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Car feels weird lol

Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2018 11:54 pm
by NaisiaN
had a weird experience driving it the other day. felt as though the rear end wanted to overtake the front but not in a drifting sort of way.
only way i could describe it is like when you had a cheap matchbox toy car, when u push the wheels on one side they go into the arch slightly and pop out the arch on the other side. As if the shell stays where it is but the rear is sliding side to side underneath. this was going down a straight road, seems to be intermittent though??

i dunno if im just loosing the plot :lol: :lol:

Re: Car feels weird lol

Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2018 7:29 am
by Caprifan Rob
Had this feeling on a 2.0S daily I used to have. It had multi-leaf rear springs & one of them had snapped. Not sure what is fitted to the Laser but it's worth checking them in case.

Re: Car feels weird lol

Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2018 8:05 am
by Paul G
I agree with Rob about the possible leaf spring problem. Further it could be a problem with bushing, either spring rear shackle or on the anti -roll bar.

Are your rear tyres a matching pair?

Re: Car feels weird lol

Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2018 3:44 pm
by Andrew 2.8i
It sounds like a problem that you'd want to fix straight away.

Andrew.

Re: Car feels weird lol

Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2018 7:09 am
by NaisiaN
Thanks for the replies, i originally posted that the car seems to be leaning to the right when sat on flat ground..so probably connected by the sounds of it. Also when i went to have a look yesterday the rear end seems to have dropped more on the right hand side. seems a lot more noticeable than it was when i posted this the other day :/

I've checked under the car on the rear and cant see any snapped leaf springs but i'm going to book it in to my mates dad's garage asap to get him to have a proper look. joys of old cars ey!

Re: Car feels weird lol

Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2018 11:45 am
by aikmanmosquito
All lasers have multi leafs on the rears, 2.0s should have a single leaf fitted, they were from new! The single leafs rarely snap, however one or possibly more of the smaller leafs can go on the multi leafs. Wouldn't give the feeling you've experienced, only give away to broken leafs would be car sitting down slightly on that side. Have come across Capris with ubolts loose or broken and axle isn't as nice and tight as it should be, that would cause a loose feeling from the rear.

Re: Car feels weird lol

Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2018 11:48 am
by aikmanmosquito
As would excessively worn rear anti roll bar bushes! Due to stresses on the 'old fashioned' rear suspension set up of a Capri, everything has to be spot on to give the car a secure feeling on the road, ha! so to experience a wandered feeling from the rear, I'd be checking every bush from springs, to anti roll bar etc, and checking every single bolt is nice and tight. Quite easy when fitting springs for someone to forget to tighten them.

Re: Car feels weird lol

Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2018 6:35 pm
by Bug
aikmanmosquito wrote:All lasers have multi leafs on the rears, 2.0s should have a single leaf fitted, they were from new! The single leafs rarely snap, however one or possibly more of the smaller leafs can go on the multi leafs. Wouldn't give the feeling you've experienced, only give away to broken leafs would be car sitting down slightly on that side. Have come across Capris with ubolts loose or broken and axle isn't as nice and tight as it should be, that would cause a loose feeling from the rear.
Not true
Later Lasers were finished off using whatever was left on the shelf. Some had single leaf rear springs, some had 24mm ARBs, some had 22mm ARBs. It was all a bit 'pot luck'

Had a 3 litre on multi-leafs many years back. If I was behind another car and accelerated hard it would move straight out to the other side of the road. When I lifted off it would move back in! Bit scarier than that sounds to be honest.
On dismantling the clamps between the axles and the springs, the springs BOTH fell in two halves. It was only the extra clamping brackets on the multi-leafs that were holding it all together.
So, if it were me I would not be driving it anywhere until those springs have been checked!
And a caution for you............... if you are going to jack it up to check, then be careful as there is a slight chance that if the springs are broken they could fall away and leave your axle to drop. Won't go far but will put strain on the ARB and possibly the brake flexi hose.

Re: Car feels weird lol

Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2018 6:25 am
by pbar
Bug wrote: Later Lasers were finished off using whatever was left on the shelf.
Isn't that just supposition though Martin? Perhaps the R & D at Ford purposefully changed such components (and sometimes changed them back again), as car manufacturers do.

That seems more feasible than a large major corporation and respected car builder like Ford sending some guy to root on the shelf to see what was there to finish a car off. Some comments in the past have been very derogatory towards Ford, never understood that to be honest.

Just a thought :)

Re: Car feels weird lol

Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2018 7:21 am
by NaisiaN
Sounds like i could have a big issue on my hands then!. waiting till pay day and ill get it booked in. would attempt it myself but have no way of securely jacking the car up.

If it is an issue with leaf springs, would you suggest i get single ones fitted to the rear instead when i replace them?

*just looked at prices for new leafsprings! pretty expensive so is there a way to upgrade the suspension, something more modern on the rear ?

