Disco1 Suspension Mystery

[sampson3199]

My '98 model Tdi recently began to drive very strangely on the highway. It felt like it was swimming. And then the front wheels would shimmy whenever it hit a bump. So I changed the panhard rod bushes, the steering damper, the rest of the front end bushes and had a wheel alignment. All to no avail. Then I had the back axle aligned. Nothing has changed. Tried rotating the tyres.

Could it be the shock absorbers?? They are original but still seem OK. Any idea? Any experience with this? It happened after I put new BF Goodrich Mud Grip Tyres on the back. Still has the old Michelins on the front. Thanks for any help. David N

[langy]

Next on the list should be checking the swivel preload - that should stop the shimmy. The swimming bit sounds like a shock has given up. After ten years, a new set of shocks would be a good idea anyway. A dud shock may have affected the older tyres - check for out-of-round on a balancing machine at a tyre place

[victa125]

Possibly check that alignment specs are correct all toe out, some models have differing specs but 0-2.5mm seems to cover all, also important to check steering box central when wheels straight ahead.

[100I]

David I'd be wary of putting tyres on in pairs, it wouldn't be doing the centre diff much good.

[Rob Bruce]

Assuming someone else did your work, get under with some big shifters and spanners and check tightness of all suspension bolts. This happened years ago to me when my Disco 1 was twelve months old, it started to wonder and not corner saftly in fact it was not drivable over 60km/h. Most of the suspension bolts had come loose :eek:

Rob

[JDNSW]

The shimmy when hitting bumps points straight at swivel preload, but it could be anything in the suspension (front or rear) or steering that is loose. In addition to swivel preload, I would look very carefully at the bushes where the rear lower link attaches to the axle.

John

[rick130]

My '98 model Tdi recently began to drive very strangely on the highway. It felt like it was swimming. And then the front wheels would shimmy whenever it hit a bump. So I changed the panhard rod bushes, the steering damper, the rest of the front end bushes and had a wheel alignment. All to no avail. Then I had the back axle aligned. Nothing has changed. Tried rotating the tyres.

Could it be the shock absorbers?? They are original but still seem OK. Any idea? Any experience with this? It happened after I put new BF Goodrich Mud Grip Tyres on the back. Still has the old Michelins on the front. Thanks for any help. David N

At least one dodgy front shock absorber.

Mixing tyre types generally isn't recommended, either. It can sometimes make the car walk around on the highway

[matbor]

shock absorber, IMO, do only notice it after a certain speed ? agree with not mixing tyres!

[100I]

... I now wonder if it's just tread squirm?
Have you had MTs before?

[loanrangie]

Shocks, they would be shagged after 10 years i know mine were when i pulled the originals out 18 months ago.

[Jojo]

Just to add a bit more to the confusion, check the ball joints as well (been there, done that). Although my bet is on the swivels as well.

[chev28]

I went through this a year or so ago and did the preloads, checking bushes, tyres, etc, etc. What really nailed it for me in the end was putting in a Bilstein damper.

See here
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/technical-chatter/32629-disco-front-end-shake.html