Hi all

I have a 98 ford ka which had serious grinding when driving. I took it to Ford and they told me the lower arms, ball joints & bushes had dropped and needed replaced immediately which I got done today BUT when driving it now its like its zig-zaging going down the road the steering wheel is straight when this happens. Does anyone know what this could be?

Please I am in desperate need of help

Thanks

Angie

Hi all

I have a 98 ford ka which had serious grinding when driving. I took it to Ford and they told me the lower arms, ball joints & bushes had dropped and needed replaced immediately which I got done today BUT when driving it now its like its zig-zaging going down the road the steering wheel is straight when this happens. Does anyone know what this could be?

Please I am in desperate need of help

Thanks

Angie

It could be your balanceing or your tracking is out hope this helps

Was it the Ford garage that did the work? Whoever did the work I would take it back to them immediately. This doesn't sound good. A number of steering components have been replaced so hopefully it's just something badly aligned - tracking or camber - that they can put right. The car shouldn't have been returned to you in this condition.....

try the following

open boot then grab the car from the side & see if you can move it side to side

as it sounds like the rear subframe suspension arm bushes has gone.

if that's the case you can buy them for aboput £30.00 from fords then you need to

get them replaced.

does the car feel like the back end is sliding about especially when you change gear m8

if it does then the bushes are gone

i say this as i done all front of mine as you have done to fid it was the rear needed doing aswell

the garage should have noticed it especially on an mot m8

when did you get the car ??

look on the mot at the back & you will see a link to check the history of the car

try it to see what the last mot was like as it also says about advisary nots if it was issued with one & what it would have failed on & the garage it was done in

Right I drove it today to see what the problem was then I took it to a wee garage who felt it then up it went for a look under.

He said it was the steering UJ??? I haven't got a clue what it is but I know where it is under the car. It's all rusted and he said that is the cause of the pulling one way and having to correct the other way (if that makes sense).

He said that ford changed this part from being a little part to the full rod running to the steering wheel (I'm trying to describe what he said to you) if its the smaller part it should only cost about £30 and if its the bigger part then I should go to a breakers yard for it.

Hope someone knows what he meant.

Cheers for all the help :)

Angie

IT'S A UNIVERSAL JOINT (UJ)

IT'S MADE SO IT CAN SWIVEL BOTH WAYS TO ALLOW FOR MOVEMENT

AS THE SUSPENSION MOVES INDEPENDENTLY EACH SIDE THE UJ NEEDS TO MOVE WITH IT

OR WORDS TO THAT EFFECT

YOU CAN FID THIS LOOKING PART IN A SOCKET SET AS IT'S THE ONE THAT CAN SWIVEL OR ATLEAST WORKS THE SAME WAY M8

sorry for the caps on did not mean to shout

IT'S A UNIVERSAL JOINT (UJ)

IT'S MADE SO IT CAN SWIVEL BOTH WAYS TO ALLOW FOR MOVEMENT

AS THE SUSPENSION MOVES INDEPENDENTLY EACH SIDE THE UJ NEEDS TO MOVE WITH IT

OR WORDS TO THAT EFFECT

YOU CAN FID THIS LOOKING PART IN A SOCKET SET AS IT'S THE ONE THAT CAN SWIVEL OR ATLEAST WORKS THE SAME WAY M8

sorry for the caps on did not mean to shout

Thanks so much for the info mate and don't worry about the caps lol

Cheers