Intermittent Vibration at 100-120 km

[scallan]

It's the front that counts in terms of shimmy or judder.

Your pressure figures look fine for drifting or movie stunt driving, but for normal day to day driving I'd have thought they must be illegal considering that the manufacturers set figures are the same pressures ( 26psi ) on all four wheels. If those pressures were discovered after an accident, wouldn't your insurance become invalid.

i use it for the odd bit of rear wheel drive fun

I'll set them back first thing tomorrow to 26, coming from other cars, I would have thought that 26 seemed a bit low, but if that's recommended for the mx5, that's fine.

In terms of after raising the psi to 33, it was prior to doing this that I experienced the shimmy, afterward I raised it and drove it for a while, I couldn't
replicate it.

check the size of the tires as i bought a second hand set of alloys and 3 of the tires were 195/50/15 but 1 was 195/45/15 which made the car kinda wiggle on the road when accelerating or changing gear

[Oregato]

Ok update!

Right, took it out and first thing was to reduce the psi back down to 26. No difference and drove fine.

Decided to bring it onto the motorway and drove from the Firhouse exit to Carrickmines, when I reached Carrickmines, steering wheel started to vibrate again so I check my brakes and also pulled up the handbrake slightly and let it down, no difference, took the next turn off and sure enough when I stopped, same smell of rotten brakes. Went around each tire and it's 100% coming from the front drivers side. Smell was unreal and when you put your hand on the wheel it was very hot as well. All other wheels were fine, bonnet lifted and nothing wrong under the engine.

Back on the motorway home I drove a bit slower, and it felt like the caliper was sticking? Same smell and heat when I got home.

Any suggestions etc?!?!?

Thanks in advance.

[Steve]

cool, should be easy fix, rebuild kit or replace with bolt on reconditioned calipers from MX5Parts

[Oregato]

cool, should be easy fix, rebuild kit or replace with bolt on reconditioned calipers from MX5Parts

Right, do you think that this could have been the cause of my problems of the shimmy, like the caliper sticking and then coming free again causing the vibration?

Is there anything I can do temperariliy to keep me going? Like just greasing parts or something??

With the Xmas brake etc. it'll be difficult to get anything over the next week like!

Any suggestions would be great.

Thanks again

Will

[eyore]

Right, do you think that this could have been the cause of my problems of the shimmy, like the caliper sticking and then coming free again causing the shimmy

Will[/quote]
Absolutely.

[Steve]

It might just be getting stuck on the sliders, take the caliper off the bracket and regrease the sliders

[Oregato]

Ok, so mechanic came down today and we decided to tackle this, we took off the wheel and straight away he said that it was classic signs of sticky caliper syndrome. He said that because the brake pad was rubbing off the disc in certain areas more than others, this is what would have caused the shimmy at 65mph as the heat would build up and the disc would expand and cause the shimmy as it would continually rub and get hotter and hotter - hence the smell and the shimmy!

We took off the caliper and tried to loosen it a bit but not much joy. So a new one will be ordered.

I take it a reconditioned unit from MX5parts.co.uk is my best bet?

Will also need new brake pads and discs as well, again, is MX5 parts the best or should I go to a motor factors/dealer?

Also, in terms of the right model, mine is a 2001, I think it's just a MK2 as opposed to the MK2.5?? are they the same part or do I need to be specific? and how do I find out?

Thanks so far for the help, I owe some of you guys a coffee at the next 'run'

[mx5ash]

You can normally get reconned ones of eBay or auto link cheaper than mx5parts if that's the route ya want to go down. Ash

[Oregato]

Just to bring this thread full circle I managed to get new brake pads, discs and caliper for the front from mx5 parts, got them fitted today and went for a long drive. All is well and the car is running 100%. Had it up on a ramp to take a good look at the bottom of the car and its so clean I'd eat my dinner off it if i could.. no rust and very clean. Mechanic commented on how well its been looked after.
I'm chuffed with this car. So more so that I've only taken the integra out twice since I've got it.

Thanks for all the help with this