Car vibrating over 80kmph...

af_thefragile

Hey,

I just got a new car, yes I bought that Ford Puma, and it has some issues (which I was expecting as I did get it for quite cheap). Once I drive it over 80kmph, the car significantly vibrates. So much that you wouldn't wanna drive it above 80kmph. And it also drifts to the left at speed. I think this is down to poor wheel alignment. So can anyone recommend me a good place which I can get the wheel alignment sorted for the car?

It might also be a problem with the front suspension as I herd the front suspension brushings on the Puma get worn out pretty fast.


Also, I think the car needs new brake pads as the brakes on it are pretty much hopeless. So I was wondering would it be a good idea to change them myself? How hard is it changing brake pads? Or should I just get it done when I'ld be getting the wheel alignment sorted...

Cheers.

Moanin

The wheels probably need to be balanced.Did you get new tyres on it by any chance?
Anywhere that fits / repairs tyres should be able to sort it out for you.It would probably cost around €10 per wheel.

chris85

Moanin wrote: »

The wheels probably need to be balanced.Did you get new tyres on it by any chance?
Anywhere that fits / repairs tyres should be able to sort it out for you.It would probably cost around €10 per wheel.

+1 on the wheel balancing most likely being the problem. Its what i would look at first.

mondeo

I would say there is play in the front suspension arms, or alot of it if it is vibrating that much to the point where you feel it is dangerous...Your tracking is probably way of if it's pulling to the left alot. I bet if you looked at your front tyres now the inner threads will be as bald as a chickens head. Good luck with it, unusual but nice car to see on the roads these days.

mickdw

In relation to you brakes being hopeless, new pads are most likely not going to help this. Fair enough, its worth putting new pads on the car as you dont know how they have been overheated etc but its possible you have other brake problems like poor fluid, partially seized calipers, leaking seals at the wheel cylinders or master cylinder or servo leak. My point is that worn pads should not affect performance really until they hit metal.

zilog_jones

Wheel balancing should sort out the vibrating at high speed. Don't know about the drifting to the left, it may need tracking too.

Worn bushings in my experience (related Fiesta) make the ride bouncy and there will be a lot of squeaking/creaking going over ramps, etc.

Does it have rear drums? Is there a lot of travel in the handbrake and is it useless on hills? The self adjusting mechanism may have seized. I had to get cylinders replaced in the past few years too.

af_thefragile

Hmm... gonna take it to advancepitstop tomorrow to get it checked.

I think the inner tire thread is a little more worn out than the outside. Its very little though. It drives fine-ish at low speed. Its only at high speeds, over 80kmph that it starts to vibrate.

Bout bakes, I did take it to a garage before I bought it and the guy said the driver side shock is leaking and would need changing, the brake pipes are slightly cracked (nothing to worry about yet apparently) but I think I need to replace these aswell, the power steering something is leaking a little (again not much to worry about yet).

I've got about a grand spare to spend on the car (as I got it for quite a cheap price) and I hope I can get all these problems fixed and get the car running perfect for under a grand...

af_thefragile

zilog_jones wrote: »

Wheel balancing should sort out the vibrating at high speed. Don't know about the drifting to the left, it may need tracking too.

Worn bushings in my experience (related Fiesta) make the ride bouncy and there will be a lot of squeaking/creaking going over ramps, etc.

Does it have rear drums? Is there a lot of travel in the handbrake and is it useless on hills? The self adjusting mechanism may have seized. I had to get cylinders replaced in the past few years too.

I think the car might be a little bouncy and squeaky over ramps. Haven't driven it much yet. And the Puma is essentially a Fiesta underneath so it should be very similar.

It does have rear drums. Though the handbrake seems to work fine. Its just you've really gotta press on the brake to make the car stop.
Not it might not be too bad as I'm used to driving my instructor's 08 Corsa, which has pretty sharp brakes. For a 11yr old car, I think the pads should have worn out by this stage... Though it doesn't make any sqeaking noises while braking.

zilog_jones

af_thefragile wrote: »

the power steering something is leaking a little (again not much to worry about yet).

Do you know where it's leaking exactly? If it's the rack it will eventually get worse and need replacing (the seals cannot be replaced like some other power steering racks), which IIRC is at least €250 - in my case it happened after driving into a kerb, I don't think it's a normal thing to go. Just keep an eye on the fluid levels and get a bottle of the stuff (I found Ford's own fluid the cheapest).

af_thefragile

zilog_jones wrote: »

Do you know where it's leaking exactly? If it's the rack it will eventually get worse and need replacing (the seals cannot be replaced like some other power steering racks), which IIRC is at least €250 - in my case it happened after driving into a kerb, I don't think it's a normal thing to go. Just keep an eye on the fluid levels and get a bottle of the stuff (I found Ford's own fluid the cheapest).

I think the guy said its the rack. But its only like oozing out and for now not to worry about. I probably would need to replace it at sometime.

Well, I didn't buy the car thinking its perfect and I wouldn't need to spend any more on it. I bought it with the mindset that over time I'll fix all thats wrong with it and then I can have a car that drives like new and is worth much more than what I got it for. Kinda like a restoration job.