Wheel Alignment issue

[lomas182]

Hi All,

So i took my 182 in this morning for wheel alignment as i had noticed my steering wheel not being quite straight (to the right/clockwise whilst driving down a straight road) by a small amount but i wanted to get this sorted before MOT time. When i went to collect my car and drove it down the road the steering wheel was now 'out' the other way (left/anticlockwise) by more than when i dropped it off first time.

I took it back and the guy asked if i had had it lowed so I said yeah but only by a small amount (eibachs) and he said that could be throwing it out and it could be the camber, I didn't really agree with him that camber could affect left to right but he seemed to think differently. Anyway he put it back on the ramps whilst i was there and trued it up again, so i goes down the road again and now this time the wheel is the other way (right/clockwise) but not quite as much as originally. So i went back and he spoke with his manager and he asked if he could have it for the afternoon he said sometimes we get this where we have to true it up, go out in it, and then tweak, trial and error style. This isn't a problem so i have left it with them. He also mentioned that he could make it so the wheel is straight but the tracking would be out, but i don't get this really at all.

Can anyone shed any light on this or explain to me what the man in the garage meant? Thanks

 

[Stu_182]

has somebody maybe had the steering wheel off at one point and put it back on out of line?

if it goes in a straight line but the steering wheel is squint that would be my guess.

 

[lomas182]

Yeah I have had the steering wheel off but correct me if I'm wrong, I'm pretty sure that you can only put the steering wheel back on straight, from what I remember there is a tab on the column which you line up with on the wheel?

 

[JackJack]

Afaik the steering wheel can only go on one way.

 

[1812lsd]

Bushes worn on the steering rack, making the rack move side to side may be?

 

[Toastfrenzy]

Rubbish, get them to sort it, took mine in to TDF\track club and it came out perfect. Steering wheel is keyed so only goes on one way. Accept nothing else other than perfection, as you'll be paying for it with tyres otherwise.

 

[lomas182]

Just been to pick it up and they have told me there is play in the n/s strut top mount and that they can't align the wheels properly.

I'm going to have a look into tomorrow, i think they might have being trying to fleece me into buyin some solid top mounts.

 

[lomas182]

Would a tired old strut top bearing cause this issue with them not being able to track it?

 

[Fred@BTM]

could do, but play in the ball joints, tie rods or rack ends would sound more like the cause

how do they know its the top mount without jacking it up?

 

[lomas182]

Hopefully its not the ball joint as i replaced that a couple of months ago, but can't eliminate the tie rod and rack ends but i'm not experiencing any funny rattles or knocks (would I ?).

I had a look this morning and the strut top nut was a turn loose, but I havn't found any play anywhere. I have taken it back to the garage now for them to have another look, they told me yesterday it was play up and down and now there saying it was side to side.

I don't know how it should be done properly but to align the wheels correctly would you want to loosen slightly the strut top nuts so when you adjust the tracking the shock moves also rather than just twisting and then when the car is dynamic the torsion realises and putting the alignment out again?

 

[JackJack]

I don't know how it should be done properly but to align the wheels correctly would you want to loosen slightly the strut top nuts so when you adjust the tracking the shock moves also rather than just twisting and then when the car is dynamic the torsion realises and putting the alignment out again?

Never done or heard of that.

 

[Fred@BTM]

no you don't touch the top mounts

 

[BIGASH]

Hi Lomas, I'm also from Ilkley Where have you had it done just out of interest? I hope you get sorted

 

[lomas182]

Ash - Alba tyres on little lane, when I picked it it up this afternoon everything was straight so I'm presuming it was the strut top nut. It took me 1 minute this morning to find and fix surely a reputable garage could have seen and sorted the problem......... unless they just hoped I would take up their offer of them putting me some new top mounts on!

 

[jack_davey]

the wheels can be erfectly aligned, but if there is a difference in the circumference of the front tyres it can cause the steering to pull to one side, i normally swap wheels around to see if the problem moves. i doubt the top mount made an ounce of difference tbh

 

[lomas182]

possible, but i got new tyres last week and it was happening before them. They could have just decided to stop playing silly buggers and pull their fingers out and sort it.

 

[Mark_]

Hmmm...hope its all sorted!!

 

[BIGASH]

Ash - Alba tyres on little lane, when I picked it it up this afternoon everything was straight so I'm presuming it was the strut top nut. It took me 1 minute this morning to find and fix surely a reputable garage could have seen and sorted the problem......... unless they just hoped I would take up their offer of them putting me some new top mounts on!

I had a feeling you were going to say that as I can only think of them and kwik fit that have tracking equipment but I doubted you would of taken it to kwikfit ! Normally Andy is really good, all our family take our cars there and they are normally really good so I hope they have solved the problem for you! Over the years we have had a couple of small problems but they have always been honest and sorted them out with no issue and always look after them so its a shame to hear about this! I will keep an eye out for your car around Ilkley

 

[lomas182]

It's a shame really Ash cos I work just by Alba and it could have been very handy but unless of an emergency I won't be taking it back not only for the reasons I have stated but when I got my car back the mpg was 17 cos either they had had it running standing still for ages or they hooned it down the road, I have had a new steering wheel from Mikey on here recently with a yellow centre band and when I got the car back it was covered in dirt, and just to top it off when they were putting it on the lift they caught the splitter evey time - good job I have a flexible skoda one and not a clio one! Rant over!