Nightmare...........

[d_lawton03]

Fabia vRS 2005.

The car went into the garage 2 weeks ago to have the steering looked at as it was pulling to the left.

The mechanic diagnosed it as the console bushes, which were then replaced with the Cupra bushes. But still it pulled to the left.

When the tracking was done the mechanic advised me the shocker was bent, so I had both front shockers replaced and still the car pulled to the left.

The mechanic is now telling me either the lower arm, the hub or both are slightly bent causing it to pull to the left. He cannot see any visible damage but he is telling me the problem lies in either of the 2 parts but it would be a process of elimination. But this is going to cost me in parts and labour and still may not solves the problem.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Edited 29 September, 2009 by DGW
Default formatting reset.

[MoggyTech]

Sounds like a change of mechanic might be in order. How bad is the pull to the left? cos they all do it to some degree. Have you swapped front and rear wheels to see if it could be tyre related.

If the suspension damper was indeed bent, then the car has had a serious wallop at some point, and there could be wishbone and or subframe damage.

[d_lawton03]

I have had the car for 3 1/2 yrs now and it was fine when I bought it.

The car certainly pulled to the left when the shocker was bent, I havent driven the car since as the garage are telling me it is still pulling.

I have gone down the occasional pot hole and can only think maybe that bent the shocker. The car has never been invloved in anything else, so it must be weak parts around that area, which again would be the lower arm (even a slight twist would be enough to cause it to pull) or the wheel hub (but that would require a large wallop like you say).

I have never driven any other fabia so have nothing to compare it to.

[ScottyVrsless]

I think ti takes a fair wack to bend a shocker?

Are the wheels balanced properly? does the wheel wobble when your driving at any speeds?

[d_lawton03]

No wobble. Let go of the wheel and it veers off to the left, which is handy if your on the motorway and going round a gradual left hand bend, but otherwise annoying.

[Basil]

Do a proper 4 wheel alignment and check that the rears are ok. You can get the car aligned with the "thrust angle" which may help. Shims are a possibility (I did mine) if there is summat wrong with the rear wheel alignment - often a result of a jack being put on the flimsy rear axle and bending it slightly.

If its better after all the work you could try running ever so slightly higher pressures in the left tire.

"They all do that" is a common comment, dunno if its ever been properly diagnosed....

Good luck

Bas

[d_lawton03]

Think Iam just going get the lower arm(wishbone) replaced then collect it and see what improvement there is.

The trouble is I have nothing to compare the steering too, to gauge what degree of pulling to the left is normal and what is damaged parts.

Also another good idea is sueing stockport council for the pot hole damage.

[ric04vrs]

Are the wheels balanced properly? does the wheel wobble when your driving at any speeds?

can you explain why you would think an unbalanced front wheel/tyre would cause a pull to the left :confused:

[ric04vrs]

to the OP , as Basil has said , get a proper 4 wheel alignment check done, and have it done before anymore parts are fitted , if there is something bent anyway, the check will most likely show up an odd, hugely out reading, i.e. excess camber/castor for a bent wishbone

plus if it the rear out, you've wasted loads of money throwing parts at the front for nothing

what tyres have you got fitted , some makes can make the usual Fabia pull to the left feel a lot worse

[d_lawton03]

Thanks for all the ideas.

Vredestein Ultrac on the front, ContiSport contact on the rear.

Will check with the garage that 4 wheel alignment has been done, but Iam guessing it has.

As it was this that flagged up the slightly bent shocker when the wishbone bushes were changed.

[ric04vrs]

Thanks for all the ideas.

Vredestein Ultrac on the front, ContiSport contact on the rear.

Will check with the garage that 4 wheel alignment has been done, but Iam guessing it has.

As it was this that flagged up the slightly bent shocker when the wishbone bushes were changed.

if they removed or just moved the consoles to fit the bushes , they could have made a situation where it would look like the shocker was bent , but wasn't , by having excess camber on one side of the vehicle

[d_lawton03]

Good point.

Correct me if Iam wrong but wouldnt that be something you would check as a process of elimination when faced with the same issue you started with. Unless you were trying to pull a fast one on someone with no mechanical knowledge like myself? For further work perhaps.

[d_lawton03]

Just to correct myself , I have used the same mechanic for 3yrs now for both my cars so he would have no need to pull the wool over my eyes for repeat work.

