Clio no longer fills me with confidence.

[marshall]

Over the past year ive been nothing but over the moon with the clio and the way it gives you confidence.

2500 comfortable easy miles around europe.
2 laps of the Nurburgring (first ever track experience)
Track day at Snetterton.

However recently its becoming more and more of a chore to drive.

When i took it in for them to look at replacing the gearbox i got them to look at the brakes and steering. Both of which they said were perfectly normal, however i disagree...

The steering is heavy, and after a short drive your arms ache. Even though powersteering feels like its still there, its certainly heavier than it was and i would not have been doing 400/500 miles a day round europe comfortably with it how it is. Its heavy off the mark but it also feels to have play in it, it doesnt feel "positive" like it always had done.

I had the tracking done by STS tyres who set it up to their best ability but im beginning to wonder whether their "best" isnt good enough for the uber sensitive clio 200?

The tyres are 1-2mm off the wear lines, this cant be causing this much trouble surely?!

Brakes have a lot of travel and no feel. I remember them requiring the slightest touch of the pedal and you were being thrown out the window. Now a firm press just isnt enough.

Anyone got any ideas? Renault say its fine....but this isnt the car ive been driving for the past year!

I do not enjoy driving it atm which is such a shame :thumbdown:

 

[N0ddie]

I found that the brakes were quick in going off (yes we did a lot of trackdays on 'em but even still).

As for the steering. That's a strange one.

 

[Foxspeed]

sounds like the brakes need a strip down clean and deglaze and rebuilt back up

as for the steering - have they dialled in too much toe-out?

worn tyres can make a difference to the feel of the car...

 

[marshall]

They didn't give me a print out of the settings so I couldn't tell you....all I saw was green figures so to their eyes it was acceptable.

Looks like ill be giving them a strip down....it has been a year I suppose. Tbh I can't say they have been the same since the slave cylinder went in the clutch...

 

[A2ON]

ive done two track days in the clio with standard everything and the brakes feel fine too me .

 

[Roy]

One of the things is that every car is different and what feels strange to one person seems normal to another

 

[N0ddie]

They didn't give me a print out of the settings so I couldn't tell you....all I saw was green figures so to their eyes it was acceptable.

Looks like ill be giving them a strip down....it has been a year I suppose. Tbh I can't say they have been the same since the slave cylinder went in the clutch...

You sure the garage put the RS Clio alignment settings on and not the normal Clio?

 

[Graeme GTR]

tbh i find the breaks a bit spongy. Uprated lines and change of fluid might be all thats required?

 

[JoshV]

The tyres are 1-2mm off the wear lines, this cant be causing this much trouble surely?!

Brakes have a lot of travel and no feel. I remember them requiring the slightest touch of the pedal and you were being thrown out the window. Now a firm press just isnt enough.

When my tyres were pretty much at the limit and same tread as yours my car felt heavier going into corners than it first did. The moment I changed the front tyres everything was so light again! I think the tyres do make a massive amount of difference as will the tracking if not set up perfectly. I don't also think the tyres are that great in the cold especially when the temperature is 0 degress and below so that might not be helping. But then again go and drive a friends car and the Clio will then suddenly seem very light again and easy to go round corners and stop haha

As for the brakes, mine need replacing very soon and seem to have fallen off a cliff recently. They have become very spongy and requiring a greater distance to stop, so how much life do yours have left in them?

 

[Richy200]

Id blame the cold as mine feels similar. but then it has been below 0 mostly for the last few weeks.
In the bends she wants to understeer a lot and doesn't really want to stop unless I get some heat in to the brakes first. Im hoping the weekend is warmer so I can go for a good blast!!

 

[marshall]

On a lighter note, the gearbox is nice and tight again!

 

[bellamy06]

It could be tyres? I've foufn that as soon as the tyres get down to about 2mm of tread left they let go.

 

[c-bass1987]

stick some ebc red stuff pads in it! put them in mine brakes were massively improved!!!

 

[A2ON]

stick some ebc red stuff pads in it! put them in mine brakes were massively improved!!!

Anything EBC is rubbish and nothing more that a gimic product worst crap ever

 

[Richy200]

Anything EBC is rubbish and nothing more that a gimic product worst crap ever

Agreed!! Id recommend ds2500 for pads if you fancied a change

 

[harvey197]

i adjusted the hand brake today, and then it took up loads of travel in the peddle, been needing done for a while now, cant belive how much of a difference it has made.

 

[mitch]

How is the hsndbrake cable related to the pedal?.

 

[harvey197]

How is the hsndbrake cable related to the pedal?.

if you adjust the hand brake so that it only take 3 to 5 clicks to work, then start the car press pump the brake peddle and then pull the hand brake on, it adjust the the ratchets in the rear calipers, thus takes the slack up.

foxspeed may explain it better.

 

[A2ON]

^^ rear pad travel . Brake pedal is not just a "front" brake pedal

 

[mitch]

I thought the rear pads were self adjusting.