Yet another steering/wheel question...

[Linus Van Pelt 0]

The best description I can give is that the car feels like the off-side front wheel is loose and slightly detached from the steering wheel.

 

In hard cornering to the left, the car feels fine, hard cornenering to the right (and when the car straightens up), it's as if the O/S/F wheel takes a moment to catch up with the N/S/F wheel. In general driving, dips and bumps affecting the O/S/F wheel have more effect on the steering wheel than the N/S/F and even with no real steering input it's as if the O/S/F wheel has a mind of it's own making the steering quite twitchy and not at all like it was when I first got it.

 

This has been happening more or less since I had the blowout (@50mph), after which the car mounted a kerb (part of a dual carriageway central reservation), the lower bumper taking the initial force, but the rest was on the wheel itself (more or less side on I think).

 

Since nothing is obviously wrong to a computer alignment and two different visual inspections, any thoughts on where else to look? Could hitting the kerb have damaged the internal bits of the steering rack?

 

(In the last two years my C has had new springs/dampers, new bearings, new tie-bars, one new boot kit, steering rack bolt and new front wishbone lower arms. I've also just had a 4 wheel alignment and two different garages can't find anything wrong... including checking all the bushes and for any play in any of the wheels, I know my brake callipers are getting well past it and I've also been advised to get new discs and pads, but I'm not sure if this has any bearing on the steering since the brakes move with the wheels...)

 

Cheers as always for any words of wisdom...

 

DtM.

[Andy T 0]

Have they tested for play in the steering and suspension (with wheels off the ground) by pulling the wheels in different directions, and then doing the same while moving the steering lock-to-lock?

 

Did they check just camber and track, or did you get a report on all the alignments such as castor? Could it be that they have adjusted the tracking on the wrong side? apparently it should only be adjusted on a specific side, and if the opposite side is adjusted, the steering will never be right unless the rack is taken off the car and setup again to factory measurements!

 

Suspension top mounts? Unlikely though. Are the tyres ok/on the right direction?

[Linus Van Pelt 0]

Hey Andy, thanks for your post! The answer to all but one of the things you mentioned has already been checked, this one I didn't know about however...

 

Could it be that they have adjusted the tracking on the wrong side? apparently it should only be adjusted on a specific side, and if the opposite side is adjusted, the steering will never be right unless the rack is taken off the car and setup again to factory measurements!

 

I got the tracking done straight after the blowout (just after I replaced the tyres), it was not the same people that just did the alignment... :scratch:

 

I can easily find out though but it might help if you (or anyone else) knows which side is the one you do and which one is the one you don't... :?: Is there anyway to tell what's been done before?

 

Thanks again,

 

DtM.

[Andy T 0]

I guess the 'non-adjust side' thread, would be corroded and seized up, and look untouched.

 

Maybe there is a prob with the steering rack - I know mine had to be replaced ay 50k miles (previous owner)

 

 

Andy

[monVR6 0]

I've had a Weitec GT kit fitted by C&R today and the same tracking question was mentioned. Apparently, it is the near-side tracking that should not be adjusted. However, I understand that as long as the wheels don't foul any suspension etc you can still set the tracking up OK, assuming there is enough adjustment. No doubt others on the forum know more about this than me ! Only had a motorway trip back from C&R - but everything feels great so far. Fantastic service from them too !

[Riki 0]

Then offside track rod is the one that should be adjusted. The nearside should be set to a length specified in the VW manuals. I dunno about the bently manuals but your friendly dealer should be able to give you the spec. It is measured from the flat edge of the track rod which buts against the rack to a centre line going through the track rod end. From memory i think it was something like 330mm. The spec does change depending on model year etc. Once this is set get the camber set then the toe. If your castor is out of spec you have probably bent a wishbone. They dont do very well after a heavy kerbing.

 

Hope this helps. :D