Saxo wont drive straight

  1. Newbie Joined: Jan 2011 Posts: 9
    #1
    Ive had the tracking checked twice and everything is good yet it pulls to the left rolling and under acceleration.

    The car has had a new offside wishbone and steering rack due to the previous owner hitting a curb.

    Im running out of ideas as to why its still pulling. The car has been lowered on springs, could un-even camber be an issue?

    Any help appriciated.

    Thanks.
  2. Saxperience Addict Joined: Dec 2009 Posts: 11714 A6 Le Mans tuned/A3 TFSI tuned
    #2
    check your tyre walls
  3. Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Aug 2008 The wrong carpark Posts: 5152 Xantia 1.9TD
    #3
    buggered balljoints? mine pulls a bit and its because the balljoints have had it. try changing the other side too.

    if it pulls HEAVILY under accelleration then check driveshafts and diff. my diff went and the car would fire itself across the road when i accellerated!
  4. Regular Poster Joined: Oct 2010 bournemouth Posts: 272 ph2 clio 172
    #4
    measure the gap between the tyre and the wheel arch each side see if they are nearly the same
  5. Newbie Joined: Jan 2011 Posts: 9
    #5
    Thanks for that.

    It pulls when rolling aswell, and seems to be slightly harder to turn the wheel to the right.
  6. Saxperience Addict Joined: Dec 2009 Posts: 11714 A6 Le Mans tuned/A3 TFSI tuned
    #6
    Quote:
    due to the previous owner hitting a curb.
    Make sure you do check your tyres inside out (and steelies too). Happened to me once
  7. Newbie Joined: Jan 2011 Posts: 9
    #7
    Can you explain why this would cause it to pull?

    I could stick the spare on and see if it changes anything.
  8. Regular Poster Joined: Oct 2010 bournemouth Posts: 272 ph2 clio 172
    #8
    when garages do tracking they use 4 gauges 1 per wheel
    what they have is lasers shining a light beam onto the rear flag on a line with a number all garages set tracking so that it reads say 7 and 7 on both back flags or 6 and 6 etc so the car will drive straight and the front wheels are lined up on the back this is fine on say a 3 year old car where everything is new but on a 10 year old car nothings quite set in its right place or lined up.
    they should be checking set back , toe out and toe in on turns to see if they need to clamp the steering wheel different say at 2 o'clock for instance
    my 98 vts has to have the flags set at 5 and 7 to drive straight without pulling or wearing the tyres and the steering wheel to be straight
  9. Newbie Joined: Jan 2011 Posts: 9
    #9
    Yea i could have a full alignment done with, toe and castor etc but its alot of money for such a cheap car.

    I may have to pay a visit to anoth garage
  10. Saxperience Addict Joined: Dec 2009 Posts: 11714 A6 Le Mans tuned/A3 TFSI tuned
    #10
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by marcusp88 View Post
    Can you explain why this would cause it to pull?

    I could stick the spare on and see if it changes anything.
    When a tyre gets damaged, the shape is affected and the tyre gets unbalanced.
  11. Newbie Joined: Jan 2011 Posts: 9
    #11
    If i remember right, it had a brand new tyre on it, ill check that though.

    Thanks
  12. Established Member Joined: Dec 2009 Bolton Posts: 1068 Saxo 1.4i sx
    #12
    Discounting obvious things like uneven tyre pressures.

    Get a mate to follow you while driving. Sometimes you see cars crabbing sideways. If your car has twatted a kerb it might have put a rear wheel out of alignment?

    The tracking method using lasers wont necessarily show this up
  13. Newbie Joined: Jan 2011 Posts: 9
    #13
    Yea thats a good idea.

    Ill check the tyre wear aswell on the rear.

    Thanks