greenbeltvr6 0 Posted March 9, 2006 I took my VR to the local garage today to get a new rubber boot installed on the steering, as the old one had split and died. Since I got it back it seems to be understeering like mad and skipping around the road over even the smallest of bumps. The steering is also very light, and the steering wheel is now about 30degrees out of straight. Another problem is that the steering is taking considerable effort to turn back to straight once i've turned it over half a turn. It tries to turn more rather than straightening up when released. Does anyone know what may be causing this? Could it be poor tracking, or is it more likely to be something wrong where he's reconnected the joint? Help! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin Bacon 5 Posted March 9, 2006 What boot? Steering rack one or the big UJ one that comes out of the bulkhead? If the former, they've fecked the tracking, nothing more. Shouldn't take much work to correct. What is it with garages these days? If I ran a car repair/tuning business, I'd road test every vehicle before the customer goes anywhere near it and show the customer exactly what was done before taking their card details. You just can't get the staff.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
greenbeltvr6 0 Posted March 9, 2006 Cheers Kev! I think it was the steering rack one (called it a gaiter?). The thing is that the same guy did a good job of rebuilding the left side of the steering after I kerbed it pretty hard on new years eve. It was handling great till I took it back to get the new boot put on.... The car runs straight - is it that the wheels are both pointing inwards, so it's trying to pull round more when I steer? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin Bacon 5 Posted March 9, 2006 Steering gaiter is indeed the rack one. You have to take the outer ball joint off in order to replace the boot, and as soon as you do that, the tracking needs redoing. He obviously didn't return the tracking to how it was, which is why your steering wheel is off centre. What ever side was done is off and needs resetting. Just take it back and ask for a tracking setup, that should see you right! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
greenbeltvr6 0 Posted March 9, 2006 Thanks for the advice Kev - back to the garage tomorrow then! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
StuartFZR400 0 Posted March 10, 2006 The work should be corrected for free, but its the inconvenience of it all. And what ever happened to having a duty of care? Poor setup could've resulted in greenbelt having a prang! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
greenbeltvr6 0 Posted March 10, 2006 The plot thickens... The VR has been back into the garage today. I took it in at 9am and asked them to check the tracking. Initially they couldnt even find the target in the mirror, until the boss came over and found that the tracking was out by about 2 inches, so there was no way they'd be able to see it... Then they tried to adjust the tracking, but managed only to completely unscrew the joint inside the new steering gaiter, at which point I decided it was time to leave them to it and go to work :? Anyway, I left work to pick it up at 4ish expecting all to be well (as they'd taken it for a test drive) and drove it off happy, until I realised that it felt very similar to when I took it in - better, but still quite scary to drive! It still feels really jumpy and light and is still not straightening up well when turned over half a turn to the right. So - I called the garage when I got back to work, and the mechanic's gonna have a chat to his boss about it tomorrow. I suspect that the tracking may still be out? Any other theories (or agreements) would be greatly accepted cos this is really bugging me - the car was fine before I took it in, and as I said earlier, they did a really good job of rebuilding the front left of my car after I bent it. Essay over :) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
StuartFZR400 0 Posted March 13, 2006 Give them the opportunity to do the work again. YOU want to see the 'mirror' for your self and see all is as it should be. Then if it is set correctly, start scratching your heads. Is the tracking and camber all ok? Yes make sure its not toed inward, as you say its light on steering. Id possibly try another garage just to ask them to 'check' the setting is ok; thus cancelling out the posibility of faulty machinery. Is the st-wheel back on centre? Did they just pop it off and back on straight? You say it was all ok before it went in. I presume the tyres were wearing evenly? Because if they were not, indicating odd setup before, then the standard setting would feel very odd. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
greenbeltvr6 0 Posted March 14, 2006 Had the tracking checked at another garage today with some laser kit - front wheels were toed in 7 degrees. I think I could have got it nearer myself with sticks and a tape measure :? So 20 quid later the VR feels like a car again rather than a trolley. That's 20 quid I shouldn't have had to spend but I couldn't be assed with the hassle any more... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
