Pulling to the left

[hipwell]

Just picked up a 172 and all's good apart from it seems to pull to the left slightly.
Noticeable under power or when traveling at a steady pace.

Checked all tyre pressures.
The only thing I have noticed is that the 2 front tyres are a different brand. Would this be the issue? Or is it more likely to be a ball joint of a certain component?

 

[jamesycc]

tracking needs doing. About £25 for a decent laser alignment.

 

[imprezaworks]

What make tyres?

 

[hipwell]

2 of the same Yokohama on the back. Then on the front there a Bridgestone and an Avon.

Would I be better off putting both the Yokohama on the front and then going for tracking?

 

[imprezaworks]

Allways have four matching tyres tbh, well I do anyway.

 

[plees]

Wouldn't be too worried about anything before taking it for tracking. Like others have said though, id put the two matching tyres on the front for piece of mind if anything. One less thing to rule out

 

[imprezaworks]

Het the tyres done first imo. Otherwise I guess.

Yeah had the tracking done and it's still pulling to the left

 

[STEVE.M]

only thing I have noticed is that the 2 front tyres are a different brand.

Are they the same size?

 

[imprezaworks]

.

 

[mossyv6]

Could be sticking caliper slider.

 

[STEVE.M]

.

"

 

[hipwell]

Will this stuff be ok to use on the slider pins?

I usually use copper grease on the back of the pads but have never greased the sliders
http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/c...enance-fluids-and-greases/grease/?526770250&0

 

[RichieJA]

I replaced every single suspension and steering part over 3 months trying to sort a pull to the left, turned out I needed a shim on the back axle, instead of guessing and flinging money at it get, it tracked by a 4 wheel hunter machine, then you will actually find out what is wrong

 

[iimushroomzii]

I wouldn't worry about the tyres as long as they are in decent nick and all the same size. Get the tracking done and see how it is.

 

[bloke]

Get everything checked first BEFORE you get the tracking done, have seen plenty of cars that he e had tracking done with knocked ball joints, tre's, rods, bearings etc.

 

[Rone]

What the posters above have said. I also had a twisted (crashed) rear axle that caused the car to constantly steer to one direction. So it is not a rule that the front-end is doing the steering!!

Also, if the car has been crashed, the whole steering geometry in the front-end might be messed up slightly. So getting the tracking correct will not fix the self-steering problem in that case. It may be caused, for example, by different amounts of camber on front wheels, which is a consequence of a front-end collision. If the whole chassis is twisted, then it is not so fun to fix. This is why I never buy cars that have been crashed. Apart from the fact that the airbags and gas-fastening seatbelt tighteners are a major headache in crashed used cars.

 

[hipwell]

Get everything checked first BEFORE you get the tracking done, have seen plenty of cars that he e had tracking done with knocked ball joints, tre's, rods, bearings etc.

Well just had the tracking done and it's still the exact same. There doesn't appear to be any signs of any crash damage and the track rod ends and ball joints have no play in them.
I just called quick fit about their 4 wheel alignment and he said cliosaren't adjustable at the rear so if the back end is out how do I go about fixing that?

 

[bloke]

shims behind the stub axle.

 

[Jekyll]

Not knackered rear shocks? That has a tenancy to pull. Although it does feel a bit boat like also.

Just a suggestion.

 

[cs_dave]

Bent stub axle?

 

[imprezaworks]

Have you a printout of the tracking

 

[hipwell]

Nah I didn't get a printout.

Back shocks look OK, no oil coming from them and no noises.

Would your average 4 wheel alignment shop be able to fit shims behind the stub axel or is it a specialist type of job?

 

[cs_dave]

Nah I didn't get a printout.

Back shocks look OK, no oil coming from them and no noises.

Would your average 4 wheel alignment shop be able to fit shims behind the stub axel or is it a specialist type of job?

