The Mitsubishi Pajero Owners Club®

rabbit171

My grandmother is 84 and still driving, we bought her a little Rover Metro about 2 years ago, seemed fine! She asked me to check it cos the clutch was slipping, knackered clutch. I did notice however the steering was like driving the paj without power steering. She thought that it was the tyres being low all the time, but she says it been like that for a while and she's finding it hard to park it.

Question is: is this normal for metros (I have nothing to bench mark against!) to be so heavy or is it sh@gged? My fiesta MK1 was never this heavy

Any help would be greatly appreciated and my granny would be thankful too! Very Happy

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rickladds · Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 13:33 Post subject:

No -it shouldn't be that heavy. It could be the tyres low in pressure - but to cause steering that heavy they would have to be virtually completely flat.

Is it a power-steering model? Some were, and if it is, and if the pump has failed, then that would account for it being extra-heavy.

Alternatively, try feeding her with Shredded Wheat!

rabbit171 · Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 15:24 Post subject:

Cheers rickladdds, it's hasn't got power steering, and the tyres are at right pressure, but now knowing it shouldn't be that heavy I will let a mechanic have a ganders.

Will advise her to stop eating quakers oats and go to shredded wheat! Laughing

Cheers

trousersnake01 · Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2005 18:37 Post subject:

Has it got the right width wheels on and has it had spacers fitted pushing the wheels out

MartinF · Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2005 15:04 Post subject:

Metros definately have heavier steering than Fiestas - But not as bad as you describe!

My experience, having owned at least 6 and 2 currently is that the steering does get very heavy if there is anything wrong with top or bottom swivels, the knuckles in the hydrolastic suspension or the suspension pressure itself.

Theory is that any wear or reduction in ride height due to pressure results in negative camber on the front wheels and that can mean very heavy steering.

You have probably seen Metros with a sort of tired & nose down look. That can be fixed easily with an overhaul.

If you want a more obscure idea I'd say that the sliding joint on the driveshafts could be tight so the car wants to resist any turning forces but that is just a theory and not something i've experienced.

Good news is that the bits are cheap, new or secondhand and they are easy to work on yourself save for the suspension pump up

rabbit171 · Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2005 15:40 Post subject:

Cheers everyone i'll check it out Laughing

monkeyboy · Newbie Joined: 09 Feb 2005 Posts: 3

metros were always hard on steering and they NEVER had power steering just one of them things poo car poo design