Dodgy alignment!

2nd November 2011, 20:53

Hi guys

I have been having a problem with the tracking on my car since I bought it, first of all, the steering wheel was always very slightly facing right, as if i was turning right, this was required to go straight, so initially i went to Selecta to have the tyres re-aligned, and they said it had been way out from where it should have been, and that the steering would now be straight, but I would need to come back for some new tyres in the near future

So I drove away, expecting it to be okay, but no the steering wheel was then facing very slightly left, as if turning left, I just assumed this was due to uneven tyre wear, so waited until today when i got the tyres done to get it sorted

So I did, I went back just today and asked for the new tyres to be put on, and let them know that the alignment was still wrong after last time

So they fitted some new tyres, charged me £85 and I drove away, wheel still faces left, just as before, so I stopped off the road on an estate to see what the wheels are actually doing when the steering wheel is in the left facing position and the straight position, oddly, when straight, those wheels are facing forward perfectly, and facing left like they should when the wheel is turned

Its completely gone over my head this has, and its doing my head in :/

Could anyone help??

Thanks
Ben

2nd November 2011, 20:59

have you had the track rod ends and other suspension checked for play ?

2nd November 2011, 21:03

If it was me I would take it to a place where u can get your chassis alighnment checked aswell as tracking. think some more equiped quick-fit places do it.

My old torsion bar trailing arms were bent and no matter how well the tracking is done on the front, it would still ''crab'' down the road.

2nd November 2011, 21:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by GRAHAM2000VTR

have you had the track rod ends and other suspension checked for play ?

This was my first idea, depending on the sort of road im driving on, the steering wheel can return to straight, I have my MOT this week so that will probably uncover the problem, do I need a mechanic to check these?

2nd November 2011, 21:08

I am having a very similar problem with my can but i know that my suspension is almost gone ( had 4 separate advisories on the MOT 10 months ago ) so when it fails ill get it sorted then

let me know how it goes though as i may have the same problem

2nd November 2011, 21:08

na if theres any fault it should come up on the mot as fails or advisories

2nd November 2011, 21:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by pepsimax

If it was me I would take it to a place where u can get your chassis alighnment checked aswell as tracking. think some more equiped quick-fit places do it.

My old torsion bar trailing arms were bent and no matter how well the tracking is done on the front, it would still ''crab'' down the road.

Yeah this is a good idea, how would they bend? Frontal impact maybe? My car was in a low speed impact, like, less than 10 mph a long time ago, but I'm sure the guys at the tyre place would notice any damage to these bits, or just not bother telling me?

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnthonyMartin

I am having a very similar problem with my can but i know that my suspension is almost gone ( had 4 separate advisories on the MOT 10 months ago ) so when it fails ill get it sorted then

let me know how it goes though as i may have the same problem

Yeah I heard about suspension misalignment or something like that and thought it could be this, but the MOT will tell, I will reply back on this thread once its done, should be next week

Quote:

Originally Posted by GRAHAM2000VTR

na if theres any fault it should come up on the mot as fails or advisories

Yeah thanks, I'll see what happens next week

2nd November 2011, 21:35

they normally lock off your steering wheel in the striaght postion and alter the alignment so when you drive off the wheel is straight, where was the impact? could be a bent wish bone or damaged strut. see what the mot brings up, they will be able to find any play etc

Quote:

Originally Posted by pepsimax

If it was me I would take it to a place where u can get your chassis alighnment checked aswell as tracking. think some more equiped quick-fit places do it.

My old torsion bar trailing arms were bent and no matter how well the tracking is done on the front, it would still ''crab'' down the road.

my mk1 vts does that, the tracking at the front is a million miles out, when my dad was behind me going for the mot, he side you could see the whole side of the drivers side, looked like it was crabbing, but it drives straight lol, my mate did the mot and said the tracking was a mile out and needed sorting on an advisory, one of the last things in going to do once its ready for the road, got a new rack, struts, wishbones etc to go on first lol

looks nice when parked up

2nd November 2011, 22:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by boz

they normally lock off your steering wheel in the striaght postion and alter the alignment so when you drive off the wheel is straight, where was the impact? could be a bent wish bone or damaged strut. see what the mot brings up, they will be able to find any play etc

my mk1 vts does that, the tracking at the front is a million miles out, when my dad was behind me going for the mot, he side you could see the whole side of the drivers side, looked like it was crabbing, but it drives straight lol, my mate did the mot and said the tracking was a mile out and needed sorting on an advisory, one of the last things in going to do once its ready for the road, got a new rack, struts, wishbones etc to go on first lol

looks nice when parked up

Yeah thats what I thought, the impact was in the centre at the front, but its been rebuilt really well, I need to find out if my car is crabbing lol, can the tyre wear tell me that much?

3rd November 2011, 00:45

is there any knocking noises from ethier side (front)
just thinking maybe ball joints as my vtr does the same thing (steering wheel to right when driving straight) costs 17 quid for the part AND a nightmare to fit lol

3rd November 2011, 10:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomoaks

is there any knocking noises from ethier side (front)
just thinking maybe ball joints as my vtr does the same thing (steering wheel to right when driving straight) costs 17 quid for the part AND a nightmare to fit lol

When i steer to the left, like, pulling into my driveway or turning left at a junction, I get a LOT of clicking from the drivers wheel, constant clicking until i turn the wheel 'straight' again, I know that I need a new driveshaft, or maybe I'll replace them both for the hell of it, could this be causing the issue?

As like I said, I park up and the wheels point where they should point, but move and you have to steer left to go straight

3rd November 2011, 12:56

havent read everything about but is it just that they havent straightened the wheel when aligning? some places dont. Wheels are straight but the steering wheel doesnt have to be straight for them to do it.

3rd November 2011, 14:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickVTR

havent read everything about but is it just that they havent straightened the wheel when aligning? some places dont. Wheels are straight but the steering wheel doesnt have to be straight for them to do it.

I'm checking the alignment of the wheels all the time now, and it seems they are pointing slightly outward from each other, the drivers wheel is straight and the passenger wheel point outwards, so this must be why I'm having to steer left to correct the direction that the car travels in, I hope this doesn't do too much damage to my tyres before saturday, thats the next oppurtunity I have to go to the tyre place for the third time to hopefully get this sorted once and for all

I've just wiggled all of the parts around a little bit to find out if there is any play in any components, and I haven't found anything that even has a hint of play in it, there is no knocking when grabbing the wheels and shaking them, no play when pulling and pushing either end of the tracking rods, there is nothing, so I'm just hoping this is a simple alignment issue!

And if they think I'm paying for them to do it again they can think again lol!

4th November 2011, 18:36

I think I've fixed it, I was replacing the indicator and wiper stalks and had to take the steering wheel off, put it back on so that it would point straight when driving, I have driven it briefly and feels much better, but will get the tyre place to just give the alignment a quick check

10th November 2011, 02:46

Alignment did need doing, but now its even more weird than before! So hard to explain