Seriously Getting Hacked Off Now!

[Mirez]

Ok this is trying my patience now, Mk2 TDI 120k 2001

 

I have vibration. It started by being felt through the steering wheel at 50mph+ up to 100 which is where I stoped accelerating as it shows no sign of disapearing. Its noticeably worse when accelerating.

 

So far:

 

Wheels/tyres were replaced and it remained.

Drop Links and track rod ends replaced, tracked and still remains.

Lower arm's complete and lower balljoint all changed, retracked. Vibration now only felt in floorplan, wheel no longer juddering.

Driveshafts replaced as assemblies (Inc inner and outer CV's) - Vibration still in floorplan and is now back in steering wheel and noticeably worse when accelerating from low speed (ie 2nd gear)

 

Now I'm getting seriously hacked off with this, there isn't that much left to change on the front!

 

Gearbox sounds fine with no unusual noises, also when its felt through the floorplan dropping the clutch has little or no effect which, to me, rules out gearbox/engine. I've checked the engine and gearbox mounts which visually seem fine, there isn't any decenable movement when load is applied. There are no unusual noises and no "slop" in takeup - can anyone advise on ANYTHING thats left to do?

 

I'm having it tracked AGAIN :unsure: tommorow as I had to disturb the lower arm to remove the nearsidde driveshaft so I intend to get the wheels checked for balancing for the 3rd time. I just don't really know where to go from here - bearings are the only thing left that I can think of but I can't see these being the culprits as there is no noise when pushed hard into corners or heavy breaking - there is no vibration on breaking either for that matter.

 

Anyone ANY suggestions?

[tin2.3]

hi,

i had the same problem on a mk2 granny, check to see if the front discs to see if they have warped or uneven pad ware.

i hope this helps,

[Goofygolfer]

dont think its warped discs as you would feel that when braking. Just wondering do you feel the vibrations when reverseing?

[Goofygolfer]

whoops just reread original post didnt realise it was at speeds of 50 mph plus ,have you swapped the wheels around just to eliminate a damaged rim or duff tyre

[geoffc]

Had a really bad vibration, some years ago in a van.....was so bad that the rear tail lights all failed. Turned out to be broken steel belting in the side wall of obe of the rear tyres!

[sepulchrave]

Flat spot on a back tyre?

[Taygarth]

I am no expert but -

 

Could it be anything to do with the duel mass flywheel?

 

What happens if you dip the clutch at speed?

[Taygarth]

oops! - just read the year of the car - I don't think they had the duel mass flywheel - but could still be a problem in the clutch / flywheel department?

[p10ant]

Strut top mounts / bearings ?

 

Cheers, Paul T.

[Mirez]

Thanks all for the replies so far - I've also contemplated a clutch/flywheel issue but since it remains when the clutch is dipped I kinda ruled that out.

 

As for strut top mounts - there is no play or movement in the strut, watching (as close as I dare!) when the car begins to move in either direction everything looks solid.

 

The vibration is sill felt in reverse by the way!

 

I am now questioning the N/S Inner CV again - although it was replaced as a new assembly I am wondering if its faulty. There is play if (when the wheels are on the ground) I grab the driveshaft and try and rotate it forward and backward, probably 1mm rotational play - the drivers side is locked solid so I believe I may have got a manufacturing defect on the new part! Doh!

[shahed]

Hi

 

Had a similar prob on my lucida. changed front discs & pads improved a little. Changed rear drumps & shoes problem solved

[f0ster]

Hi

 

Had a similar prob on my lucida. changed front discs & pads improved a little. Changed rear drumps & shoes problem solved

 

hello

you "must" eliminate the wheels and tyres from the list of possible faults that could be causing it,

especially the rear tyres, if rear tyres are badly out of balance or shape, the vibration

comes through the body, it can also shake the steering wheel even tho it comes from the body,

but instead of the steering wheel wobbling side to side the column bounces up and down, where as if it is the front tyres

the steering wheel usually wobbles side to side, this might not be the cause but I know from experience

that it is best to start with the least expensive and also the items that are subject to the most wear,

[Mirez]

Again thanks for the replies, but it was doing it on the original wheels and tyres - I therefore (and because they were crappy) replaced the wheels and tyres together for brand new items. They have done less the 600 miles and the problem remained immediately.

 

I will investigate the brakes a little more though, its discs all around which I may look at next - again they are all reasonably new, it had new discs and pads all around for the MoT just before we bought it and that was just 3000 miles ago but something could have gone wrong during that time. I do intend to replace the discs with these: http://www.europerformance.co.uk/pages/pro...l?product=52811

but having spent so much on front end components just recently they'll have to wait a tad longer!!

[Mirez]

Just a follow up and to see if anyone can offer any final advice, the vibration was still there after fitting all of the above but on inspection of the driveshafts when the car was on the road there was noticable play in the new assembly. I have therefore replaced the new passenger driveshaft for another new driveshaft and FINALLY the vibration has disapeared...

 

...however :rolleyes: I now have a judder - its only when accelerating from low speeds (not there in 1st, from 1500 to 3K in 2nd gear and very little in any other gears). It feels like the car is getting drive to only one front wheel at a time in very quick sucession (I'm sure its not but its that twisting effect) I cant imagine I have ANOTHER defective driveshaft - is there any alignment to be done?

[zeplin43]

Had same problem one inner cv joint had play vibration only when in acceleration.Noticed you have 18" alloys was the problem before or after getting these fitted (16 to 18" makes lotta diference)

[Mirez]

Well part sucess today :wacko: I booked the car in to Ford for friday but I'm still loathed to give in so this evening I put the old, old driveshaft back on - vibration at 50+ back but interestingly the judder is still there. I then put the new, new driveshaft back on and vibration at 50 disapears but judder remains. So I started thinking about all that I had undone/replaced and couldn't find any issue so went through the suggestions above and came to strut top mount.... now how the hell you "test" this is beyond me but I think I may have some issues with the passenger side one.

 

With the car on axel stands and the wheels removed I can manually "lift" the A frame/Hub assembly about 6cm before it meets much resistance which I dont think is normal, surely the spring/shock should keep it loaded even at the limit of travel? I didnt get time to test the drivers side so I'm currently undecided on if this is normal or not - advice would be great! Next the strut mount is also extreamly "loose" with front to back play in it (granted I should take this with a pinch of salt as it should be tested with the suspention loaded) however I decided to turn the top mount through 90*. Result is that the car still judders but significantly less then before leading me to conclude that it may well be this mount thats failed? Opinions please chaps?

[sepulchrave]

With the car on axel stands and the wheels removed I can manually "lift" the A frame/Hub assembly about 6cm before it meets much resistance which I dont think is normal

 

It is normal, as you later state the weight must be on the wheels to test this mount correctly.

 

....leading me to conclude that it may well be this mount thats failed? Opinions please chaps?

 

The mount probably hasn't failed but the bearing underneath it may well have seized, you might as well replace the lot though since the parts are so cheap and the mount has to come off to get at the bearing.

The juddering may the whole mount slipping/gripping because the bearing has seized.

[Mirez]

Thankyou! Final question of the subject of the mounts for the moment - top bolt looks reasonably ok and not a rusted mess like normal, I suspect with some penetrating oil I can remove it without damaging the strut however since I'm going to the effort of taking the tops off is it worth changing the shocks at the same time? At 120K they still look original.