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Wandering vitara
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Author:  inbits [ Mon Feb 14, 2011 7:01 am ]
Post subject:  Wandering vitara
Hey guys I'm having some trouble with my vitara ever since I have had the car it wandered around on the highway quite abit

I have checked:
Tyre pressure
Tie rods and ends
Wheel bearings
steering box tension
Steering column to steering box

The only other thing I can think of is wheel alignment but my other vitara with 60mm lift and no wheel alignment done drives better than the stocko

What's your opinions?


Also has anyone used Dba slotted rotors is it worth it on a stocko

Cheers
Author:  atari4x4 [ Mon Feb 14, 2011 7:07 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wandering vitara
check for free play in the idler arm bush.


i run RDA slotted rotors in the front of my SV420 & they're a nice upgrade.
Author:  christover1 [ Mon Feb 14, 2011 7:10 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wandering vitara
Mine did that after a lift, but adjusting the camber bolts fixed it.
Worth looking at, mines tracks quite well now.
No more white knuckles at speed :)

Ofr course check all steering gear out too.
Author:  atari4x4 [ Mon Feb 14, 2011 7:11 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wandering vitara
atari4x4 wrote:
i replaced the idler arm bush... genuine suzuki part 8O

the vit had a bit of free play in the steering & you could actually watch the idler arm move up & down on the bush when turn the wheels, the inner sleeve had separated from the rubber... it's like a new car again with the new bush.

it didn't "look" too bad...
Image

Image

Image

didn't take many pics, but i can go out and take a finished pic...

the bush got pressed out & new one pressed in & the idler arm got painted & refitted.
Author:  Bucket [ Mon Feb 14, 2011 7:25 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wandering vitara
Mine wonders due to my idler arm bush being flogged out a bit. Jack the front up and get someone to shimmy the steering wheel so you can look for loose ends.
Author:  inbits [ Mon Feb 14, 2011 7:27 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wandering vitara
I'll check that idler arm bush but when I was under it just before nothing seemed to have any free play I had my missus Turing the wheel back and forth
The wandering doesn't feel like free play it feels like it grabs a rut in the road and just wants to follow it until you fight it out and the slightest cross wind affects it
Author:  steak_knife [ Mon Feb 14, 2011 7:29 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wandering vitara
Get a wheel alignment...
Author:  atari4x4 [ Mon Feb 14, 2011 7:38 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wandering vitara
mine suffered from the same sort of symptoms, it gets regular wheel alignments & replacing the bush fixed it.
Author:  inbits [ Mon Feb 14, 2011 8:42 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wandering vitara
Bush has no movement at all and all steering joints are good wheel bearings have no play.
I'll book it in in the morning for a wheel alignment and see if that fixes it
Author:  christover1 [ Mon Feb 14, 2011 8:46 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wandering vitara
inbits wrote:
Bush has no movement at all and all steering joints are good wheel bearings have no play.
I'll book it in in the morning for a wheel alignment and see if that fixes it

If not already fitted, you can buy camber adjustable bolts for the struts
Author:  inbits [ Mon Feb 14, 2011 8:48 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wandering vitara
Yeah but it's only a stocker so it shouldn't need it?
My vitara without an alignment or camber bolts with 60mm lift drives better
Author:  buzbox [ Mon Feb 14, 2011 8:56 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wandering vitara
inbits wrote:
The wandering doesn't feel like free play it feels like it grabs a rut in the road and just wants to follow it until you fight it out and the slightest cross wind affects it


Yeah I get the same sort of feel out of mine, I've got at least an inch of freeplay from the steering wheel. I put it down to worn suspension bush's, shocks and wheel bearings. Once I sort it out I can finally get back to buying goodies for it.

Hey Gus, I don't suppose you made note of the part number for the idler arm bush and price?
Author:  christover1 [ Mon Feb 14, 2011 9:06 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wandering vitara
inbits wrote:
Yeah but it's only a stocker so it shouldn't need it?
My vitara without an alignment or camber bolts with 60mm lift drives better



I need to read things proper before commenting :roll:
Missed the stocker bit.

I agree, mine steered better after a lift,
but mine originally had wheels sticking out the bottom like a race car.
Only cos I messed with ride heights a bit,
before settling on suspension work,
and adjusting camber again.
Author:  atari4x4 [ Mon Feb 14, 2011 9:06 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wandering vitara
buzbox wrote:
Hey Gus, I don't suppose you made note of the part number for the idler arm bush and price?


I thought I did have the part number & invoice somewhere in the shed, but the last time I looked for it was after a bit of a tidy up in the garage & it appears that it got filed under "B" for bin, in the big round filing cabinet. :oops:
Author:  Bucket [ Mon Feb 14, 2011 9:07 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wandering vitara
Also check your steering shafts and stuff. I don't know about zooks, but we replaced a worn prado one that had worn out the splines and caused excessove play
Author:  buzbox [ Mon Feb 14, 2011 9:18 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wandering vitara
atari4x4 wrote:
buzbox wrote:
Hey Gus, I don't suppose you made note of the part number for the idler arm bush and price?


I thought I did have the part number & invoice somewhere in the shed, but the last time I looked for it was after a bit of a tidy up in the garage & it appears that it got filed under "B" for bin, in the big round filing cabinet. :oops:


No worries, I'll just have to do it the hard way and give them the VIN number, Rego details, birthday, number of bolts in the car, take in my crayons and draw one for them and learn the sign language for idler arm bush thingy.
Author:  inbits [ Mon Feb 14, 2011 9:31 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wandering vitara
buzbox wrote:
atari4x4 wrote:
buzbox wrote:
Hey Gus, I don't suppose you made note of the part number for the idler arm bush and price?


