Wheel catching on full lock (3200) & windscreen wiper failure

[Ben3200gt]

Afternoon all,

Have any of you 3200 owners had issues with the front wheels seemingly catching on something when at very low speed on full lock? Just sounds like a rubbing noise, whether its the tyre on the wheel arch or something else I'm not entirely sure, but a tad irritating all the same!

Question number 2... After a year trying to restore my 3200 (and getting closer and closer to completion!), I have enjoyed the past 2-3 months of issue free driving. So much so, that a friend made the fatal error of recognising my new found reliability by passing comment - only for the passenger side windscreen wiper to stop working an hour later. After arguing about who was responsible for the failure, and therefore who should pay for the repair (sadly, an argument I lost), I have now got to work out what the problem is! I will be taking her to Marios and co at Autoshield for a service & repair in a few weeks time, but just wondered if anyone else was familiar with the problem. The driver side wiper works fine (apart from the infamous screen dragging at its lowest speed), but the passenger side blade sits redundantly, and when having a little fiddle with it, it feels very free/loose in comparison to the other. Presumably a failure of one of the swing arm components, but wondered if anyone with a more mechanical background than myself had any ideas?

Cheers -

Ben

 

[rotorheadcase]

If the wiper arm has be removed and refitted a number of times it's possible the locking splines on the wiper arm have worn down. The manual recommends replacing wiper arms every two remove/refit events.

With the low speed noise I have never had any issues with low speed rubbing, assuming you have standard rims. I have never heard of anyone else ever having an issue. Could it be your power steering pump is on the way out and is making a groaning at full lock which is characteristic of a failing pump?

Regards,

Neil

 

[Ben3200gt]

Hi Neil, thanks for the response. I will take a look at the locking splines this weekend - hopefully it's an easy fix! If I can see worn splines, are these easily replaced from parts ex Eurospares? That would be a result!

As for the low speed noise; the rims are standard and although it could be the power steering pump, it does seem to be more of a catching of the wheel sound (tyre on wheel arch sound if that makes sense!) rather than a power steering groan. I mentioned it to Autoshield some time back and someone there suggested it was a relatively common problem, but it is a problem I'd like to get rid of as it's pretty irritating! Another thing to add to the list for it's upcoming trip to Marios and the guys!

 

[EVOeng]

What tyres are fitted to the car?

 

[hodroyd]

Hi Ben,
With the Wiper Arm, it's either get some PTFE on the spline, or get a new arm.
The wheel rub on full lock I sometimes get too on the 3200. I think it is the inner wing liner, but not sure. Check with a torch to see if you have any rub marks on the liner, if not it just could be the power steering pump working at maximum and a few cars do that.
Cheers
R

 

[Ben3200gt]

Cheers gents!

Tyres; I use Pirelli P-Zero Rosso's - sizes as per the book, so shouldn't be any issues there! As for the wiper arm; I like the PTFE on the spline tactic in the short term - all these additional expenses are coming out of my full respray kitty, which just puts the completion of the project back even further! As for the wheel rub, I feel better knowing that it does appear to be an inherent design 'feature' of the car and I am not the only one that has suffered it. As noted, it doesn't seem to cause any problems, bar minor irritation when pulling out of the drive on a morning! Hodroyd - I don't suppose it was you that drove past me a week or so back in a dark blue 3200 was it? It was (I believe) a Friday evening near Shadwell, Leeds? I was too busy admiring the car to get my Maseratisti wave back before the car had passed! I have also passed a couple in or around York - as there doesn't seem to be many of us dotted around the North, and as I know you are pretty local, I wondered if it was you? If it is - please look beyond the semi prepped for full respray look my car currently has; no expense has been spared on the restoration under the bonnet! Just got to get her looking as tasty as she sounds/drives now!

 

[hodroyd]

Hi Ben,

Not sure if that was me or not, my dark blue car is a 4200 facelift. If I see you I will naturally wave.
Was that your car i saw recently in Emley Refinishers, Grigio Touring AC I think it was, having some respray work done..??

Cheers
R

 

[Ben3200gt]

Sadly not! Mines going in for a full respray in January all being well - it was supposed to be done a while back, but other mechanical expenses found their way in to the mix so it's been put back - one day in the not too distant future, it will be finished, and I will finally be in a position to put some pictures up and feel like a genuine member of the Maserati gang! They really do become labours of love....

 

[hodroyd]

Who said Latin Lovers were not expensive...?????

 

[Ben3200gt]

Haha!! Can't argue with that.... They make great noises too!

 

[JDM]

as hodroyd says, ptfe tape on your wiper splines should cure your problem and worth checking your arch liner hasn't collapsed and is rubbing on your wheel. You should be able to see in the arch where it's rubbing

 

[beau]

my drivers wheel rubs somewhere on tight left corners

 

[hodroyd]

Check that both headlight flaps on the inner wing liner are both tight shut