The wifes Maestro TD with power steering is not handling as well as it did.
Seems to lurch a little and is pattery on the road and upset by changing road surfaces.
Not bad but noticable... It has always sat very heavly on the road but has a different feel completely.
I supect the front shock absorbers although the time honoured test of bouncing on the corners and watching the rebound shows nothing.
Looking in the Haynes manual it mentions a special tool which could be home made for removing the bearing on the strut. Resembles a large nut with two pins. If it turns out to be the shock absorber is this tool obtainable?.
Could I have some advice on my diagnosis and if you think it's correct.
regards
alvin
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The M.O.T style 'bounce' test is not much use unless the shockers are really knackered. Try the 'parking lot test' as described at www.monroe.com/inspect.htm and then vigorously bounce each corner in turn. The car should settle within 1 bounce. To test them properly, they have to be removed and tested on a rig - you may as well replace them once you've gone to that much effort !
If the car has covered say, at least 50k miles, you may as well replace all 4 for what they cost. The fronts built into McPherson struts can be a pig to remove and are best left to your local garage and never, ever fast fit clip joints.
Finally, you haven't recently changed tyres have you ? Some budget tyres are really awful and can adversely affect handling.
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