Joined: Jun 2021 Posts: 61 Threads: 22
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Location: Nottingham England
Car type: Austin seven Box saloon 1935
Hi
Some time ago I had a 1959 rover, good car, but I had an issue with the steering when going over a hump in the road at slow speed, this was unnerving because the steering started to oscillate violently as if something had broken or a wheel had come loose, akin to somebody getting hold of the steering and pulling it left the right, the way stop it was to brake and slow down to a stop and then off you went again, this did not happen if you ran over a hump at speed only at 5-10 MPH or so, I never did find out what the problem was and sold the car on advising the purchaser of the issue
now to the point, its has started on my Ruby and the nightmare has returned! however I can say that I know where to look now because I have replaced a few things on the Ruby, namely , front spring and damper friction pads, bushes, and had the axle eye and king pin repaired on one side
Has any body had this happen to their car and if so who did you cure it, I am thinking possible front damper to tight or tracking
any ideas
Thanks
Mike
Joined: Sep 2017 Posts: 57 Threads: 15
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Good morning Mike,
Regarding your oscillation - speed wobble - (or no speed wobble) I have never experienced it on the chummy but have experienced on the Alvis Firefly, it happens on one section of bumpy road only, not 2 miles from home, usually at about 20mph, only way out of it is to slow down, only remedy is avoid that section on road.
Joe
In Suffolk
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 606 Threads: 19
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Location: Hampshire UK
Hi Mike
This sounds like a case of a resonant system with little or no damping. In the case of front wheels it used to be called "shimmy", presumably after the dance from the 1920's. Once energy is put in by the bump in the road, it sets the whole thing off. I suggest the two most important things to check are the castor angle and the toe-in. I guess you will already have checked for any suspension and steering linkage slackness anywhere that shouldn't be present, including the radius arm ball joint and the drag link ends. Finally, tyre pressures too high can reduce the damping. Sevens don't seem to be particularly prone to this, judging from this forum over the years.
I'm doubtful if the friction damper will have much effect on side to side movement, but it needs to be doing its job.
I once saw a Land Rover coming towards me with the front wheels leading an alarming dance. On signalling to the driver, he gave me the thumbs up - presumably he was well aware and had just got used to it !
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 3,004 Threads: 168
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Location: Sherwood Forest
Car type: 1938 Talbot Ten Airline
This can be basically caused by anything in the steering/suspension with even very slight wear. Many years ago I experienced something similar, and it turned out to be one of the springs in the drag link which had broken allowing excessive movement in one of the steering ball-joints.
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 1,191 Threads: 71
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+2 on drag link springs being a potential culprit. I remember my Box saloon would do this from time to time 'back in the day'. I was standing outside the garage once when waiting for the MOT tester to return after the brake test (in the 70s) as he hove into view, it kicked off. He got back to the garage and leaped out of the car with a look of panic on his face. Needless to say, I got a fail. But replacing the drag link springs made the problem go away...
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 1,976 Threads: 90
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Location: Ripon
I learned to live with it on a 7 for a while. Tightened everything up to spec and it went away. Early Beetles used to get this, the king-pin models in particular. As most of the examples I owned were over 20 years old a replacement steering damper usually did the trick as long as everything else was in good fettle
Joined: Oct 2018 Posts: 91 Threads: 23
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I had exactly this happening on my special years ago. I completely serviced the drag link, and problem solved. Renew everything to take out any slight play. The effect of the oscillation is surprisingly dramatic- I sympathise, it seems like something more serious is failing.
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 176 Threads: 11
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Location: Upton upon Seven
Car type: 1931 RN, 1933 RP
I used to experience this when I had my Singer Le Mans. It was as bad as a motorcycle having a tank slapping episode. I finally discovered that the mountings of one of the front dampers was slightly loose. I tightened it up and never had the problem again.
Roly
1931 RN, 1933 APD
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 2,748 Threads: 31
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Location: Auckland, NZ
This was a common feature of straight axle cars, especially late1920s when wheels, tyres and front brakes became very heavy. It was largely to avoid it that GM pursued i.f.s in the early 30s. I do no know how it is avoided in large trucks. Modern loaded nylon steering joints impose constant friction which dampens it out Bradfords are very prone and the only sure cure is a hydarulic damper as per early VW etc. Castor has an influence. Any slackness in any joints promotes.I used to encounter in employer Land Rover. Fortunately only at low speed. Terrifying for those who have never heard of. Cannot restrain the steering wheel which flicks violently left and right. triggered by some major bump. The loads on steering arms must be very great. Slowing down resets. I have never heard of or encountered with the Seven where component sare light.
