So i went to a kwik fit garage to get my tracking sorted as the car was pulling to the left. They completed this without a hitch but when i was driving it around after it was still pulling to the left. I went back and they stated that the wheel alignment was not the problem then, and it must be something else.
I was wondering if anyone else can provide an explanation for the pulling to one side? ive also checked the tyre pressure and its all good
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Could be Front Lower Suspension Arm(s). Otherwise refered to as Wishbones.
What is the milage? When were they last replaced if atall? Where abouts on the tyres was the uneven tread? Any creaking noise when going over bumps or when steering on full lock?
Had similar problem with mine recently.
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Try swapping the front wheels, as long as the tyres aren't directional. If the tyres are directional, try swapping fronts to rears.
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a bad fitter can track up a car without seeing the underlying cause, eg youve smacked a kerb and moved the whole suspension geometry back on one side
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mileage is 96k and its 1.8tdci. ive only recently bought the car so i dont know if the wishbone has been replaced, but it does sound expensive. No creaking noises when i go over the bumps or full lock the wheel
As for changing the wheel around, i dont think thatll solve the problem
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get a garage to put it on a ramp then if you recently bought it
might be anything
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>>As for changing the wheel around, i dont think thatll solve the problem
I was only suggesting a solution that's worked for me before, however, you can lead a horse to water..........
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i agree with you bt
it might have any old rim nailed on the front to make a sale`
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If it is an Arm the its not going to be expensive. £35-40 from a Motor Factors if you phone around. Or £60-£70 fitted. Get it to a garage sometime this week then if it does need changing you can take it back to Kwick Fit within a week to have the free re-check which is essential after changing suspension components.
Wih regards to the swapping tyre comment - its worth a try as I have had fitters advise me that directional tyres should not be swapped over as they can make the car pull to one side. Have a look on the wall of the tyres and see if there are arows.
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cheers, will take it to a garage this week and see if its a prob with the arm or the tryes
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>>Wih regards to the swapping tyre comment - its worth a try as I have had fitters advise me that directional tyres should not be swapped over as they can make the car pull to one side. Have a look on the wall of the tyres and see if there are arows
Good point Wurzel!
I was assuming that if it had directional tyres, they were fitted the right way round.
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Incorrect tracking wont make it pull to one side, if the error is small it will cause uneven tyre wear, if large will make it unstable. Measure the distance between the front and rear wheels with the steering straight ahead, they should be the same both sides, if not you have something bent.
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dont want to knock your excellant post Peter.N. but if someone has adjusted the tracking on one arm so that the rack pinion isnt central then cars can pull one way or the other and fall over if you understand me when driven on full lock
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Measure the distance between the front and rear wheels - they should be the same both sides
Not exactly. There may well be a small difference. I remember pranging a car some years ago and it was debatable whether I bent the front wishbone or not. I can't remember the exact measurement but the bodyshop said something like a 16th or an 8th of an inch difference was allowable for it not to have to go on the jig and be pulled back into shape or a replacement wishbone fitted.
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Sons Focus failed its MoT due to rear suspension damaged.
When it was pointed out it was abvious the gap between the rear tyre and the front of the rear wheel arch was not the same on both sides.
I was told that this type of damage is a quite frequently seen. Suggested cause was reversing hard into a kerb.
Was a four wheel check done or just the fronts ?
I always go to a depot that has a dedicated bay for four wheel laser checking.
(The Focus needed adjusting at the rear post repair.)
I have always found lots of good advice from the guys who check my car.
IMO well worth the extra cost.
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Bellboy - Sorry, you'r quite right about the full lock symptoms, hadn't thought about that, I was assuming normal steering wheel position. I would have thought that if the steering wheel was that far out of line it would have been noticed.
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I was wondering if anyone else can provide an explanation for the pulling to one side?
Many years ago I had this problem on a new car. I swapped the front wheels side-to-side and the direction of the pull changed, suggesting that the problem was caused by the tyres. When all the tyres were replaced under warranty by a different make, the problem disappeared.
So ............ see whether swapping the front wheels over makes any difference to the direction of the pull.
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I have two citroen XM estates which both pull to the offside, no eneven tyre wear, no measurable differences in either side, but its not that bad that I need to persue it, I have another one that steers perfectly straight, so can be difficult to diagnose.
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Many years ago I had this problem on a new car. I swapped the front wheels side-to-side and the direction of the pull changed suggesting that the problem was caused by the tyres. When all the tyres were replaced under warranty by a different make the problem disappeared.
If you look at a new tyre they have coloured bands running around the tread, these bands show the tyre's bias and lateral balance. If the bands are central then the tyre will run straight, if they are to one side then the tyre will pull to one side. All you have to do is make sure that, if the tyres have coloured bands that are not central, both tyres one one axle must have the coloured bands either towards the outside of the car or towards the inside. If one wheel has these bands towards the inside and the other wheel (on the same axle) has them towards the outside then the car will pull to one side.
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Sounds like a suspension problem, either kerbed as another poster has said, or perhaps a damaged spring shock absorber etc..because you use the term "pulling", implication is that your having to keep some pressure on the steering all the time and if you let it go it steers towards one side.
Give it a press and bounce on the side it's pulling to, then compare with the other side. Look for any sounds or feel that's different
Unless the problem is obvious, best to get it checked out and the geometry checked, because the car probably isn't safe.
Edited by davecuk on 05/09/2009 at 05:18
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if you check the posts of Felics you will note he bought the car a few weeks ago and now it wont start so its not pulling to one side while parked up his drive
a good case of buying from a dealer is a good idea i would say
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if you check the posts of Felics you will note he bought the car a few weeks ago and now it wont start so its not pulling to one side while parked up his drive
Ah well that's fixed the problem then...heh
a good case of buying from a dealer is a good idea i would say
Well I don't really trust dealers either, caveat emptor when buying a car. There are a high percentage of crap cars out there and I don't know many people who say.....I'll bend over and be rogered, they normally try to sell it on and roger someone else.
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