Thread: Rear axle "steering"

Yes, change them

The rear end steering has nothing to do with the springs or shock absorbers. It is almost certainly due to play in the bushes on the lower link, most probably the axle end. But before looking at springs or shock absorbers I would replace all the bushes in the rear suspension. And if the rear ones need doing, it is likely that the front ones do too.

John

Originally Posted by JDNSW

The rear end steering has nothing to do with the springs or shock absorbers. It is almost certainly due to play in the bushes on the lower link, most probably the axle end. But before looking at springs or shock absorbers I would replace all the bushes in the rear suspension. And if the rear ones need doing, it is likely that the front ones do too.

John

Originally Posted by rovercare

Yes, change them

X3 Joel

You may want to check the slip joints on you prop shafts, when these sieze they can lead to some interesting handling characteristics!

Tim

Wheel bearings tight?. Pat

Your probem is most likely the following:

1 The bushes on the chassis end of the rear trailing arms - when they go soft or are worn theproduce exactly the symptons that you describe.
2 The ball joint on the "A" frame that attaches it to the rear diff housing also causes a degree of directional instability when it is worn.
3 Check the bolts on the forward end of the "A" frame arms - they sometimes come loose and allow the "A" frame to move around
4 Last but not least check the bushes on the rear end of the trailing arms

FWIW I would be very surpised if the problem is not a combination of 1 and 2. FIt the purple (Fulcrum Suspension) polyurethane bushes to the chassis end of the trailing arms and you should get a dramatic improvement. I would not recomend using other brands of poly bushes on the front end of the trailing arms because they are too stiff.

CHT

rear lower trailing arms chassis end can do this (the rubber blocks take a compressed set) The rear axle roll steers as it is, this just exacerbates it.

chassis end of A frame. The centre crush tube isn't the best fit on the bolt. With age they become sloppier as the bolt wears.

Buggered bushes in the front axle radius rods can give this feeling too, as if you are running too much toe out. It didn't help that mine were 'holey' ones when this happened either.

Rear trailing arm bushes...

M