Re: Car feels weird lol

Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2018 8:15 am
by pbar
Personally, if it is the rear springs which are the issue, I would change them like for like, which with your car, is most likely multi-leafs.

Re: Car feels weird lol

Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2018 9:14 am
by NaisiaN
pbar wrote:Personally, if it is the rear springs which are the issue, I would change them like for like, which with your car, is most likely multi-leafs.
yeah i may do but is the only reason for that originality?

its just that the multi leafs cost at least £300 to replace them for the pair (if they are the issue lol) and the single leafs i can get for £200. i know other models had the single leafs.. with (im guessing) no other changes to rear, so if its just a straight swap for £100 less and stronger springs its worth doing?

Is this correct Capri Yoda's?

Re: Car feels weird lol

Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2018 9:19 am
by pbar
NaisiaN wrote:
pbar wrote:Personally, if it is the rear springs which are the issue, I would change them like for like, which with your car, is most likely multi-leafs.
yeah i may do but is the only reason for that originality?
That's part of it, but it's possible that the ride height might alter slightly, someone else will be able to clarify that. Also, I always think it's safer having multi springs, if one snaps then you are still ok to drive, but if you only have one leaf and it goes then, well, disaster!

Perhaps shop around a little more for a better price, you never know.

Re: Car feels weird lol

Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2018 9:21 am
by pbar
NaisiaN wrote:
its just that the multi leafs cost at least £300 to replace them for the pair
Tickover have them for £88.50 (ex vat) each.

https://www.tickover.co.uk/shop/content ... /d352.html

Re: Car feels weird lol

Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2018 9:27 am
by NaisiaN
pbar wrote:
NaisiaN wrote:
pbar wrote:Personally, if it is the rear springs which are the issue, I would change them like for like, which with your car, is most likely multi-leafs.
yeah i may do but is the only reason for that originality?
That's part of it, but it's possible that the ride height might alter slightly, someone else will be able to clarify that. Also, I always think it's safer having multi springs, if one snaps then you are still ok to drive, but if you only have one leaf and it goes then, well, disaster!

Perhaps shop around a little more for a better price, you never know.
i think mine mine could do with raising a little anyway, think it sits too low for my liking. good point on the safety aspect tho! didnt think about that

Re: Car feels weird lol

Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2018 9:29 am
by NaisiaN
pbar wrote:
NaisiaN wrote:
its just that the multi leafs cost at least £300 to replace them for the pair
Tickover have them for £88.50 (ex vat) each.

https://www.tickover.co.uk/shop/content ... /d352.html

I saw these actually, Swedish made are they any good? The ones i saw were made in Sheffield so i know its quality steel. (Not that im biased or anything :D)

I actually thought id be clever and phoned the company who makes them for Burton power as they are only 5 mins drive from my house, to see if i could get it cheaper going direct but turns out they're pretty much same price. :/

Re: Car feels weird lol

Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2018 9:33 am
by pbar
NaisiaN wrote: phoned the company who makes them for Burton power as they are only 5 mins drive from my house, to see if i could get it cheaper going direct but turns out they're pretty much same price
Nice try though! :)
NaisiaN wrote:
I saw these actually, Swedish made are they any good?
I have no experience of them, but I would trust Tickover. Hopefully someone else will comment on these. I see also that Kilen make the leaf springs, and again I have no experience of the leafs, but I have used their Capri coil springs, and the ride height and fit were spot on.

Re: Car feels weird lol

Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2018 9:39 am
by NaisiaN
pbar wrote:
NaisiaN wrote: phoned the company who makes them for Burton power as they are only 5 mins drive from my house, to see if i could get it cheaper going direct but turns out they're pretty much same price
Nice try though! :)
NaisiaN wrote:
I saw these actually, Swedish made are they any good?
I have no experience of them, but I would trust Tick-over. Hopefully someone else will comment on these. I see also that Kilen make the leaf springs, and again I have no experience of the leafs, but I have used their Capri coil springs, and the ride height and fit were spot on.
ah ok Brill may have to consider them, they are a hell of a lot cheaper. Saw the Kilen ones as well on eBay but i'm always wary with eBay car parts.

Re: Car feels weird lol

Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2018 9:46 am
by pbar
NaisiaN wrote:i'm always wary with eBay car parts.
Very wise, you are right to feel like that, there are a lot cheap items but when you actually receive them you can see why! If someone on here recommends an ebay item (or seller) it is usually ok though as they would have had something and know it's good. The forum is great for that.

Re: Car feels weird lol

Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2018 9:51 am
by pbar
I think the Kilen number is 622000. I'd check it further if you can though, but Googling Kilen 622000 shows a few options for sale. Your local motor factors would most likely get them also, mine got the Kilen coil springs for me, they were not expensive, especially if they let you have them at trade cost.