handling has gone to rat S**T

[mutley]

HI All,

here I am on the scrounge to squeeze info from the vast NSX Knowledge Emporium.
As you all know my Car had been sitting on my base since November. When I got back last week, I reconnected the battery and Broom broom!! started first kick. Now the only other noticable prob I had was 2 flat tyres both on drivers side. I got them pumped up and they have stayed up fine.
Now the wee problem I'm having is that the handling of the car just doesn't feel right and I've had the odd little "moment" with the back end almost stepping out on me. The best way I can describe the problem is that you know what it is like when you drive along a motor way and you get hit by a strong side wind and you get the little wave as the wind pushes you sideways and you have to slightly correct?? Well that's what I get.
Can it be a tyre problem, maybe wrong inflation, or because they went flat??

Jim

PS. My clutch peddal is REALLY really high and it slips a bit!! can't be worn out again already, could the fluid have something to do with it?

Ta

[TheSebringOne]

Jim be careful :eek: When you say two flat tyres, you mean no air at all!? Strange since I think you may lose 1 to 3 PSI since November? unless you're unlucky to have two slow punctures? How old are your tyres & were there any cracks in the sidewalls before you re-inflated them? I don't think you will under-inflate them as I assume you know the recommended psi?

As for the clutch, how many miles you've done & how gentle or harsh are you with your clutch control? Your clutch disc was re-lined was'nt it?

[mutley]

Ahh never thought of that, might be the case.
I might have a propper look tomorrow.

Cheers

Jim

[sportyking]

Ally wheels are porous, if the laquer/coating on the wheels has degraded it's quite feasible for the air to leak through the rims in 4-5 months but then again it is odd on just one side. It could also be the obvious, I've had a few odd things happen to my cars/bikes on Military Establishments.
For my 2p, the handling issue doesn't sound like the usual tyres after standing issues, you know the car well and issues are usually fairly obvious (consistent), whereas yours sounds quite subtle and unpredictable. Sorry to say I can't think of any good suggestions though.

[mutley]

Hmm, well my plan tomorrow (weather permitting) is to get the back up off the ground, wheels off and check all suspension parts etc.

Hopefull i will see something obvious.

Jim

[NSXGB]

Did you check all the tyre pressures at the same time, or did you just inflate the ones that were flat? Make sure they are all the same.

[mutley]

yeah I done them all, that is why i'm wondering if they are maybe all slightly over inflated.
I'll double check that too.

Cheers
Jim

[NSXGB]

Don't forget to do them when the tyres are cold.

[simonprelude]

Depending on how long the car was sat with it's weight on flat tyres, I would pretty much say you will need new tyres.

The sidewalls will be destroyed and if the alloy has cut into the tyres then the balance will be way off. Apart from potentially being dangerous they will give strange handling characterisitics. Try and borrow rears from someone else just to check, well if anyone else can lend you some.

[mutley]

Hi Simon,

Well that is exactly what was playing on my mind. When 2 of my colleugues came out to afghanistan to take over, they told me that my car had 2 flat tyres and they reckon it was like that for about 2 weeks.(and that was a guess so may have been longer)

So I know that rims sitting on flat tyres can screw them up quite badly internally even though they look ok from the outside.

The balance seems ok, none of the usual judder, jut that "cros wind " effect I mentioned.

Jim

[mutley]

Thanks V.6m I am hoping to get a good look later today,and I dodn't know on car balancing existed, thanks for the info and insight.

I am more or less convinced now that it is a tyre problem.

Jim

[mutley]

HI guys, took the rear wheel off and guess what I found? Top wishbone missing 2 BOLTS!

here are the pics.

Jim

[mutley]

Check you hadn´t forgot the wife or girl friends birthday mate.

HAHA yeah, next stop, check brake lines.


Jim

[gsuds]

Hi Jim,

Late to the party here...sounds like what my handling was doing last year, i.e. lots of lost motion in the suspension setup! Hopefully a couple lost bolts is all it is, check all the rest of your rear setup too.....

Cheers mate,

G

[TheSebringOne]

:eek: Jim thats scary! I'm glad you still safe! Where on earth have those two bolts got to? Have you done some suspension work in that area, maybe when you changed the clutch?

[Senninha]

:eek: Jim thats scary! I'm glad you still safe! Where on earth have those two bolts got to? Have you done some suspension work in that area, maybe when you changed the clutch?

Thats what I'm thinking ... maybe not fully retightened when you put all back together last year?

Good that you found the fault!

regards, Paul

[AR]

Might be wise to invest in a torque wrench? :)

[mutley]

Thats what I'm thinking ... maybe not fully retightened when you put all back together last year?

Good that you found the fault!

regards, Paul

Yeah to be fair I had a slight idea that tehre was something not right with those wishbone bolts on replacement, but I had checked them periodically since redoing the clutch and all was well.

Anyhoo going to garage tomorrow to drill, re-tap and fit new bolts.

Gsuds I'm going to Edinburgh Sports Cars in Dalkeith, when I spoke to him he seems to know your car. have you used them before??

Jim

[gsuds]

No I haven't as such - I asked the guy an opinion on my old MX5 (they specialise in these), and he saw the NSX then.

Also, he lives just round the corner from me!

Cheers,

Graham

[mutley]

Ahh that will explain it,

Anyhoo, the car is now in so I'll update when I know what the latest is.


Jim

[nigel]

Jim,
Didn't know you'd returned. Glad to hear your back!! No worse for wear I hope.
Just in case, when you install new ones put a drop of blue Lock-Tite on the threads to be sure it doesn't happen again. If you need them out you can still get them to release.
All the best.

Cheers
nigel

[mutley]

HI Nigel,

yeah back home now, stil in one piece and my tan is fading already!!!

As for the lock tite, yup we had to do that the last time but now the threads are totally non existant! SO the garage I have put the car in have been in touch with Plans motorsport ( I thinkhe said it was plans) as they have a type of helicoil that will do the job.

Hoping to be back on the road by early next week.

Jim

[mutley]

Ok, just collected my car and I am very happy to say that the handling is now spot on to what it used to be ( and no longer dangerous!!).

The bill worked out at £270, which was for the drill and helicoil set, new bolts and 4.5 hrs labour.

Luckily enough the wishbone wasn't damaged, so a few quid saved there.

[Chris B N]

Had the same problem twicw with each rear.
left in garage for 2 weeks and on each occassion one rear half flat.
Thought it was a slow puncture but wasn't local tyre depot took tyre off
cleaned the seat on the whel rim ( some areas of slight oxidation)
re fitted tyre, new valve balance, problem solved.
This one may be worth a try Chris B N