5 replies to this topic

[NZMini1275]

Pulling left under power -tracks perfect cruising
1310 supercharged Med atb diff
Looking for some more things to check as this has only just started happening after a track day
It has always been a handful in 1st and second gear and would pull left and right but this is different
Pulls hard left under power no matter what gear or speed
If I load it up in first the left wheel pulls very violently
Have been over the whole suspension and there is zero play
New 4 wheel alignment to check setup and all is good still
Engine mounts and subframe mounts are all good and secure
New pro tech shocks all around
Tire pressures all equal - have swapped tyres over to rule them out
13x7 with semi slick tyres

Can the steering rack have inner play that only moves under load?
Also with the locknuts undone on track rods when you turn one side to adjust toe should the other spin with it unless you really hold it with vice grips
I thought the inner ball would spin quite freely

Not sure If the helical diff can go bad but I assume they work or don’t

Any ideas appreciated
Cheers
Dan

[Spider]

First thing - as you were asking too - that comes to my mind when I hear of this is Steering Rack.

 

It could also be the LH Steering Arm not bolted up to the hub as tight as it could be.

 

The early UK and all Australian racks, as standard, have a Felt Bush in the Passengers end to support the Inner Rack (the business part of it). These were used for a few reasons, one being that when drenched with Oil, they will allow for alignment changes but without free play, however, eventually these do flatten out, In regards to the rack, do you know where it was made and roughly when ?

Because of the way they take up, they can feel tight when doing the usual checks but when pushed hard, will change center and so alter the steering angle of the LH Wheel. The other thing that can cause the steering to have a mind of it's own that can't otherwise be found is that the Rack is mounted across the center of the toe board, and that art of the Toe Board is quite unsupported, it flexes (and I'm quite sure was designed to do so). It's worse on the passenger's end as to an extent, the driver's end has some support from the steering column.

[NZMini1275]

Cheers for the reply
I have had a loose steering arm before which had me head scratching for a while ?
The rack is a Uk minispares one about 3 years old
It did get a bit of a hammering on track as I went over the rumble strips on one occasion and it threw me sideways ?

Sounds like it might be an idea too pull rack and inspect and replace
Cheers
Dan

[nicklouse]

Dan one thing that does not scan in your first post is this.

 

you say it is pulling to the left.

 

later you say the left wheel is pulling.

 

if the left was pulling I would expect the car to pull to the right if it was a grip/traction issue.

 

you don’t mention what tyres but some have a correct fitment requirement. Check they are both correctly fitted for their position on the car.

 

corner weights set? Not changed from before and after? Something may have settled changing the balance .

 

find a smooth car park drive forward smoothly in a straight line. Stop. Put the car in reverse and then remove your hands from the steering wheel and lift the clutch. The car should reverse on a straight line. If it does not something could be misaligned.

[NZMini1275]

Hi Nick cheers for your input

car pulls heavily to left so right hand down to stay straight and then as Soon as power is let off it corrects 

I said left wheel pulling on launch as car moves left and left wheel feels like it’s doing it’s own thing

Tyres are fitted for correct rotation

No corner weights done as only a road car I use for Trackdays I do however constantly check the ride heights 

 

 

 

Dan one thing that does not scan in your first post is this.

 

you say it is pulling to the left.

 

later you say the left wheel is pulling.

 

if the left was pulling I would expect the car to pull to the right if it was a grip/traction issue.

 

you don’t mention what tyres but some have a correct fitment requirement. Check they are both correctly fitted for their position on the car.

 

corner weights set? Not changed from before and after? Something may have settled changing the balance .

 

find a smooth car park drive forward smoothly in a straight line. Stop. Put the car in reverse and then remove your hands from the steering wheel and lift the clutch. The car should reverse on a straight line. If it does not something could be misaligned.

[Spider]

Nick, respectfully and sorry mate, but I can't see just about any car reversing in a straight line (as in the steering not running off on it's own). In reverse, the Caster Angle is effectively Negative and so it will want to run off to one side or the other, just as effectively it will hold straight when moving forward. You can try and balance it right on the top of that hump, but it's highly unlikely to stay there.