Back End Gone Very Loose

OK people a question for you.

Just got back from a 120 mile round trip to Swansea. Car behaved impeccably all the way until I pulled off the main road onto our small country road. Coming round the first RH corner (not fast honestly!) the back end slid one way then the other. Oh dear - flat tyre I thought. I continued driving as I was only about 400 yards from home and it didn't feel like a flat TBH. Next RH corner OK, then LH corner and the rear went again. Next RH OK then left onto our estate road (now very slow) and the back went again. It felt exactly like driving on ice.

Put the car in the garage, checked the tyres - all OK.

The left hand disc felt hotter than the others - a lot. Could a binding brake give those sort of symptoms or should I be looking art a suspension component? The car is a 1999 Mk2 F.

Thanks in advance for any input.

More likely a wheel bearing. That would give a hot disc
Also check the wheel nuts...

David Aiketgate wrote: More likely a wheel bearing. That would give a hot disc

Thanks David.

Could it have failed that quickly? I'd negotiated a few roundabouts fairly enthusiastically (because of a manic Disco driver in my boot) a few miles previously and it was absolutely perfect. In fact I was just thinking to myself how well it was handling and how much fun it is!

It's possible. Jack that wheel up and try moving it side to side.

David Aiketgate wrote: It's possible. Jack that wheel up and try moving it side to side.

Looks like tomorrow is planned for me then!

Checked wheel nuts OK. Tyre pressures all OK - 26 front, 28 back, which is correct for 185 55 15 and 205 50 15 respectively.

Slight side to side play on left rear. Both rear wheels rotate smoothly with just slight touching from the pads. Took the wheel off and could see that the hub nut had slipped slightly from the indent. Tightened that back up and test drove (carefully!). Just the same but it isn't just LH corners it's either direction.

While the car was on stands, I had a good look underneath (at the back anyway) and can't see anything obviously wrong. Nothing broken or loose etc.

It really feels like driving on bald tyres on a greasy surface - very disconcerting and makes me not want to drive it TBH.

Somewhat at a loss now so any further suggestions would be appreciated.

Wondering about a four wheel alignment check but I can't think what would have thrown anything out of alignment so rapidly to cause this problem.

I should have said that it's when you accelerate out of a corner that the back end slides ie when the power goes down and you don't have to accelerate very hard to get the back end moving!

sounds to me like your rear shocks need looking at, soft shocks are like driving on ice,

graham1 wrote: sounds to me like your rear shocks need looking at, soft shocks are like driving on ice,

Thanks Graham. I did the bounce test and all seems solid enough on the shocks aspect. Also, this has happened very suddenly, not a gradual thing at all. As I said, I'd been cornering fairly vigorously (for me anyway) a few miles previously and it was handling like a dream, so it feels to me like something has failed very quickly.

I am wondering whether it could be a diff problem but forgot to check for that this morning. Is it possible for the diff to lock for any reason. I did notice an oil leak from the inner drive shaft area.

could be the diff, but could be a broken spring, you won't know until you have investigated more thoroughly, I cant see it being the diff though then again with these cars you can never tell, I would say a broken spring, as you cant tell until you have taken the spring off,let me know how you get on, good luck,

When is the MOT due? If it's anytime soon, it might be worth popping it in early. I'd have thought that an MOT tester would have noticed something as bad as you describe. I can only think of things you've already looked at, i.e. flat tyre, loose wheel nuts etc.

Sounds horrible!

Given that you have an F, it won't be a broken spring.

Another possibility is the compliance bushes have given up the ghost this can result in a rear wheel steering effect, which is very disconcerting.it would feel like your description..

The compliance bushes are located in the middle of the rear bottom arms. They are large bushes that locate a rod that comes from the front of the subframe.! It is possible to add shims/ washers to take up the slack. I have a 'how to' if you look In the list