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        General >> Problems >> Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
        
(Message started by: KeithCEng on Jul 31^st, 2010, 3:53pm)

Title: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
Post by KeithCEng on Jul 31^st, 2010, 3:53pm

Hi,
I have always been impressed with the positive handling of my Cossie even on rough surfaces but have recently noticed a tendency for the steering to "wander" on perfectly good straight roads. The "wander" is relatively small but requires constant correction at even moderate speeds (50 MPH) - it does not make for relaxed driving! All the tyres (Pirelli P7) are in excellent nick and at the correct pressure (31F/28R). I jacked-up the front and checked for play in the front wheel bearings - they were fine. Front suspension seems OK and the Steering wheel turns as expected in response to physically pushing the front wheels from side to side (as do the front wheels in response to Power Steering input from the Steering Wheel). Power Steering fluid level is OK and there are no leaks in the system. The symptoms are almost as if there are random small "pulses" superimposed on the normal steering input from the Steering Wheel - Any ideas?

Keith

Title: Re: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
Post by Simmo on Jul 31^st, 2010, 5:24pm

Keith, as it is a speed sensitive rack it sounds as though the sensotronic unit may be playing up or an electrical fault. Have a read of This page (http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/steermanual.htm) and see if that helps. An earlier reply today re steering racks says you can use a non senso rack so perhaps disconnecting the plug may give you a clue. Let us know how you get on please. Mike.

Title: Re: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
Post by KeithCEng on Jul 31^st, 2010, 7:07pm

Thanks for that info Mike - I shall investigate the result of disconnecting the Sensotronic Module; Presumably, the 'steering effort' will remain unchanged regardless of road speed after disconnection?

Keith

Title: Re: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
Post by tlundkvi on Jul 31^st, 2010, 8:42pm

Yepp, not sure which way though. If the VSS is shot, steering will become very stiff. But maybe it behaves the opposite (=parking steering) when the multiplug is disconnected.

Title: Re: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
Post by gozz on Jul 31^st, 2010, 9:43pm

Keith.
Have a look at the wishbone rear bushes,there is always some give in them,however if they are breaking up,or incorrectly fitted,vis the gap in the metal collar not at the top,wandering can occur.The Sensotronic rack when unplugged electrically,requires more manual effort at low speed.
GOZZ

Title: Re: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
Post by Cosray on Aug 1^st, 2010, 5:05pm

Hi KeithCEng - just a long shot here.

I had this with my Cossie. Tested everything in front was OK.

However, after a while backside started squeaking now and then.

Turned out the rightside rearbearing had gone, allowing for a nice wobbly steering effect in front to compenmsate for the swaying rear!

Once I detected this it was easy to raise the wheel and make it sway a frightening 5-8 mm by hand at the tiretread...

It's almost like having pain in your right hipjoint because of a worn shoe ;-)

HTH
Ray

PS The backside squeak was the drum touching the brakepads in curves...

Title: Re: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
Post by KeithCEng on Aug 2^nd, 2010, 7:07pm

Hi Ray,

Sometimes "long shots" come off, but not in this case unfortunately - I checked for play on both rear wheel bearings and found them to be OK; Thanks for the suggestion though.

Cheers

Keith

Title: Re: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
Post by Cosray on Aug 2^nd, 2010, 7:11pm

Pity Keith, what now?
Any other clues?
Ray

Title: Re: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
Post by tlundkvi on Aug 2^nd, 2010, 7:47pm

Keith, have you recently had the tracking checked? AFAIK not all tracking errors cause uneven wear. Plus as the tyres you have are probably 225's, so they can be quite sensitive too.

It could also simply be the road. Some roads look OK, but may still have been worn enough to cause pulling. I had that everyday at a particular segment on the way home from work. The other car had 205's and it was barely noticeable.

