Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing getting my bearings on my 2010 Roadster

Good morning all
On the motorway at the weekend at 170kph, we experienced some vibration through the steering wheel, not too bad but noticeable and it would disappear at times but return if the speed exceeded 180. Below that all was well. I have also noticed a very slight knocking from the front left wheel when driving down (but not up) our gravel drive. Grasping that wheel top and bottom I can produce a slight movement but not if my wife sits in the car and puts her foot firmly on the brake pedal.There is no movement on the other wheel. The tyres were changed at BHM in January 2019 and I don't remember any vibration on the way back here. The car had its French mot last year and the tester, who is meticulous, did not advise any problem. The only thing I have done is to put the advised amount of Autoseal into the tyres as there is no spare.Come to think of it I did the same with the P4 110 and there was at times some vibration there too. There is no uneven wear on the tyres. I am almost sure that it becomes more apparent in winter too but with speed limits here on the routes national/deprtmental at 80 and 90 kph I don't notice anything untoward. So it could be the bearings or, at 24000 miles now, the king pins. As there is no one within a two hour drive to change the pins I need some advice.Does anyone want to comment please?

A cyclical vibration from the front may be a slight wheel imbalance both sides phasing in and out. My Plus 4 does this.

The slight rocking of the wheel you describe which vanishes with brakes applied is the bearing, but not serious. It may be possible to go to the next flat/split pin position to take up the slack.

I need my P4 balance checking, and I have to nip up the bearings at some point.

Sounds like the bearing. Shortly after I got Belle I was at Wolf Performance for something else but Cain being Cain checked the front wheels for kingpin wear and bearings. At 10 k miles the drivers side one was slightly loose , tightening up is pretty straight forward but as Dave says it depends on where the next hole for the cotter pin is vs the tightness of the nut.

Yes , all you have to do is reduce the thickness of the nut by lapping it on very fine emery cloth and then the next hole will align (if you are lucky!)

meabh, I think your imbalance is not helped by the autoseal

Good tip on the nut thickness tweak, Andy

Ian, I seem to recall PeterJ reporting out of balance at the higher end of his cars performance once he had filled his tyres with goop.

Thank you all for chipping in. Jon I have a feeling that you might well be onto something since I had the same sensation on the 110 P4.
By the way, re my friends P4 not starting: seems that a new Bosch battery has cured it.

Yes Richard,I now remember that too. I can live with it if I sort out the castle nut and bearings.