Pulls to the left...

[BurnyC]

Seems a lot of people are having steering issues! My problem seems to have been partly covered before, but I don't get any knocking/pulling over bumps etc. Only when driving along a flat, straight road, I find I have to hold the wheel slightly to the right (sometimes as far as if it was pointing at 1 O'Clock). If I let go of the wheel it will start heading towards the kerb pretty quickly, although the wheel doesn't always fully center? It doesn't seem to pull under braking/acceleration.

Thought it was tracking, but I've had the tracking done at F1 Autocentres, followed by going to PowerStation when it still wasn't right. Rear shocks have been replaced recently, two brand new Kumhos on the front and the wheels have been balanced. Apparently both front wheels have a slight buckle to the inner lip (noticed this on paperwork from previous owner, and the tyre fitter pointed it out), although apparently it's not critical and the issue has been balanced out? I've noticed that the steering wheel shake that used to occur is really reduced after being balanced, but it does still vibrate slightly.

My searching has me thinking maybe track rod ends, but thought I'd get the opinion of other people! Car has a few other niggles so contemplating a trip to Fred sometime in the Spring, but would like a rough idea of what I'm dealing with first...

 

[sbridgey]

Have you checked the track rod ends, ball joints, tie rods etc.

 

[BurnyC]

Not personally, no. I asked PowerStation to give the suspension etc. a good checking over when they did the tracking, as I mentioned the pulling at the time, but they said it was all fine. They did miss the knackered rear shock though, so I'm not sure how much faith I have in them. I'm aware of the grab the wheel and shake it test - anything else to look out for when checking those things?

 

[sam55]

I've pretty much got this exact issue. I don't think mines as extreme as yours as it's more of a gradual pull to the left, but it's definitely there and nothing to do with road camber as I've checked it on numerous surfaces.
When you say grab the wheel and shake it, do you mean get it jacked up and see if there's any movement?

 

[BurnyC]

I've pretty much got this exact issue. I don't think mines as extreme as yours as it's more of a gradual pull to the left, but it's definitely there and nothing to do with road camber as I've checked it on numerous surfaces.
When you say grab the wheel and shake it, do you mean get it jacked up and see if there's any movement?

Well, it's not a violent pull, it's more of a 'sudden drift' - it's not like sometimes snatched the wheel, but it's pretty obvious and requires having the wheel turned. Agreed, mine isn't camber either, it does it on most road surfaces - sometimes I have to hold the wheel more to the right than others.

By grab the wheel, yep, jack it up and shake the actual wheel to see if there's any movement etc. If I get time to do this then I shall, but as it turns out my MOT is due in a few weeks I'll probably get it booked in to a specialist and get everything done in one go.

 

[sam55]

Cheers I'll give that a go! Probably should get it looked at before my track day end of the month!

Good luck with sorting yours!

 

[Mark-387]

im going with track rod ends mate. how did they do your tracking ?

 

[Gally]

Take it to a garage and get it tracked. Then take it for a test drive take it back until they get it right.

People forget a car can drive straight and still have damaged suspension.

 

[BurnyC]

Take it to a garage and get it tracked. Then take it for a test drive take it back until they get it right.

People forget a car can drive straight and still have damaged suspension.

Well, I took it to PowerStation as it still pulled after F1 had a go and asked them to sort out - they said they had. Even when I said it still pulled they said the machine said everything was straight and all the suspension looked fine. As they missed the knackered rear shock I cut my losses, and assumed either it was supposed to do that (had only owned it a week at that point) and if it wasn't, I'd sort it later. I've now remembered the MOT is due soon-ish so have decided I'll probably take it to Fred for everything to get done!

I am a bit worried about suspension damage - the fact the previous bloke somehow dinged the inside lip of both front alloys makes me suspicious that he's hit something (a kerb?) pretty hard - but would've thought 4 garages who have seen it (all of which have poked something suspension related) would've spotted something obvious!?

 

[Gally]

How can you align a car without test driving? I'm still fascinated by this. Boggles my mind yet most alignment places are like this sadly.

Take it to a garage and don't leave until it's straight or they tell you what the f**k is bent. I say track rod/ends. Replace both sides and go from there.

 

[BurnyC]

How can you align a car without test driving? I'm still fascinated by this. Boggles my mind yet most alignment places are like this sadly.

Take it to a garage and don't leave until it's straight or they tell you what the f**k is bent. I say track rod/ends. Replace both sides and go from there.

Agreed - I now know better! Seems the print out is king - 'computer says yes/no' mentality these days?

Thanks for the advice gally - track rods are what it's now been narrowed down to and will be first port of call etc. if (hopefully 'when'!) a solution has been found I'll update for future searches.

 

[1812lsd]

I have been having steering issues myself, I took it to Fred @BTM thinking it was the inner track arms.
Turns out it has been smacked into a curb by the previous owner, the sump has been filled with liquid metal, the subframe is slightly bent on the OS, it's had a non gen inner track arm on the OS which is not the right one (to short) and I think also a new OS bottom arm.

Not the news I was hoping for as I was hoping to spend my bonus on getting the belts and pulleys done.

So, if you are having steering probs, it may pay to check your subframe for damage as well as all the other parts.

 

[BurnyC]

Wow, that's a bad luck story right there! I'm hoping mines not as serious - it's got massive amounts of paperwork to back up every single thing done to it, although I'm sure a bodge certainly wouldn't be documented... :dapprove:

As said, I'm planning on getting to to Fred as the MOTs due and fancy getting it all looked at in one go - what were your steering issues?

 

[1812lsd]

Steering wheel is off centre to the left by a small amount, on uneven roads it pulls all over the shop. It doesn't fill me with confidence in the corners feels twitchy.