please keep in mind i'm an aggressive driver...

 

I was driving my car down my usual "test loop" basically on my way home. this road consists of several hills 70+deg turns and a couple of off camber turns.

 

theres one section that has a couple of uphills fallowed by immediate downhill+turns. i happened to catch a bit of air (was doing about 65kph front suspension usually only goes to full droop without the tires leaving the ground) but when i landed the steering felt wrong.

 

turning right the initial response is sharp but then the car feels like its hunting.

turning left the response feels sluggish but it tracks true.

stopping or braking with a turn the car feels to "dive" mildly on the right side.

stopping or accelerating in a strait line no unusual input.

 

Notes: struts and shocks were installed 6months ago by myself and my dad (subaru mechanic of 18 years) and subsequent alignment was made as i felt it was necessary.

 

have only completed one rallyx since install of new suspension (brooklyn bash) imho not the hardest of events on a vehicle.

 

inspection under the vehicle was unrevealing.

any broken springs in the front? Look carefully as they can be decieving. I also wouldnt rule out a blown strut, do the bouce test and tell us what you find.

 

How are all the bushings?

 

nipper

left strut is wheezing, bushings are old and in expected condition

left strut is wheezing, bushings are old and in expected condition

 

There you go, a blown strut.

 

it happens.

 

nipper

i'll get it up on stands on friday. for now the strut seems to be doing its job.

ok, my dad got concerned and threw it up on rack. the alignment is out and the front trailing arm (i don't really know what to call it) is mildly bent but it looks like the bushing on the chassis side took the brunt of the impact.

 

basically what he said is that the car is getting old and he's surprised that its lasted me this long.

 

*sigh*

Check the strut isn't slightly bent too, thats easy to do if you're getting air.