left turns easier than right ?! why?

[joeyboswell 0]

I don't think this is in my head...if it is I'm going nuts. It seems that turning left seems easier than turning right...in that a bit more force is needed to turn right. The car drives straight and true with hands off the wheel so a bit weird.

 

Any ideas what this could be? Got an MOT on Saturday so hoping it's nothing potentially serious.

[VR6 0]

Too much masturbation = stronger right arm? :scratch:

[Leonard 0]

Got to agree lol

 

Always preferred to get a bit of a rwd slide goin on left hand bends than right :confused4:

[dr_mat 0]

Sounds like a faulty steering rack...

[dan 0]

Could be either your springs or shocks going on one side, probably at the front because you wouldn't really notice if the back ones were uneven.

[VR6Joni 0]

Camber need correcting, been there done that!

Or your always driving on wonky roads :lol:

 

edit: most roads do slope towards the left for drainage, so you probably are driving on wonky roads! test the balance on a very flat road or car park!

[joeyboswell 0]

so assuming i'm ambidextrous...it's looking like a dodgy steering rack possibly? what makes you say that? how much does a rack cost then, fitted? hopefully it's the camber but it doesn't pull to a side when driving.

[joeyboswell 0]

spring or shocks could be a possibility as I've only replaced the back ones.

 

any of this sounding like a potential MOT issue?

[Sprint 0]

Usually camber differences side to side as VR6Joni said :)

[andy 0]

Sounds like a faulty steering rack...

Agreed. That's where I'd be looking, it is expensive and awkward to fix though. Had a car that did this and learned to live with it!

[emu 0]

I don't think this is in my head...if it is I'm going nuts. It seems that turning left seems easier than turning right...in that a bit more force is needed to turn right. The car drives straight and true with hands off the wheel so a bit weird.

 

Any ideas what this could be? Got an MOT on Saturday so hoping it's nothing potentially serious.

 

 

I have it now and had it before in one of my corrado. Don't know the solution now as my wheel alignment is incorrect in all positions but in the past I did full wheel alignment and it resolved this problem in 100%.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Yep, steering rack. I'm on my 3rd in 115,000 miles.

 

But if you want to confirm for yourself, jack it up and peel back the steering gaitors. There will be PAS fluid in the side that is heaviest, i.e the driver's side.

[Alex_G60_Fanatic 0]

my car used to drive nice and straight but, like yours it would turn left very easily and then i would have to turn hard to turn right.

 

Reason - My subframe had collapsed... I found this out when my Corrado flew into a hedge.

 

It's probably the rack, but if you don't see any PAS fluid I'd start looking VERY carefully at your suspension :wink:

[joeyboswell 0]

Nice one lads. This is sounding like it could be expensive but a good few things for the garage to check when I'm getting my mot done in my mates place. Hopefully nothing for him to fail it on though.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

A leaking steering rack is an MOT fail for starters! But no one ever checks that.

 

Going forward, providing it's not chewing through PAS fluid, I would live with it. I did for about 2 years but it eventually got so bad it needed a litre of fluid every fortnight!

 

An exchange rack from VW will cost £550+VAT and it's a right pig to change, requiring the subframe to be partially dropped. And whilst you're there you may aswell fit new VAG tie rods, so another £140.

 

So inc labour, you're looking at a £1000 day out with the VAT I reckon.

 

That's why people live with it!

[craigowl 0]

You've answered my question, kev, many thanks and have a nice day! :wink:

 

Money pit? The Corrado? Surely not.

[Conker 0]

I fitted new suspension a few weekends ago, which has thrown the camber out a little. Mine now pulls to the right, a problem which will be easily fixed by a wheel alignment session. I would rule this potential issue out before investing in a new rack.

[krnau 0]

Too much masturbation = stronger right arm? :scratch:

wow, it's lovely when the first reply has the correct answer, isn't it?

[Jim 1]

A reconditioned rack is another option. It need not be a £1,000 bill as Kev says, though that is an entirely realistic bill if you get all the bits from VW.

 

A recon rack from a reputable place is about £150 (plus your old rack) and 3-4 hours labour. If your track rods aren't shot then you don't have to replace them - although it is best if you can afford to stretch to that.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

For a valver maybe, but the VR is a different story.

 

That £550 VW price is their reconditioned price, not new! I made enquiries around some steering rack refurbishers online and they all wanted £350+ to rebuild a VR rack, so not a huge saving over VW's price tbh. In the end I found a New old stock one on Ebay for £150, but that rarely happens with VR parts.

 

The other alternative is a rack from a different car. I believe Mr Renshaw used one from a Seat of some sort, which worked out a lot cheaper.

 

But you're right though, if you do the work yourself and don't use a VAG sourced rack, it will be cheaper. Secondhand VR racks are also worth a try too as they either leak or they don't.

[Alex_G60_Fanatic 0]

dunno about vr's but my g60 rack i got for £70notes... still sitting in the shed mind can't afford to fit it!

[davidwort 0]

I believe Mr Renshaw used one from a Seat of some sort, which worked out a lot cheaper.

James was lucky too and picked up a brand new seat ibiza cupra (mk1) rack from e-bay for a song, the part he used was the same VW part number as the revised part for 1992 on 4 cyl Corrado racks, it's basically a mk2 golf 'quick' rack (as fitted to mk2 16v and G60) but with the 22 spline input.

Strictly speaking that rack doesn't 'go with' the Corrado VR6 PAS pump, but James didn't seem to have any problem :shrug:

 

This is where I've been puzzled before as the mk3 golf VR racks are the same (TRW) type as the 4 cylinder Corrado ones (different casing to the Corrado VR), but with the plus axle longer track rods.

So it's entirely possible that you could get a recon golf VR6 rack with warranty and new pattern track rods for under 200 quid if you fit them yourself.

 

This is the bottom end of the 'new' parts price range, I've had no problem with pattern (FEBI) complete track rods on a 4cyl, but they may not last quite as well on a VR.

[dr_mat 0]

Vince at Stealth put a recon rack on my VR for £125+VAT, part was from GSF. It doesn't surprise me that VW have pumped the price of the replacement parts (they'd rather the Corrado didn't exist, since it makes the new Scirocco look like a poof..), but there are parts from golfs that are cheap and compatible.

[Leonard 0]

I didnt know you were talking mechanicals LOL

 

I must be a freak then as always preferred going around left hand bends :lol:

[OSV 0]

Vince at Stealth put a recon rack on my VR for £125+VAT, part was from GSF. It doesn't surprise me that VW have pumped the price of the replacement parts (they'd rather the Corrado didn't exist, since it makes the new Scirocco look like a poof..), but there are parts from golfs that are cheap and compatible.

 

Same here too, Stealth fitted one from GSF to mine but it failed very quickly and developed the symptoms described in this thread. Had to buy a genuine replacement and refurb it together with associated parts, not thrilled. Don't skimp on key parts