steering pulling to the left

[sinbrad]

What would cause a twisted chassis apart from an accident that is? The car hasn't been in an accident since I've had it and I've never had this problem with the steering until recently?

[Calibra_Mike]

If your cars pulling to one side it will be one of the following...

1. Defective tyre
2. Warn out steering or suspension component
3. Incorrect wheel alignment
4. Accident damage to steering or suspension

[sinbrad]

1. New tyres all round
2. Steering component a possibility. Further investigation needed?
3. tracking etc done. All wheels given the ok
4. Nothing to warrant damage to steering or suspension. As stated car has never been in an accident since I owned it and there is nothing recorded with previous owners. Steering problem only started happening recently

Going to have a go at swapping all the wheels around again and see if there is any change. If not think I'll have to bite the bullet and get the car into VX after christmas and see what they say?

[Calibra_Mike]

Looks likely to be a steering or suspension component then...

1. Lower suspension arm bushes
2. Ball Joints
3. Shocks
4. Anti roll bar links
5. Track rod ends
6. Steering rack
7. Top Mount bearing or rubbers

These are just some of the suspension components you might wanna check...

[Calibra_Mike]

Get a Haynes manual, it will show you how to check all of those components for wear and if they require replacing...

[sinbrad]

Cheers, will get round to checking all that out after the new year. Working until then!

Merry xmas and a Happy new year to all

[sinbrad]

does it feel light and normal but to drive straight the wheel has to be a bit to the right.

I thought we were onto something there. That's exactly the symptom? Obviously though when I let the steering wheel go it does veer to the left. It's althought the steering wheel has a life of it's own, you can actually watch the steering wheel move in little stages to the left?

[Stupink]

Take it somewhere else and get it tracked.. usually checking is free, ajustment costs.. make sure its a decent modern computerised lazer system.
I had a ford main dealer track my fiesta TWICE and it came back tracked poorly both times. for some reason they just dont seem to know what they're doing, they had the modern gear, but i could have done a better job myself.

[sinbrad]

Took it to national the last time and they used a laser system. the time before that it was the old tracking system. National said it was spot on but I couldn't state how reliable they are? Will have to find somewhere else to get it done, how easy that's going to be is another question?

[debairaclijr]

Same with mine!!! Nothing serious but I've never figured out what is causing it. Good luck

[sinbrad]

Cheers for that, will get to the bottom of it somehow (I hope)

[truxx]

Tis a strange one that,The only othr thing i can think of is tyre pressures.

[sinbrad]

Tyre pressures are checked weekly just to keep on top of things and there's no problems there.

For Stupink...

You mentioned "does it feel light and normal but to drive straight the wheel has to be a bit to the right" but never followed it up. What does this indicate if anything?

[Stupink]

Already said i thought, hence suggestion of getting tracking/geometry checked elsewhere. im suspecting they just didnt do it right the first time.

[big_gordy]

right i had the same problem now have the answer....i hope

if you have changed the suspension or springs or both get the nut thats up the top underneath the suspension as they are common fault when you change the suspension as i was told this 2 days ago, and my car dont pull anymore....woohoo

also check suspension arm bushes i think ! they may be worrn as i replaced these too

they look like a big Y with a rubber in each hole