Pulling to one side

[foggyjames]

Is there anything which would cause the car to pull to one side, even when tracked correctly? Does anyone have the correct toe-in specs to hand?

I've had the 360 4-wheel aligned twice (at the same place), and it's still not tracking straight. First time it went from pulling hard right to pulling (moderately hard) to the left. They then checked it, and found it to be correct. It stilll pulls. Next up is to have it checked somewhere else, but I'd like some ammo to bash these guys with....I didn't pay £20 for tracking to get a bad result.

They also managed to fit the wrong tyres...(185/55s, when the invoice said 195/50s). I would tell you to avoid Selecta Tyre in Newark, but I doubt anyone besides me is stupid enough to visit Newark

cheers

James

[redline]

1 ) have you hit a kerb and bent something , no amount of tracking will straighten bent tie rods or other suspension parts

2 ) could the polish guy have done more damage than you thought

3) are you sure the roads you drive on just havent got a severe camber on them which could make the car feel like its pulling

4) try somewhere else coz £20.00 sounds far too cheap for decent four wheel tracking (probably done by some 16 year old spotty oink on a YTS scheme )

[fume]

No one seems to be able to track a car properly! fast fit places are the worst especially if they do it whilst you wait. In my experience if it is still pulling left then they haven't done it properly. I have pretty much given up on getting cars tracked, its not worth the stress and arguments with the idiots, ( i was once told Ford designed the escort to have a wonky steering wheel ).
Also did they check the tyre pressures and clamp the steering wheel? if not (most of them don't) this can cause a problem.

[foggyjames]

It's always possible that something is bent on that corner. I did hit a kerb on that corner fairly hard once....but it was ages ago, and I'm sure it has tracked straight since then. Having said that, if they adjust the tracking to compensate, would it track straight, or would it just screw up the 'self centering'?

I think the next thing to try is getting someone else to have a crack at tracking it.

The same bloody thing happened with my 240

cheers

James

[Nick C]

A slight pull to the left could be down to the camber. For a hard pull, try investigating the suspension bushes - On my Dolomite the rear tie rod bushes are knackered, which allows the axle to twist slightly and cause the car to pull right. similar effects can be had from the front too...

[Chris_C]

Go to one of the proper 4 wheel laser alignment places mate, you can't have done as you'd never get it for £20. however, you still need someone to have a clue how to use it, but luckily round here are the guys who make it, and if you ask nicely, let you run your car down on their set up machine, and will do the job perfectly.

However, if anything is shagged in the suspension, you've just wasted your time anyway

[fume]

One bloke did track my car with a knackered lower suspension arm which he didn't notice, so as much as he tried to adjust it of course it made no difference. So if you do have any damage then it's possible that they missed it. It seems to be a technique that no one seems to be able to learn - did you know that how you adjust the rear wheels on a fwd car affects whether your steering wheel is straight? utter rubbish but is what i was told when i complained my wheel was at 180 degrees!!!! I grabbed my keys and left.

[340GLT]

Take a photo of the front wheels and how they sit in the arches mate and measure the distanceback side of tyre to body, if the gaps are uneven you have a bent wishbone, mine did this remember in this thread!!
Adam

http://www.volvo300mania.com/forum-uk/v ... g&start=15

[germ]

i would make sure tyre presures are good its important for several reasons mainly safty.
i dont want get mine tracked as it goes in a strait line fine
main reason is that my mums 740 got messed up by quick fit went back like 26 times and its still not right the steering wheel is half way round for straite on too :S

^there were other people there complaining about it mazda's and others

tracking is somthing you cant normally do your self ..so you rely on these people that you pay good money to do it.

they like to try the"your cars to old for our equipment" thing its bull its them rushing the job.
ive worked in a few garages so i know some of the things they try on. all be it in french garages...

Cheers
will

[stealthstylz]

My tip for making cars track straight hehe.

Undo the nuts holding the strut tups so they're just a bit loose. Yank the steering wheel away from the way the car pulls (in your case yank it right). Do the strut tops back up.

Matt

[foggyjames]

It's definitely a tracking problem, not camber. It does it all the time, and the other cars don't. With this many cars (and this much trade incompetance), I might look into the cost of the equipment...

I think it was a four wheel alignment...but it was with tyres, so maybe cheaper? We're (nearly) in the north, remember Chris When they did Nessy ~18 months ago, it was £17.50, IIRC.

I'll look into whether or not I have a bent wishbone. It hadn't occured to me to look at it in that way - good call Adam! The outer edge of the old NS tyre was way more scuffed than the OS one, which would suggest something has been wrong for a while.

cheers

James

[A M R]

how much to yank it? mine pulls a bit to the left...

[foggyjames]

If you're doing 70 and let go of the wheel, you'd be on the hard shoulder within a couple of seconds. The S70 pulls very slightly to the right. You couldn't take your hands off the wheel for more than about 5 seconds and stay in your lane.

When they first tracked Nessy, it was awesome - it went absolutely dead straight. The tracking job they did on the 240 was just a joke...not least because within a week the rear bushing for the NS wishbone was knocking (so must have had significant play), but they still took my money. Bastards.

cheers

James

[volvorsport]

so your tyre pressures are good then ?

[foggyjames]

I presume so. I seem to have lost my gauge, so checking might be tricky. I guess I could use the gauge of lies on the pump.

cheers

James