Hi, hoepfully somone will be able to help.........

I am currently having a problem with my Ford Escort Mk5 (Yr: 2000). The issues is that it is veering to the left, but not constantly as seems to be a common issue for this type of vehicle. The veering seems to happen randomly every 50-90 seconds; the intensity obviously increased by speed. It has a similar feeling to that of somone reaching across and giving a short sharp tug to the left on the wheel.

I am aware that the lower bush arms are a common issue on Ford's, but i know this can't be the issue as i had the arms and the bushs replaced about 6 months ago and the still look good. I also had the tracking done 3 months ago and this seems to still be ok too.

With this in mind i took the car down to Formula 1 Auto Centre and HiQ and both took a look at the car and were confused as to what it is, so couldn't help (although they said something didn't feel right with the steering when driving it).

They confirmed the following;

• The springs look fine (although one does sit slightly further back than the other).
• There is no play in the wheels
• Lower bush arems look ok
• There isn't slack in the steering wheel (although it doesn't feel right)
• The bushes look ok (although according to F1 only the passenger side is starting to show signs of wear bu the driver side is fine, where as HiQ said the same about the passenger side, but said the driver side had become un-bonded). I haven't noticed this and neither did F1 - hmmmm.

A friend of mine has suggested that it could be the steerign rack starting to go and this could be causing the sudden, random veering to the the left.

Has anyone got any ideas, or comments to what you think it could be; as you're probably aware this can be a real pain to diagnose what's causing the issue.

 

It all LOOKS ok, but did they actually test them properly? Which lower arms were fitted? Genuine Ford ones will last longer, its not uncommon for pattern parts to munch a set in 6 months, escorts eat them for some reason.

Is it on standard wheels? Wider aftermarket wheels will make it tramline as it will follow the ruts in the road more noticeably.

Quite hard to say really without actually looking at it. Could be wear in the rack, but that would be noticeable to anyone who knows what they're looking at.

 

my brother had this on his and it was the lower arms he used patten parts that looked ok but wore out in 3 months

 

Both those places will have guys on commission to sell you new parts, so in my experience you can pretty much discount whatever they say. Take it to a proper garage and get it looked at by a proper mechanic.

Does sound like lower arms.

 

Certainly will be the lower arms..if you've used those patterned parts they dont last very long..I've used them myself and they're a waste of time and money get the ones from ford and get the royal mail van arms those are the best and will last you a few years...bit pricey but well worth it in the long run.. or if you can afford it get adjustable lower arms from 909sport Ł250 but you wont have to replace those...I bought them for my RS2000 so much better

 

as said above hi-q arent the greatest, i used to work for them and they tend not to get involved in much more than tyres and exhausts as its easier money and they dont know a huge amount about much else,
although this couldjust be the store i worked in,
if any thing decent came in and i tried to look at it i got a bollocking saying tos too much hassle and not to get involved.

sounds like the lower arms to me, but get it to a garage for them to properly diagnose the problem

 

Hi,

Thanks for all the replies - much appreciated . Sounds like from what everyone is saying it is likely to be the bush arms.

Just some further info incase this makes any difference (although i don't think it does). The issues seems to have got worse, when I accelerate it veers slightly to the right then when i lift of sharply to the left - the issue seems to have got worse since my first post. The steering also seems to feel strange; as if there is not the same tensions all the way round a full turn of the wheel.

The wheels are standard Ford one's not after-market. The arms that i had fitted were indeed patent parts and not Ford original's so they may have worn going on what you all said.

I'm not driving the car at the moment now because i think with the veer it has become too dangerous - so i want to get it sorted asap!

.....Going on what you have all said i think i need to take it to a garage and get them to change the arms for orgional Ford one's - yeah????

Thanks for your help with this guys - just don't want to waste money and would rather keep a good Ford Escort on the road than part-ex with a dealer who will probably end up scrapping it!

Any clarification much appreciated .

 

Also check the engine mounts and gearbox mounts, as this happened on my friends
rs2000. we changed everything including steering rack and it turned out to be a knackered mount, the one under the brake servo if i remember correctly.

 

yeah was about to say this also.. and check the ARB (Anti roll bar) Bushes and check the drop links also.. and make sure everything is tightend up correctly..

 

put some new arms on it

 

this happend on a car i was working on it need new top mounts so check ur top mounts

 

Knackered cv joint?

 

You'd hear a knackered CV though. Bottom arms, top mounts and in extreme circumstances possibly even the diff would make the car pull to one side.

 

I know you should hear one full lock, but I never hit full lock on the road. I had a knackered cv joint on one of my old cars and it never made a sound, but one day driving in a straight line it suddenly pulled the car to the left. When I took the cv joint off it just fell apart it was so worn.