X300 Rear Suspension Issues

[Webcentre]

Hoping against hope that someone here might have had a similar problem. The car was crabbing badly, the inside of the O/S rear tyre was destroyed because of this so decided to have a look at the bushes, see if we could see what had happened. removed the lot off the car as all 4 bushes in the pendulum and the rear pivot bolt bushes had given up the ghost so replaced the lot. After replacing every bush on the back of the car, i put it back together and put it back on the car, only to find that the O/S rear wheel was 20mm further back in the arch than the N/S and that therefore the tracking was miles out (O/S wheel was pointing away from the car, where as the N/S was in line).

Took it off again, measured it all up and the O/S is at a different angle to the N/S (difference of 20mm when measured from the front of the pivot arm to the A Frame).

The strange thing is, ive changed both pivot arms in case they were bent, changed the pendulum in case that was bent, changed the pivot bolts and none of them have made any difference. The pivot bolts lines up with the pendulum and the carrier that is bolted to the diff, the difference is there without the diff being bolted to the A frame, so it cant be that.

Has anyone got any ideas or has ever seen anything like this before?

Any help would be much appreciated

Cheers
Mat

[Simpo Two]

Good lurking!

My old S-Type developed a habit of suddenly heading sideways towards the white line at random intervals; quite alarming. Took it into my local garage and they twiddled about underneath and then it was OK. So yep, take it to a garage and let them twiddle about with it

ETA: Presume it hasn't been in a shunt?

[Webcentre]

Been lurking for longer than 18 months but its got to that point where i've had to break cover

[NormanD]

Just a thought

Between the diff and the halfshaft there should be a spacer, is there one each side each a few mm thick
Not only does that change the camber but in turn will change the toe

Where are you in the UK maybe anoth PH could help

Edited by NormanD on Thursday 14th April 07:12

[Straight6DOHC]

Webcentre, at the risk of teaching my granny how to suck eggs, did you get proper 4 wheel alignment done?
I'm sure you know this, but it's not clear from your description, the outer pivot pin (lower wishbone) has a cam set into the bolt head. That would adjust your toe angle. One each side. Each bolt head flange has a mark on it to aid with rebuilding.
I'm sure I've read a very similar post as this within the last 2 weeks but I can't think where.
I've only had one car where only one tyre got scrubbed - I'd leplaced the clutch on a FWD and the subframe was moved - this in turn affected only one tyre.
There are so many components in the x300 rear suspension that it's difficult to say what it might be unless you strip everything down. The first place I'd start is with the 4 wheel alignment and to adjust toe in the rear wheels, they will turn the head of the outer pivot pin.
The 'usual' wheel alignment job won't work in this instance - it's got to be 4 and is more expensive.

[Webcentre]

thanks for the replies guys. just to give you an idea, the pivot arms are at different angles without either being bolted to the a frame or having the driveshaft and hub assembly attached to them which is what makes it so strange.

As much as it annoys me, i might just have to put it all back together and take it to a garage and say "can you figure out whats bent!" Annoying as i pride myself on being able to sort out issues but this one has me stumped.