Thread: Tyre wear/wobbles/bump steer :(

Possibly more than 1 issue at play but the bump steer does sound like swivel preload to me. You can’t check it by rocking the wheel though. You’re checking for play in the wheel bearings by doing that.

The workshop manual has the procedure and it exists in a few threads on here too (do a search), but it’s something like jack up wheel and use a stand, remove wheel, remove steering rod and drag link. Check how easily the hub swivels. (You’ll have to search for the correct setting). Adjust by removing shims at the top of the hub assembly.

The tyre wear suggests incorrect toeout. The wobbles are almost certainly free play somewhere in the steering or supension. Two checks.

Firstly, get someone to saw the steering vigorously back and forth while you check by vision and feel for any free play in the steering and front suspension. Look at the steering box anchorage, the pitman arm to pitman shaft, all tie rod ends, both ends of the panhard rod, both swivels, and both chassis and axle bushes on the radius arms.

There should be no movement anywhere, except slight compression of rubber, and definitely no clicking anywhere.

Secondly, jack up each front wheel, and see if you can move it either vertically or horizontally by grasping each side (and then top and bottom) of the tyre and rocking it. There should be no movement with the steering locked. If there is, work out where it is - if it stops with someone's foot on the brake, it is a wheel bearing, if it is only in the vertical attempt, it is swivels.

Note that there is almost certainly more than one source of free play. Most likely to be the main culprit are the panhard rod bushes or tierod ends, but there are plenty of other places that can contribute!

Originally Posted by JDNSW

The tyre wear suggests incorrect toeout.

Thanks guys!

Wouldn't it be too much toe-in causing wear to the outside edges of the tyre?



Anyone know what the correct toe-in degrees/mm difference between front and back is meant to be? Something i can measure with a tape measure...
My workshop manual says "X-Y= 0 to 2mm" with x front measurement between tyres and y back measurement between tyres.
But 0 would mean no toe-in and 2mm would mean slightly toe-out... :/

Easy thing to check is actual wheel bearings.
Mine seem to get slightly loose every few months(haven't logged them, but maybe 6 months/15K klms). I've marked the last one I did recently and keep an eye on when it'll need checking.
Easiest job to do compared to the other possible issues likely causing the wobble.

I did my swivel preload a while back, total PITA of a job in reality. idiotic brake pipe location, mine has oil in hubs, so messy job. Swivel bearings looked good(I actually did it for both preload check and to check the condition of the bearings swivel pin).

If you have a hub nut socket, a quick check of wheel bearing nut tightness could eliminate some steering kickback, if they're a tad worn.

When you say " ... I could check bearing preload again... "?
Do you mean, wheel or swivel?
What could be wrong is worn swivel bearing/s and/or pin.

One other thing I noted not mentioned is the steering shaft.
For the past 2 years, I've been meaning to pull mine and give it a check over, maybe a clean up, grease/lube if possible .. but they can wear(unit and or rubber coupling) check splines and bolt that secures it.
Play in the steering shaft seems to be magnified 100x through the steering wheel when it comes to a bit of kick back.

If it is the same as the 110, and since the geometry is the same, I'm sure it is, toe out is what it is supposed to be. Most cars have toe in, which means wheel alignment specialists have been known to apply toe in rather than out. And, in the not impossible situation of a slightly bent axle housing, the toe out needed to prevent uneven tyre wear will be different, probably more toe out.

Note that measuring toe out or in is a complete waste of time if there is any free play in the tie rods ends on the track rod, wheel bearings, or swivels. (And care is needed if the wheels are bent)

Originally Posted by AK83

When you say " ... I could check bearing preload again... "?
Do you mean, wheel or swivel?

Thanks.
Yep, I set the swivel hub bearing pre-load about 50,000kms ago.
The steering and tyre wear have been ok for about 12 months, but it has taken a few hits offroading in that time so something has changed in the suspension/steering.

Anyone know if an adjustable panhard rod is worth it for only a 2 inch lift?

I have checked for play in the tierod ends (pretty new), panhard bushes, radius arm bushes etc - all seems ok. As i mentioned i am replacing the radius arm bushes soon anyway.

Originally Posted by JDNSW

If there is, work out where it is - if it stops with someone's foot on the brake, it is a wheel bearing, if it is only in the vertical attempt, it is swivels.

Awesome, great tip! I will try the brake test tonight and see if the swivel bearings are at fault.

Okey dokey.

So i checked for play in the wheel bearings and swivel hub bearings and there is only a tiny amount in the wheel bearings that i will sort out soon.

I also checked for play in the steering joints, arms, mounts etc. Also, checked the toe-out/in and it is set as approx 0.

The only thing i haven't checked yet is the swivel hub preload.

On thinking about the problem i removed the front left shock absorber to see if it works and it is stuffed!! No resistance to compression and a really slow expansion/rebound.

So my next question is: If we assume that tyre wear was caused by incorrect wheel alignment... how much bumpsteer/wobbliness can not having a shock absorber at one side on the front cause?