Hi all,
just taken ownership of a Ford Focus 1.8 Ghia. Anyway - been out in it and it\'s a wonderful car - certainly a step up from the Fiesta!
My question is perhaps picky but will nag me otherwise. In order to keep the car straight, the wheel is just off by a few degrees. What I mean is, if you turn the wheel dead straight you will go right slightly so to make the car go dead straight the wheel needs to be turned left slightly. The car isn\'t pulling or veering or anything like that - in fact, I only noticed it when I was coming to a stop at some lights - the only problem at the moment is that wheel isn\'t dead centre. Anyway - is this tracking or not? I understand it\'s a very trivial problem but I want to get it sorted.
Cheers
Adam
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Tracking won\'t be out as such, but I suspect at some point it has been out and the lazy mechanic / tyre fitter just adjusted one side of the track rod adjustment arms rather than both, hence why the steering wheel is now out of alignment.
What he/she should have done is adjust both arms to keep the steering wheel central.
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Cheers Dave,
So I'm assuming this is a nice easy (and cheap!) job to do?
Thanks
Adam
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Adski, yes this 'should' be an easy job to do. This happened to me when I got the tracking adjusted, the steering wheel was knocked out of line. I took the car back and got them to put it right, it took a few goes though to get it straight, but it didn't take too long. It's just really annoying driving a car when the wheel isn't straight.
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Best to get it done before you get used to it - and then a straight wheel feels strange!
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Should have done this at first really but whenever I remember, I'm always inside the house doing something else. Looked at the tyres today. The front left one is perfect to be honest - I haven't checked the depth accurately but it does look brand new. The fron right one however whilst not bald, is certainly deteriorating a lot more. It doesn't need changing yet but I think I'll change both front ones at once. Would this problem tally in with tracking?
Juat to recap, wheel needs to be turned left slightly to go straight, the right tyre is wearing quicker.
Thanks a lot
Adam
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Sounds like the tracking is out.
I have exactly the same car as you, and the wheel was about 4 degrees out when I got it - I think its far more noticeable on the Focus than most cars due to the grips on the steering wheel that seem strange if the wheel is not perfectly straight. Mine didn't seem to be noticeably scrubbing the tyres, but the handling felt a bit strange at times - the front end would go a bit light at high speed through tight bends.
Kwik Fit did mine for £20, I know they usually get a bad press but the Ormskirk branch have always been good to everyone I know who's been there for work. The fitter showed me the car on the machine and their reference chart to show it was out.
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I didn't know there was an Ormskirk branch Quinny - there is a closer one than me but given your review of the Omrskirk one I'll go there. (It's onyly 15 minutes away) Absolutely spot on when you say the grips make it more noticable.
Do I just go to Kwik Fit and say my tracking's out? Simple as that? Sorry to sound stupid it's just never anything I've come across.
Cheers
Adam
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Just go in and say you think the tracking is out - unless they're busy the fitter will drive the car onto the alignment machine and show you the readings, and advise what the factory reading should be.
If it doesn't need doing then the check is free of charge.
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