URGENT! Wobbly front end, '93 80 TDI
 

Noticed massively uneven wear on the passenger side front tyre, and it feels a little unstable when cornering right.

Also in the wet the car seems to follow the ruts etc of the road, dragged by the passenger side front, which seems to have a lot of movement.

Also if a drain cover, or the like, is driven over by the front passenger side when wet the car lurches and slides out.

When stationary it is possible to move the wheel maybe half an inch back/forth in the wheel arch, and hold each side of the tyre wobble it left to right.

I assume its some bushes somewhere, but any ideas which ones? Im supopsed to be driving 1000 miles to the south of germany in two weeks!

Thanks

<3

Check your wheel nuts are all tight,maybe take wheel off and check all your suspension nuts are tight too i had similar event with my 90 turns out a few had worked them selves loose.:)You will be able to feel the play if its worn bushes.

OK cool will do, sounds so simple but I suppose it could be that!

Would be lovely if it was but i fear it will be something more£££ hungry

Uneven tyre wear is usually tracking,or track rod ends are goosed

True, but its the amount the wheel can move around in the arch, and how much it lurches around in the wet when the weight is over that front side, and how much that one wheel wants to follow the ruts in the road. Its not a simple issue of tracking, it appears there must some bushes or something that are failing and was wondering if anyone else had experienced anything similar.

edit - Just seen your edit RE track rod ends, another thing that did cross my mind

Wobbly wheel?
 

Strut top mounts or badly worn wheel bearing or bottom ball joint – god knows, but you shouldn't be driving it like that... clearly needs some professional attention

I would have thought wheel bearing would have groaned/moaned, but maybe not.

Not driving it right now... I'm using my alfa 155 but just need to get this sorted......

I'd put money on
1, wishbone bushes, 3 or 4 quid each, 2 either side of car, do all 4 at once, or you could change the wishbone with the bushes all fitted from new around 40 quid each
2, lower ball joint, about 15 quid each, also fitted to the wishbone
3, as said above track rod ends , also about 15 quid
4, subframe bushes, not so cheap but all the above are also bolted to the subframe
5 shocker strut top bearings.
As for my first comment about putting money on it, that basically refers to point 1

Good luck

Stuart

Brilliant, cheers.

Just had it jacked up and I can move the wheel a few mm each way, for example gripping the tire on each side of the wheel and it almost rocks on the bearing?

My first thought was whisbone bushes as I know the old B4s, esp the tdis are heavy over the front

Lewis, having just read the original post I would certainly re-check the lower ball joint as I had to do one on my '95 coupe very recently, this could certainly allow front/rear movement.
Another place to look would be anti-roll bar "d" bushes and drop links and the 2 bolts at the bottom of the strut, but generally anything with a bolt and bush.
Good luck friend and keep us posted

Stuart