AE101 Questions. (suspension, engine)

[headshotnz]

Hey there,

Just picked up a 1991 ae101 Levin (silver top, S/S suspension etc..)

Goes well for a 1600cc I'm quite happy with it.

Any way, couple of questions.

The back has come out on my twice this week :S.

I'v given the car abit of S#!t and its seems to handle very well.

But i have been cruising twice lately.

First was on the motorway, There was a bag of go know what that just appeared in front of me (car in front swerved out the way) So i so saw it, pulled to the right (alot softer then what i have done..) and the whole back came out, fish tailing and what not, but caught it and carried on... (last thursday btw)

2nd time, just 20 minutes ago, went for a drive down through macra (To look for my friend who went out there and was taking to long, so thought he might have crashed :S) i was crusing round a right corner when all off a sudden it kicked out again and it went to far out to power out of it. back clipped the bank and took off abit of paint .

AS i say, if i was thrashing it, i would know why it was doing it, but both times i wasnt going very fast and its popped out.

Is there some thing that could have broke in the last couple of days, both times i was turning right, by the way..


2nd is at high rpm there is alot of rattles and what not, i read thats it normal for a 20v 4age, but wanted a 2nd opinion.

Any way, any information would be great and sorry for the wall of text and not very good punctuation, its late and im tired...

Cheers. James.

[escortman]

shit tyres?

[1I1]

Had similar feeling with my car when i changed suspension. Check tyres and get a wheel alignment. May have too much toe out on the back. or at least have a go at checking toe-in/out your self.

[TRD Man]

Most likely answer is that with an unfamiliar car you've gone in too hot, braked too hard and simply lost the rear.

But I'd check the following:
Has the LR tyre got air in it?
Is the rear shock buggered?
Are the rear brakes working evenly?
It's not uncommon for a caliper to stick or for a rubber line to collapse internally blocking fluid supply to one wheel.

[Mr Revhead]

yeah as above, 101s are very good handling cars, and having it step out like that suggests there is something rather wrong
what brand of tyres? and what condition are they in?
if all of the above checks out, also look at the rear sway bar, is it stock?

as for rattles at high rpm, no thats not normal!

[AceSniper]

id be looking at rear shocks... with stock struts/springs I have found they can be very nasty in the rear if your pushing them a bit mostly dodgy on gravel and in the wet

[matt dunn]

how about start with a simple wheel alignment?

[KinLoud]

Could be play in the joints (ball joints I think) on the control arms.
This will let the rear toe change at awkward times = rear stepping out!

Had this in a camry wagon. Rear end stepped out on me on a slight/medium turn in the wet at about 100kph!
Just managed to catch it with a big armfull of opposite lock!
One joint had about 1mm play which gave the wheel about 3mm toe change!

Ken
Auck
021 048 863

[Stott69]

yea was thinking that too, if its lowwered it may tend to wear out the ball joints faster than normal. all the extra ball joints are there to try keep the wheel at the same camber through out the compression

[headshotnz]

Thanks for all the replys guys, car has been re-registered about 2 weeks ago.

So you guys know the drill for the warrant (very tuff), my engineer thinks it could be a buggered shock, crap tyres on the back, or the right brake mabey sticky, which would pull the car when there is a slight brake and turning right.

Thanks, but no, I didnt get a new car and try and be to "hot"

@mr revhead, my point exactly it shouldn't step out, oh well. will get it sorted.

Car is completly stock,

Although has Advanti Crypts 17" (horrible mags... will be buy some DTM RSGT or mabey some GT35, i think the names were) which ill be getting good tyres.

Currently has Bridgestones and the front, and BCT's at the rear all with plenty of tread. will be swapping them around however.

Will let you know how i get on.

Car was going well tonight took it for another drive and seems to be better, was keeping up with a GTB legacy, the driver now loves levins... (for those that dont know macra, its a country road in wellington, goes from roughly churton park/Jvill to karori) go figure