Front wheels out of line???

[Martin!]

Not sure what's up with my 172 front wheels/suspension really...

My passenger side wheel seems to sit further back towards the door/wing than my drivers side one. I'm getting a fair amount of tyre wear on that side also compared to drivers side.

Roughly measuring from centre of front to rear wheels, shows approx. half an inch difference, the passenger side being half an inch shorter than drivers.

Any ideas?

The car drives spot on, doesn't pull either way at all. It's been like this since I bought it a couple months ago, but now I have my new wheels to go on, i'm concerned they're going to rub on full lock as they're wider.

 

[Bucko]

Pics.

Get tracking checked.

 

[maynard]

slightly bent wishbone? previous owner may have knocked the curb. sometimes the case if one wheel sits further back in the arch compared to the other one.

 

[Martin!]

Bucko - I'll get pics later when I go do the engine mounts.

Maynard - I thought maybe a bent wishbone, i'm going to get it on the lift later and have a look, but would a bent wishbone not make it pull to one side when driving?

The car has major kerbing on all wheels, so it is a very high possibility though.

Thanks guys.

 

[Bucko]

What is the tyre wear like?

If it is a wishbone and someone just got the tracking adjusted then that may have hidden the problem?

 

[Martin!]

Passenger side is pretty much low all over compared to the drivers, although maybe a bit worse around the outside of it, but not much worse.

 

[Bucko]

If you've got a lift then it sound's like you may have more mechanical knowledge than me. Let us know how you get on

 

[Martin!]

It's my cousins lift/workshop, he'll be the one looking at it, although I do have mechanical knowledge, it's mainly of Subarus and Fords.

I've already had it on before and never noticed anything untoward, hence why asking on here for ideas what to look for, but then, I wasn't particularly looking as to why it was like this, I was sorting out the seized brake caliper for it's MOT lol.

 

[maynard]

Possibly, but i suppose may not be too noticeable if tracking has been done to try and correct it?

Defo check all the suspension components for wear and damage anyways.

 

[Bucko]

Check the coil spring while you're there, i think there was a guy on here recently who had a snapped spring. Other than that then it can only really be the lower wishbone, or worse, the subframe/Chassis

 

[Martin!]

Cheers fellas, i'm off out now to check it all out, really need it sorted before I fit the new wheels for French Car Show!

I shall let you know the findings!

 

[Martin!]

Well, the findings aren't good

Subframe is well and truely bent!

Are sport subframes different to a non sports?

 

[maynard]

yeah pretty sure they're different.

wishbones are defo different so i'm, sure all the rest of the bits are.

 

[Martin!]

Yeah I thought they would be tbh, ah well, more expense before French Car Show! At this rate i'll never have it how I want it in time!

 

[maynard]

ah it'll be reet!

 

[Da]

Subframe can be had from a 1.2, just need to drill one extra bolt hole if I remember correctly.

 

[dohertsport182]

i have the same problem and have changed both wishbones and had it tracked up , i can almost gaurentee its the sub frame m8, i need to get on to, my driver side wheel sits 10mm back from the passenger side, this is what it did to my tyres after about a year, sorry for crappy pic, took it at night, the left hand tread is completly bold btw.

 

[dohertsport182]

Well, the findings aren't good

Subframe is well and truely bent!

Are sport subframes different to a non sports?

sorry missed this^^

 

[Bucko]

Gutted mate, any idea how it happened? Have you knocked it since you've had it or could it be from a previous owner?

 

[Martin!]

It's from a previous owner mate, every wheel is kerbed to hell, and when I say kerbed, I think they've driven along the kerbs for miles, there's chunks out of them.

I can only imagine it's hit a kerb hard at some point, as to my horror when I checked the spare wheel out to put on the front whilst I had it on the lift, as my tyre is pretty low, I found this....

So I reckon therein lies the answer!

On a brighter note, now the engine mounts are done, it's like a different car!

 

[mat-nos]

ffs, hit a curb hard for sure.......

2nd hand subframe shouldnt be too expensive just takes a while to do but you have the use of a lift which makes it 50 times easyer, may aswell do track rod ends and polly bush the front end while youve got everything off......

 

[Martin!]

ffs, hit a curb hard for sure.......

2nd hand subframe shouldnt be too expensive just takes a while to do but you have the use of a lift which makes it 50 times easyer, may aswell do track rod ends and polly bush the front end while youve got everything off......

Yeah that's the plan now, polybush it all while it's all out, be silly not to really, do it all at the same time, get my Eibachs here before I do it too.

 

[Bucko]

Oh no, BF Goodridge!....

Seriously though, that's awful. How long have you owned the car?

 

[dohertsport182]

seen a few subframes on ebay in the past they norm want £200+ , dunno bout fitting, friend of mine did his subframe, sed the bumper needed to come off ,

 

[Martin!]

Bucko - I've had it for a couple of months now. The rest of the tyres aren't BF Goodrich, they're a mixture of crap! Once this is sorted, it'll have proper rubber on decent rims

dohert - I'll fit it myself, and got one lined up to pick up next weekend for considerably less than that!

 

[dohertsport182]

nice, save some money then, well mine is bearable, apart from the wear on the tyres, mine is sat 10mm back from the passenger side, went to local breakers for one,........ ended up coming out with brembo max disks, ktec braided lines and ferodo ds2500 pads, all as new for 100 squids there was a subframe aswell but couldnt let anyone beat me on the brakes, getting the subframe this wknd coming for 150 so not to bad, wish i lived a little closer as could do with help fitting mine ah well

 

[Gardus]

Which clios have the same subframe as the 172FF again? I'll have a look at the local scrapyards.
My right front wheels is a bit closer to the wing/door then the left one too and i suspect the subframe cause the car has been in an accident with the previous owner.