[Woolfy]

Just to correct myself , I have used the same mechanic for 3yrs now for both my cars so he would have no need to pull the wool over my eyes for repeat work.

But that doesn't mean they have overlooked something in their diagnosis though. won't harm to ask them if they have checked that

[d_lawton03]

Very true

[Confused_Cheese]

Sure you've done this already but as nobody has mentioned it...

checked your tire pressures?

[giandougl]

Hello d_lawton 03,

My 2005 Fabia VRS has always pulled left since new, Skoda said something to do with drive-shaft torque when car is under acceleration.

All of which is nothing to do with tyres/pressure, steering angles nor suspension components, etc.

If however your car is adversely pulling left, looking at everything on that corner, ie:- discs, pads, sticking brake calipers, suspension and steering joints etc, the list is almost endless.

Good luck. Ian. 29/09/2009.

[Gti Fly]

I'd take the bets that you should take the car to somewhere that can do a 'proper' 4 wheel alignment, this includes toe in and camber.

My Golf R32 started to veer to the left over the miles (i owned the car since brand new), then one time I changed the supension completely for KW coilovers. I had the garage (APS in Brackley) fit the suspension and do a proper (Biessberth machine) alignment on the 4wheels (essential when fitting new suspension!).

Afterwards the car drove dead straight, you could take you hands off the wheel at motorway speeds and the car would track arrow straight.

So in my experience, it's worth getting the alignment done by a decent place.

[raveon]

I have to agree with the masses here. Your next step has to be a full four wheel alignment. If they have moved the subframe to do the bushes then this maybe out of alignment or the tracking could just be out. Putting on any more new parts is a mad idea and could prove to be expensive. I'd love to know how on earth did you bend a shock anyway with out causing more serious damage to your car? Also most cars now pull to the left sue to the camber on the roads as they all slope towards the kurbs to help rain water run away.

[d_lawton03]

Spoke to the garage this morning.

They have ordered some laser contraption in order to measure the camber, which will show which side is out. As they explained they could go round in circles replacing parts that dont need to be replaced.

[ScottyVrsless]

can you explain why you would think an unbalanced front wheel/tyre would cause a pull to the left :confused:

Just something that my local wheel place mentioned to me- I had something similar on the Rusty I’m driving at the minute (Fair enough its a lot older and doesn't have power steering etc) but he did mention that incorrectly balanced wheels can make what may all ready be there seem a lot worse.

Just passing something that was mentioned to me along as a possible option- reading everyone else's comment I can agree with were they are coming from and we all (almost all) know that over time tracking on cars can go out of alignment.

[mogwye]

Think Iam just going get the lower arm(wishbone) replaced then collect it and see what improvement there is.

The trouble is I have nothing to compare the steering too, to gauge what degree of pulling to the left is normal and what is damaged parts.

Also another good idea is sueing stockport council for the pot hole damage.

Go to a Skoda dealer and have a test drive in a used similar model, so you can make a comparison.

DB.

[Gti Fly]

Spoke to the garage this morning.

They have ordered some laser contraption in order to measure the camber, which will show which side is out. As they explained they could go round in circles replacing parts that dont need to be replaced.

The proper Biessbarth machine costs upwards of £40,000 I'm lead to believe?!

Not sure your garage can solve the problem with a laser contraption. Sounds to me like you need to get it done elsewhere before you spend another penny at this garage

[Confused_Cheese]

The difference between places can be quite pronounced. I had an alignment done at one garage, but wasn't happy with the results. I went to another one a lil further afield and for an extra £2.50 i got the car back with perfectly straight steering. Was well chuffed.

4-5 months later at about 30-40 mph it pulls slightly to the left. Doing motorway speeds seems to keep it nice and straight.

[rum4mo]

The proper Biessbarth machine costs upwards of £40,000 I'm lead to believe?!

Not sure your garage can solve the problem with a laser contraption. Sounds to me like you need to get it done elsewhere before you spend another penny at this garage

I think that you (Gti Fly) should really take this advice onboard, as said proper kit is not cheap and if you go to a proper place the people there should know how to use their expensive alignment bench. One thing though, in my experience, proper places will also set the car up to work best, and this tends to mean you getting a touch "extra" camber even although the camber on these cars was not designed to be truely adjustable, but just to have enough movement to true both sides up - the outcome of this will mean slightly higher front inside edge wear on the tyres - maybe not a big price to pay for improved road holding.