One wheel stick out more than the other!?

[NickVR6 0]

I've just noticed that my passanger side front wheel sticks out about 1cm more than the drivers side! Initial panic, then hoping its susp or something??

 

Anyone seen this before? It could be camber and tracking as i swear the drivers side has more tow out meaning the top of the wheel is in more, and tracking wise it looks like the front of both wheels are further apart than the back, but in both instances im talking zilometers. Its hard to see with the naked eye.

 

Looking under the car the passenger side wish bone looks like its got slightly more angle and drivers side is slightly flatter. Also the gap between the top of the tyre and arch is slightly greater on the passenger side.

 

The car is totally straight from what i can tell, nothing looks like its been done to the bodywork underneith.

 

Its all hard to tell parked on slight slope or what have you and by eye, but the wheel def sticks out slightly more on the near side. Any thoughts from all the above??

 

This is with my new 8x17s on. i never noticed with the speedlines. The ride seems to be getting harsher and i do have a wheel woble at 70--not balancing. Want to make sure its not fatal before i start throwing lots of money at the car!! ???????????????????

[NickVR6 0]

My garage reckon theres up to 1cm adjustment in the front suspension when fitting it--laterally? So it could be just that yeah? Please!?

[GIXXERUK 0]

when you say sticks out do you mean the whole wheel ? are you sure it isnt the camber of that wheel ? does the wheel look straight (vertical) ? put a spirit level on each wheel to see if they have similar angles, incorrect camber can make a wheel look like it sticks out more

 

this could cause your wobble and will make the steering feel heavier than it should, uneven tyre wear etc

the 1cm adjustment is where your strut bolts to the hub, this is used to set the camber (you can also get thinner vag bolts to further correct the camber for lowered cars, if needed)

i'd get the tracking done for starters

[Graham_E 0]

I have exactly the same problem and i know of a few other people who also have the same problem. Id be interested to know the outcome of this as ive not had a chance to do anything about it yet.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Find some flat ground, measure from the ground to the centre of the arch all round to make sure the car is level.

 

Then measure from inner wing to outer arch lip to make sure there are no bodywork discrepencies.

 

Then check the wheel is the correct offset! You never know, you might have 1 of the 4 with the wrong offset, stranger things have happened.

 

Have you had the geometry checked professionally? That'll be the next step if not.

[gibber 0]

Mix up of early and late wings? Just another thought!

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Mix up of early and late wings? Just another thought!

 

Was gonna say that but didn't want to scare the poor bloke...... but hinted at it with the "measure from inner to outer arch" instruction!

[NickVR6 0]

Don't worry Kev, you won't scare me, i need to know whats up before i start spending money to make it how i want it, ie chains,bmc, vgi, konig sports, bbs splits......thats all a way off, but i cant get enthusiastic about anything until i put my mind at ease on this!

 

If its bent it will go and ill get a better one. But the main reason i bought this one was because it was straight. Original inner wings valence, all the right stickers everywhere and wax leaking out everywhere, floor looks totally original etc. Plus i got fed up with looking at really bad ones, having done 2000 miles and looked at 20+ this was by far the best, if not show condition, its original or so i thought!

 

ANY IDEA ANYWHERE I CAN TAKE IT FOR A GEOM TEST/SET UP??

I know of nowhere near me that i'd trust? Had camber done about 5 times on a modded mk2 and was never really happy with it, so i dont want to start that nonsense again. Id rather drive 2 hours to get it done right the first time and feel confident!

[Henny 0]

Vince at Stealth... You want the best? That's his name... 8)

[NickVR6 0]

What a long way, but it may be worth the trip. Any good b&bs round there! Someone must have been sad enough to stay up there?

 

Did you see me at the inters henny!? Was walking up to your grey borbeted beastie on the sat, but you drove off just as i went to tap on your window! :oops:

[Henny 0]

Really? :oops:

 

Sorry, didn't see you, I was in my own little world at that point on Saturday... (and to be fair, for most of the weekend... :oops: )

[Andy Brookes 0]

Can recommend William Street Garage in Southampton for full alignment. They will have the car for a couple of hours and do a very thorough job.

[cheesy 0]

I had this but more of a difference and it was the wing, was squashed/pushed in

 

chris

[NickVR6 0]

Cheers Andy, will phone them first thing mate, have to meet up for a beer as i often go to the old barn farm pub which near ashley heath and near-ish you i think!?

 

I've tried measuring everything but im going cross eyed now Kev! No real point of ref under the arch as everything is curved! one minute i think the wing is dif, then its not, then its the wheel then its not, im going round in circles! Trying to get it on flat ground too, in my garage the spirit level says the camber is the same both sides.

 

One thing i have noticed is that i can get my hand in and fingers down the back between the tyres and strut cup on the sticky out side but not quite possible on the drivers side (and i have measured from disc to a ref point on the alloy, so i think they are both et 35 & both have same serial nos on the alloy cast). The cups on the two struts have a sticky out bit and are not a semetrical shape on the cup, but one side face one way and the other the other!? but they cant be wrong way round as the camber bolts are only on one side....arrrhh help me lord.

 

Is there an easy way to tell late from early wings?

 

Apolooogees for the novel!

[kvwloon 0]

Hmm, I've noticed tonight I have the same thing, passenger side wheel seems to be sticking out more on the passenger side, by about 1cm.

 

Around 18 months ago did some front suspension work, new wishbones, new steering rack, took off the driveshafts and renewed the grease / gaitors, renewed the cv joint gaitors, the balljoints and the track rod ends, new brake flexys etc. Obviously the geometry was wildly out afterwards, so had a 4 wheel tracking done, and all fine to drive after. One thing I did notice was on the drivers side, there track rod end winds on by around 20 threads, but the passenger side only around 5 to 6. Not too happy about this, but no obvious cause or error, seemed secure enough when the locknut bolted up, and not commented on by the gargae that did the alignment adjustments.

 

This year, pre-MOT, renewed the steering rack gaitors, and while there fitted new track rod ends. Got and fitted a new steering rack tie rod arm on passenger side (a tad more threads for the track rod end), and new track rod end (again. a tad more threads to make me feel happier), but tonight, noticed the passenger wheel sits more out by about 1cm than the drivers side. The ball joints both seem to be on the outer ends of the slots in the wishbone, nothing seems obviously amiss, the CV joints seem to sit in the hubs equally when compared against each other. The drive shaft has some lateral play, but I expect this is normal to allow it to move in the hub splines as the wheels go up and down while driving. It all looks good, even, and secure underneasth, other than being 1cm out in the wheel arch on the pasenger side than the drivers. Any thoughts appreciated. :?