Loose steering at higher speed

  1. My model of MX-5 is: __2006 NC
  2. I’m based near: __swindon
  3. I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on:

__hi I find the steering loose, kind of more leeway and less precise when speed increases.

Another scenario is when the front wheel hits uneven surface, the steering wheel can get quite off track.

Is it normal?

Cheers

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Sounds like tired dampers - are they original? Handling should be tight and precise at all speeds.

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It doesn’t sound normal. Is your '06 car is on it’s original running gear ?
If so it may be worn out depending on what miles it’s covered in all that time.
Bushes worn, suspension elements worn, shock absorbers and springs…
Is this something that you’ve just started to notice ?

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Are the tyres over-inflated?

Otherwise, worn suspension/dampers or poor geometry might be factors. That includes the rear axle.

Are the tyres decent and matched?

What do you define as high speed?

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Tyres maybe gone off, what’s fitted, how much tread and how old are they?

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You mean the coil over damper? I bought it as is and yes yellow original I guess for the model.

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About 55k miles I drove just a few hundred. I bought it before the winter seems better. Today was about 5c out there on summer tyre Hankook might be that’s the reason?

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Anti roll bar bushes may be worn on the front. get them checked.

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Oh tyres are brand new hankook changed just before winter all four summer tyre though.

Speed I meant around 60mph when I say faster.

The tyres are 4 X hankook summer tyres newly fitted before winter.
Strange I didn’t have this feeling until lately though I didn’t drive it often anyway. I will have to wait till a hotter day to test it again though I don’t think that matters that much.

My other car also has summer tyre not as obvious.

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Thanks. I have yet to find an around town garage that likes mx5. South west is still looking for an area coordinator for our car club :rofl::joy:

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Many thanks folks. If this persists after isolating tyre issues, then must be angles and suspension as you all suggested.
Will see many Thanks :+1::+1:

Man

Have you checked the tyre pressures yet? It is simple and free and would eliminate a possible cause. MX5s are more sensitive to tyre pressures than some other cars and garages have been known to put far too much in.
:heart:

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Many thanks. Will do it. Good tip👍
It might be a colder day for the summer tyre that needs lower pressure.

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You need to put the correct tyre pressure in no matter what the outside temperature is.
As the outside temperature goes up you may have to let some air out and conversely on colder days put some in.
:heart:

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Oh got it. Will try it out. Really a lot more sensitive to my Kia diesel LoL

Another thumbs up for tyre pressures.
I’ve found my NC to be very fussy about pressures.
White lining, wandering around, etc.
The PS4’s were very fussy, the Yokohamas seem a little less so.
Cheap and easy fix…
Rick.

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So what’s the general consensus? Do you keep pressures as advised in the manual or do you take a few psi out of the front?
I tend to go 27 front 29 rear. It just feels better

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Haven’t tried yet. Will see if can test it out today.

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I stick to the recommendations from Mazda for the NC at 29psi. I’m of the mind that putting more in the rears will promote oversteer in the car which as it’s already RWD, I’ll try and keep the handling more neutral.

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