What the hell is wrong!! Arghhh

[RussMan]

Ok excuse the agro but i'm getting majorly p'd off with my fto!!

Had girlfriend drop car into McCanns today to sort out alignment and still problems.
I've been advised that there is excessive castor on the nearside front which basically means that the front left wheel is sitting back further than the offside. All other alignments appear to be correct.

So far i've replaced both Shocks with Kyb's, front drop links, ARB bushes. Any ideas as to why the heck its still pulling to the left all the time and big time!! Do you think it could be the front axle thats off? Any other suggestions would be great!!

Thanks
Russ

[kevinod]

Strange... Afaik the castor isn't adjustable... although that might be different on the GPvR?

You can get extra castor bushes for the front lower armthough that push the wheel forward (I think), is it possible that on one side you have a bush with standard castorone and the other you have an offset castor bush? or you have offset castor bushes on both sides with one on the wrong way around, if thats possible?


Didn't u have a meeting with a kerb a while back when it was icy? I wonder did something get bent out of shape?

[pergau]

Could it be the coriolius effect? The best way to check this would be to take the car to the southern hemisphere and test to see if it pulls to the right.

[ronbyrne]

Could it be the coriolius effect? The best way to check this would be to take the car to the southern hemisphere and test to see if it pulls to the right.

Heartless but got me laughing out loud.Now if you could get the coriolius effect to offset torque steer youd be on to a winner !

[ronbyrne]

Actually, just a thought but is it only happening under acceleration ? it isn't just torque steer your experiencing , is it ? or is it pulling left at all times ?

[RussMan]

Ah Its pulling left permanantly unfortunately!!
CJ was thinking about those castor bushings ... unsure as to whether or not i've the extra castors in place...!!! Your second guess is probably more likely!!! Hit a curb and have most likely bent the wishbone or similar.. although it was a very minor collision.
Paul Nolan is going to take the car for a week in 3 weeks and see what he can find out for me.
Thanks Ron...... i wish it was just torque steer still get that in many directions

[soc]

I'd get a new set of positive castor bottom arm bushes anyway and have them fitted while paul has the car. Although it sounds like too much of a coincidence that it's the same wheel that you hit off the curb. Believe me, it doesn't take much of an side on impact with a curb to do damage to wishbones, bushes, etc. so I'd guess that is probably your problem.

Although that said, I'm suprised the guys at Dave McCanns wouldn't have been able to identify any such damage when they had your car up on ramps for the alignment.

[ronbyrne]

Although that said, I'm suprised the guys at Dave McCanns wouldn't have been able to identify any such damage when they had your car up on ramps for the alignment.

To be fair now, unless you told them you hit the left front off a kerb, then why would they check it out, they are a tyre fitting company, not mechanics !

[soc]

Although that said, I'm suprised the guys at Dave McCanns wouldn't have been able to identify any such damage when they had your car up on ramps for the alignment.

To be fair now, unless you told them you hit the left front off a kerb, then why would they check it out, they are a tyre fitting company, not mechanics !

I see where you're coming from but they do laser wheel alignment so I would have thought they'd have tried to investigate why they couldn't set the front castor properly. Wouldn't be that much trouble to check if a wishbone looked out of shape or a bush looked worn

But I'm not trying to get at McCann's at all cause in fairness to them, when I was in for a wheel alignment with my old GR a few years back, they worked out why the left rear camber couldn't be adjusted - some ecentric bolt that needed replacing (can't remember exactly now)

[CJ]

If the wishbone is damaged, the whole unit will need to be replaced. The problem What I've found with DMC in the past is that they're usually mad busy and just want to get the car off the ramp ASAP, consider using DTAS the next time, they're much more customer focused AND they offer discounts to FTO-Ireland members!

CJ

[soc]

The problem What I've found with DMC in the past is that they're usually mad busy and just want to get the car off the ramp ASAP,

Nail, hammer and head spring to mind

I found exactly the same when I had the golf in last year which was the opposite to when I had the GR in a year previous - I reckon they've just become busier over time and as a result have lost some customer focus...

[Muad_dib77]

The problem What I've found with DMC in the past is that they're usually mad busy and just want to get the car off the ramp ASAP,

Nail, hammer and head spring to mind

I found exactly the same when I had the golf in last year which was the opposite to when I had the GR in a year previous - I reckon they've just become busier over time and as a result have lost some customer focus...

On that note I'd just like to mention a rather bad experience with a tyre fitting type place..

ACE TYRES out in sandyford industrial estate..

Wednesday I got all my bits together and started calling around to the places close to where I work. ACE TYRES are handy cause they're just around the corner from my work. They weren't the cheapest but the happy-chappies assured me that they had the time, skill and will to do a pukka job of fitting my lowering springs, alloys, tyres, adjusting camber on the rear (one side is WAAAY out as you'll see 2moro) - balancing & tracking..

Happy out..I give them my Car at about 9.30am this morning. with ALL the bits they'll need..

At about 4.30pm I decide to check up on their progress and I get the following message..

Oh yeah - sorry..We haven't gotten around to your car yet but ehm..if you swing by in an hour we'll have the alloys fitted for you.

So long story short..

I have the Alloys fitted - but they're not tracked..Camber is still completely POO..car is flying high - and they did a terrible job of balancing the tires..as soon as I hit 100kmph I get vibrations in the steering wheel..they start to fade at 150kmph and are gone at 195kmph

I am NOT a happy bunny.. I really hope I get a chance to fit the lowering springs myself on Sunday..that way all I have to do is give out sh1t3 to them about the balancing - and the fact that they didn't leave my old wheels in my car.. BAH

[Myfeckin FTO]

On that note I'd just like to mention a rather bad experience with a tyre fitting type place....

...................I have the Alloys fitted - but they're not tracked..Camber is still completely POO..car is flying high - and they did a terrible job of balancing the tires..as soon as I hit 100kmph I get vibrations in the steering wheel..they start to fade at 150kmph and are gone at 195kmph....

All the advise we give you and you still manage to hand over your car to a bunch of inept eejits.

If I have learned one thing from tyre centres its to NEVER let you're car out of your sight while its there. They will feck it up unless you stand over them.

[soc]

If I have learned one thing from tyre centres its to NEVER let you're car out of your sight while its there. They will feck it up unless you stand over them.

That is one piece of advice I'd definitely second...