I thought I did have the part number & invoice somewhere in the shed, but the last time I looked for it was after a bit of a tidy up in the garage & it appears that it got filed under "B" for bin, in the big round filing cabinet. :oops:


No worries, I'll just have to do it the hard way and give them the VIN number, Rego details, birthday, number of bolts in the car, take in my crayons and draw one for them and learn the sign language for idler arm bush thingy.


Save ya crayons and use the new age stuff digital cameras

Once I get the wheel alignment done I'll report back
My findings
Author:  christover1 [ Tue Mar 01, 2011 9:57 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wandering vitara
How did this turn out.

My idler arm bush is the only old bush left in front end,
could be worth checking, before I do a proper alignment.

Is changing this bush a bugger of a job, or nice n easy ?
Author:  inbits [ Tue Mar 01, 2011 6:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Wandering vitara
I got screwed from the place that was meant to do it. Dropped it off 3 days in a row and they didn't touch it and haven't had a chance to take it somewhere else
Author:  christover1 [ Wed Mar 02, 2011 4:10 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wandering vitara
Got under mine today, there appearsto be a very small bend
and a tiny bit of movement, in the idler arm bush.
But hard to say if its just the angle I'm looking at it.
May just wait till I sell the next sierra part,
and buy a Heavy Duty one, with a new bush in it.
Could be wise for future tyres and gearing changes anyway.
Author:  atari4x4 [ Wed Mar 02, 2011 4:27 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wandering vitara
the idler arm is a bit "dog legged" from the bush end to the drag link as seen in the pics above.

SiKiD replaced his with a heavy duty idler arm from Sky Manufacturing (I think) & also replace the drag link & tie rod ends pretty much eliminating all the free play.
Author:  christover1 [ Wed Mar 02, 2011 4:35 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wandering vitara
atari4x4 wrote:
the idler arm is a bit "dog legged" from the bush end to the drag link as seen in the pics above.

SiKiD replaced his with a heavy duty idler arm from Sky Manufacturing (I think) & also replace the drag link & tie rod ends pretty much eliminating all the free play.


It could be a smart idea to do it all together, probably easier too.
Lowrange have one listed now, may even be the Sky one?

http://www.lowrangeoffroad.com/suzuki/s ... r-arm.html

Also a brace I just noticed

http://www.lowrangeoffroad.com/suzuki/s ... brace.html
Author:  atari4x4 [ Wed Mar 02, 2011 4:46 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wandering vitara
The Blue Calamari Idler Arm Brace is for LHD only. The other one is the Sky Manufacturing one that I was talking about, it appears to be one tuff mother farker.
Author:  christover1 [ Wed Mar 02, 2011 4:50 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wandering vitara
atari4x4 wrote:
The Blue Calamari Idler Arm Brace is for LHD only. The other one is the Sky Manufacturing one that I was talking about, it appears to be one tuff mother farker.

yeah was wondering about left/right.
The idler arm appears to be ampidexterous.
Easier than changing bushes, too.
I've gone off bushes lately :)
Author:  wiked111 [ Wed Jul 27, 2011 2:47 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wandering vitara
Inbits did you end up resolving this. I'm having this same issue and am gauging my options of a mild replacement to get it working again or all all out assault on my front end ( although my bank balance would be unhappy about that ). The car both wanders over the road like a fairy and then shudders the rest of the time.....

I'm almost certain its wheel bearing time even without checking them. And steering has a fair amount of play the the idler arm is on the list.
Author:  cooo [ Wed Jul 27, 2011 9:04 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wandering vitara
Mine does that exact same thing too on the highway, feels like it falls in a rut all of a sudden and pulls either way. i thought it might be fucked susp bushes, interested in this idler arm theory.

just found this

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1-IDLER-ARM-SUZUKI-X90-X-90-VITARA-SIDEKICK-89-98-/180642035363?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2a0f1ab6a3#ht_2113wt_698
Author:  atari4x4 [ Wed Jul 27, 2011 9:15 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wandering vitara
for another $40 odd bucks you can get a heavy duty one off lowrange.com
Author:  cooo [ Wed Jul 27, 2011 9:41 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wandering vitara
http://www.lowrangeoffroad.com/index.php/suzuki/sidekick-tracker-x90/steering/extreme-duty-idler-arm.html (same as above)

you mean this one? so it will work for rhd?

thier site is saying itll cost 65 to ship wtf?
Author:  wiked111 [ Wed Jul 27, 2011 9:44 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wandering vitara
I've recently done new suspension to no avail as that was my line of thought. now it lines with steering. done swaybar bushes.

Damn i have to have the idler arm shipped to my us office by Tuesday or wait 3 weeks &*#$ errrr decisions decisions. exchange rate is at 1.10 though
Author:  christover1 [ Wed Jul 27, 2011 9:46 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wandering vitara
cooo wrote:
http://www.lowrangeoffroad.com/index.php/suzuki/sidekick-tracker-x90/steering/extreme-duty-idler-arm.html (same as above)

you mean this one? so it will work for rhd?

thier site is saying itll cost 65 to ship wtf?

Will fit our RHD Vits, that is what I fitted to mine, very happy with it.
Self lubricating bush, very niice.
Got mine from roadless gear cheaper than the rest,
http://www.roadlessgear.com/Merchant2/m ... e_Code=RGL
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