Title: Re: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
Post by KeithCEng on Aug 2^nd, 2010, 7:50pm

I am in the process of trying "Simmo's" (Mike) suggestion of disconnecting the Servotronic Module - Have removed the Glovebox and accessed the Module (which seems to be on the RHS rather than the LHS as shown in the relevant drawing) - however, removing it is turning out to be a bit of a sod - will continue tomorrow because it's dinnertime!

Keith

Title: Re: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
Post by amigafan2003 on Aug 4^th, 2010, 6:04pm

Just pull the plug off the steering rack - much easier to get to!

Title: Re: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
Post by KeithCEng on Aug 4^th, 2010, 7:06pm

I managed to disconnect the Servotronic Module behind the Glove Box eventually and took her for a moderate speed run (80MPH). Didn't detect any "wander" so I plugged the Module back in and repeated the same run (80MPH) - STILL didn't detect any "wander" !!! - It may be that the module is intermittent - I'll just have to keep an eye on it!

Keith

Title: Re: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
Post by Mike H on Aug 5^th, 2010, 11:18am

Dirty plug connectors?

Title: Re: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
Post by Highlander on Aug 5^th, 2010, 11:39am

Does it wander the same way every time Keith?

power steering pump starting to fail?

Title: Re: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
Post by KeithCEng on Aug 6^th, 2010, 6:16pm

Hi Highlander,

When the problem was apparent, it manifested itself as a random "uncommanded" steeering input - it might initially veer slightly left (which had to be corrected before ending up in the ditch!) and then a few seconds later, it would veer right (which required a much quicker response!).

Unplugging the Servotronic Module and subsequently plugging it back in seems to have cleared the fault (which was possibly caused by dirty contacts as suggested by "Mike H", although they didn't look particularly dirty on the Servotronic Module itself - maybe dirty connector contacts?).

Hopefully "The Gremlin" has been exorcised!

Many thanks to everyone for their inputs.

Keith

Title: Re: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
Post by Mike H on Aug 6^th, 2010, 7:10pm

"Dirty" is a relative term, I meant like oxidised and going resistive, and thereby interfering with the elektrickery ;D Not necessarily visible and just unplugging it probably cleaned the pins anyway

Appendix ~ might be an idea to do same to the other end just to make sure (?)

Title: Re: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
Post by KeithCEng on Aug 6^th, 2010, 7:45pm

Hi Mike,

I shall try that if the problem reoccurs.

BTW I like the image of the "Glass Bottles with Fire at the Bottom" - at least you could tell at a glance whether they were U/S! (I used to work with 10kW Klystrons which are a slightly larger version!)

Keith

Title: Re: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
Post by Cosray on Aug 6^th, 2010, 7:50pm

Mike, Keith - welcome to the club..!

Ray

Title: Re: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
Post by Mike H on Aug 7^th, 2010, 9:59am

on 08/06/10 at 19:45:00, KeithCEng wrote:

BTW I like the image of the "Glass Bottles with Fire at the Bottom" - at least you could tell at a glance whether they were U/S! (I used to work with 10kW Klystrons which are a slightly larger version!)

More than slightly I would imagine, that was done with a long exposure. GZ37, 801A and 6EM7. The "fire at the bottom" is just light reflected off the metalwork I think. ;D

Title: Re: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
Post by Thunderchild on Aug 17^th, 2010, 1:46pm

My bet would still be rear wheel bearings. This is a classic sign of them failing. Believe it or not you can actually pass the MOT test with failed rear bearings because you can't detect any movement at the wheel by hand. A couple of better ways to check is to try to move the drive shaft or when you get the "wander" pull the handbrake on slightly. Pulling on the handbrake stabilises the rear wheels because you have a fixed point (the brake caliper) holding the wheel via the disk and so the "wander" stops.

HTH

Tc

Title: Re: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
Post by gozz on Aug 17^th, 2010, 10:57pm

The wheel bearings would need a serious amount of play to self steer the back end,it would be easily detectable with the wheels of the ground.
GOZZ.