appreciated!

[crofter]

Just a stab in the dark as I am not sure if this is possible but could this be caused by the planetery gears in the diff not working as they should causing the wheels to "skip" to catch up with the other side?

Be interesting to find out from the more learned on here.

Come on you techies

Del

[bigend]

Looks to me as if it points to rear track control arms . Check the bushes.

Keith

[john21245]

I would think the more likely cause ,and certainly more easy to check, would be suspension bushes or steering bushes.Just because it feels its coming from the rear could easily be a worn front component.

[john21245]

Sorry Keith, posted the same time as you,

John.

[gjnorthall]

Drop links or torsion bar fracture wouldn't cause the rear to wander on a reasonable road. Similarily a suspension bush would need to be very badly worn and would probably knock. A damaged track control arm, broken road spring or failed shock absorber would cause the rear to pitch and wander. For your safety and peace of mind - get the car checked ASAP.

[davef2901]

Thanks guys, getting Willi looked at

[Davrav]

Thanks guys, getting Willi looked at

Best get the car checked too............

[Big Kev]

Thanks guys, getting Willi looked at

Best get the car checked too............

Too long listening to ma pish, David.......lol. Not been on fra while........where are Hoddit and Doddit.....? Flying Kellyhopters.....?

Civil Partnership.....? Sorry.......delete Civil.........

[three5]

Hi guys, puzzled here, wife's 3dr mk3 vvti auto seems to be steering from the rear! It's not as bad as it sounds, just a vague pitch and wander from time to time. Now if it were a Jag with independent rear suspension, I'd just change the rear "A" bar bushes, but the Rav hasn't a rear "A" bar!

My thoughts are drop links first, then anti roll bar bushes, but to be honest I haven't a clue here and can't find anything relevant on yahoo or google.

Anyone got any ideas?

Help much appreciated!

No intention of insulting anyone's intelligence, but the first and easiest thing to check is tyre pressures and degree of wear. If the rears are worn considerably worse than the front or have otherwise deteriorated you are likely to get oversteer - which is really what you are describing. Tyre pressures can be considerably out of tolerance without showing visible signs ( i.e. looking flat ).

We had an owner of a not dissimilar RAV ( Snowy? ) a couple of years ago who complained of handling problems and changed wheels and tyres courtesy of Bothy. It seemed to do the trick. The wheels were not a part of the problem and were a only an appearance issue.

[davef2901]

Hi guys, been under Willi, found rt rear/front l drop links worn. Shocks aren't leaking and show no sign of having done so, but they are old. No play on anything else and the spring have paint on which may be that they aren't that old. Tyre pressures are at 30 all round on 235/70r16 Maxxis, map1 on fron, mas1 on back. Fronts have7-8mm tread, rears 5mm. I guessed the tyre pressure cos i don't have a handbook.

I'll be changing all the drop links 1st and report back, probably rear shocks next

Thanks for the advice

[gjnorthall]

Tyre pressures are on a sticker mounted on the drivers door frame. Leakage is just one failure mode of a shock absorber - their damping resistance deteriorates due to wear.

[davef2901]

The door frame sticker has been polished to white over the years! Very annoying!!

Thanks anyway, I did know that

[bothwell_buyer]

I think the tyre pressure should be 26.

On that age of car, I'd be looking at the rear suspension bushes. the way the suspension is set up, its quite difficult to check for wear on the bushes. If its really bad, you start getting knocks, but do check the bushes front and back. I tried getting polybushes for the rear trailing arm thingy bushes but couldn't as the cars are too old so they said.

Its worth getting the wheels aligned by the laser alignment system - I think it cost me about £120 but well worth it once it was done.

[davef2901]

Cheers Bothwell, when I had it up in the air on Sun, I was in there with the bar heaving and tugging all over! I agree with bushes, I'm paranoid about them(old Jags), but I think I'd be sticking to standard rather than polys. The lack of knocks anywhere did puzzle me, moreso since sunday when I found a lot of wear-I've seen much worse tho-on front and rear ARB drop links diagonally across, left front-right rear.

Thanks for the tyre pressure advice, I'll lower them in daylight!

Should have drop links tues, we'll see how we go.