DIY buddy once you know how far out it is

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

 

[imprezaworks]

Can do it if handy, or any decent mechanic can do it.
My resident mechanic @bloke does any work on my car. Trusted.co.uk

 

[hipwell]

Just been reading up on the toe shims, look easy enough to fit.

So basically I need to get a printout from a 4 wheel alignment machine, fit rear toe shims and then I'd probably have to take it for tracking again?

 

[imprezaworks]

Wouldn't need it tracking again as the rear is fixed so no adjustment.

But yeah get a printout

 

[cs_dave]

If its out by loads you sir have a shagged stub axle or a bent beam

 

[hipwell]

Ouch!
How do I tell which it is? I take it if I strip off the rear disks and caliper a bent stub axle would present itself fairly obviously?

 

[cs_dave]

Jack up spin the wheel and use your eyes you will see a buggered stub the beam you wont.

Do you know how far out it was?

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

 

[hipwell]

K I'll have a proper look at the weekend.
If a stub was bent though wouldn't it still spin normally as the bend would be before where the bearing sits?
Could a shot rear bush on the torsion beam cause a similar effect?

No they were pretty pikey to be honest not the most professional guys in the world.

 

[hipwell]

Well upon closer I section last night I can see that the rear passenger side wheel seems to be toed in a few degrees more than the drivers side.

Is that likely to cause a pull? I'm going to get it on a hunter system at the weekend and get a printout.

 

[The Hitman]

I would check the wear on both the back tyres to make sure they are wearing evenly, check the springs and shocks on all corners to make sure there is no leaking or breaks, check the steering arms that they are and good order, change the front tyres for a matching pair and if the back tyres aren't weraing evenly change those for either another matching pair or the same as the fronts and then get the tracking done. Get the tracking done last after you've ruled out that there are no other problems, otherwise its just a waste of time.

 

[hipwell]

Thanks mate.

Did all that and there were no abnormalities so I got a hunter allignment check done after checking everything over on the ramp.

I have attached the results.
Does any of that look bad enough to cause a pull to the left?

 

[imprezaworks]

Yep issue with rear toe and camber, that will cause it to increase tyre wear and pull as one tyre will wear quicker etc. Mine as an example

 

[hipwell]

Yeh as I though.
Would there be enough movement to try and correct it if I slackened the rear axle and try to re centre it and nip back up?

Do those reading suggest a bent axle or stub axle?

 

[imprezaworks]

In my opinion no to the first.

And quite possibly to the next question.

 

[hipwell]

What's the chance of it been corrected with a set of these?
http://www.pure-motorsport.co.uk/details.php?itemid=128
One on the right for the camber and one on the left to fix the toe?

 

[STEVE.M]

What's the chance of it been corrected with a set of these?
http://www.pure-motorsport.co.uk/details.php?itemid=128
One on the right for the camber and one on the left to fix the toe?

Looking at these,all holes are the same size,so they can fitted anyway round.
Could your car already have a set of these,but fitted incorrectly?
The problem is the left hand rear,the right looks fine.
These shims are what you need,but you need 1.5 degrees in total each to correct both toe & camber.
Kam Racing have 1 and 0.5 Eibach shims @ £15 per pair.
The one`s you don`t use you could sell on!

 

[hipwell]

Looking at these,all holes are the same size,so they can fitted anyway round.
Could your car already have a set of these,but fitted incorrectly?
The problem is the left hand rear,the right looks fine.
These shims are what you need,but you need 1.5 degrees in total each to correct both toe & camber.
Kam Racing have 1 and 0.5 Eibach shims @ £15 per pair.
The one`s you don`t use you could sell on!

Possibly I'll strip it at the weekend and see if there is any fitted.

Can a shim be fitted on top of a shim?

Ie a 1.5 degree camber shim to correct the camber and then a 1 degree toe shim to correct the toe?

 

[cs_dave]

Bent beam would say 75% sure after seing that tracking unless as above some plonker has put shims in upside down but i doubt it tbh