Andy,

Looks like my re-assurances may have been BS. Having had all the bushes changed on my car recently, I decided to go get a 4 wheel alignment at Revolution in Gateshead. The car is transformed as my suspension was well out of kilter. Now it doesn't pull to the left and the wheel is centred.

Here is the read out showing before and after

Might be worth getting it done!

Ron

How did they sort the rear axel?

I think the bolts at the top of the rear struts (2 bolts for top mounts) have a couple off mm of play in them, so very small camber adjustments can be made there.

I think the bolts at the top of the rear struts (2 bolts for top mounts) have a couple off mm of play in them, so very small camber adjustments can be made there.

Hmm, must check that out! Thanking you.

Providing you don't have directional tyres, have you tried swapping the tyres left to right? I had this with new tyres on a newly tracked set up, swapped them over and problem cured. You can have slight variations in tyre conicity and other construction issues that are within spec but fitted to your car in a certain combintion can add the errors and cause pull, quite often worse to the left because it is compounded with road camber.

I too had this issue with my current OCY just after I bought the car. Sorted with an uprated set of tyres, costly but well worth it for re-assurances sake. Bought set of 4 new Pirelli tyres and problem sorted. Costs me best part of £450 but it's soo much better, especially on camber.

On one smaller note, I think alloy's have a partial part to play, as the front alloys deffinatly look like theve been swapped with the rear's. Might sound strange, but it's driving like a charm!

Thanks again and happy new year one and all!!

Tony.

I had the very same problem. I bought the car at 18months old and it had two new front tyres. After about 15 - 20k miles, I noticed one of the front tyres scrubbing (think it was N/S). Went to kwik fit for a free 4 wheel lazer alignment check and was told it was absolutely fine. I perservered with this through this set of tyres and the next still managing to get good mileage out of the boots even though one was scrubbing. The most annoying thing was doing many motorway miles having to counteract the pulling to the left. I eventually decided to have my front wheels tracked and hey presto, car drives straight and the boots don't scrub! I was and still am scepticle about four wheel alignment. Is it not the case that the front wheels are supposed to be tracked to each other using either 0 degree tow or a bit of tow in/out depending on the car. If there is to be tow in/out, the front wheels will never line up with the fixed rears!! Maybe this is "old school thought" but the guy that did the tracking said it was way out and questioned how good 4 wheel alignment was given the fact the rear boots are fixed etc. Hope this helps

Providing you don't have directional tyres, have you tried swapping the tyres left to right? I had this with new tyres on a newly tracked set up, swapped them over and problem cured. You can have slight variations in tyre conicity and other construction issues that are within spec but fitted to your car in a certain combintion can add the errors and cause pull, quite often worse to the left because it is compounded with road camber.

They are directional, cheers though.

I too had this issue with my current OCY just after I bought the car. Sorted with an uprated set of tyres, costly but well worth it for re-assurances sake. Bought set of 4 new Pirelli tyres and problem sorted. Costs me best part of £450 but it's soo much better, especially on camber.

On one smaller note, I think alloy's have a partial part to play, as the front alloys deffinatly look like theve been swapped with the rear's. Might sound strange, but it's driving like a charm!

Thanks again and happy new year one and all!!

Tony.

This is the thing. When I bought the car there was a new set of China's finest put on by the dealer... the car pulled to the left with those on.

Got the new boots from a trusted supplier, tracked and fitted, and it still pulled to the left (slightly but enough to cause annoyence and probably tyre wear) so thats that unfortunatly.

I had the very same problem. I bought the car at 18months old and it had two new front tyres. After about 15 - 20k miles, I noticed one of the front tyres scrubbing (think it was N/S). Went to kwik fit for a free 4 wheel lazer alignment check and was told it was absolutely fine. I perservered with this through this set of tyres and the next still managing to get good mileage out of the boots even though one was scrubbing. The most annoying thing was doing many motorway miles having to counteract the pulling to the left. I eventually decided to have my front wheels tracked and hey presto, car drives straight and the boots don't scrub! I was and still am scepticle about four wheel alignment. Is it not the case that the front wheels are supposed to be tracked to each other using either 0 degree tow or a bit of tow in/out depending on the car. If there is to be tow in/out, the front wheels will never line up with the fixed rears!! Maybe this is "old school thought" but the guy that did the tracking said it was way out and questioned how good 4 wheel alignment was given the fact the rear boots are fixed etc. Hope this helps

I had to get the car tracked on new years eve as the car was actually pulling to the left more (winter pot holes) again they said rear axel blah but all is good now. (used another tyre shop as the place I always use was closed)

It is still puling slightly to the left as with the first time I got it tracked.

I jacked it up that evening and checked the wheels using the 3-9/12-6 wheel shake.

It wobbled a bit with the 3-9 but I just put that down to the steering movement. I am going to get it checked by a professional so as I can rule that out as the cause (or not)

Thanks all for your advice though, greatly appreciated.