Help

Getting desperate now. My dealer has spent a lot of time trying to correct a pull to the left on my steering. In the process creaking suspension has been found and cured......but not the steering pull.

All suspension components have been checked nothing is worn, damaged or in any way out of tolerance. The geometry has been checked several times now, again everything is set correctly. Yet there is still a pull on the steering. As part of my own efforts to cure the problem I'm running on new tyres, even so tyres have been further changed, front to rear, side to side. to no good effect. There are no signs of damage to the car, no damage to the wheels. so you can see everything that can be checked has been...but still the pull.

The next suggestion by the dealer is to change the front sub frame, but without any guarantee that even this would provide the cure. I haven't got an open cheque book so I'm holding back on spending any more until I've had a chance to consider the options. (in different ways I've spent over

Mine was pulling ever so slightly to the left before I had the suspension lowered.

When the lowering springs were fitted the suspension geometry was adjusted which solved the problem.

Apparently I had too much negative camber on the left (front axle)

It seems strange that your car is still pulling to the left, after the geometry has been checked.

Does your car actually pull to the left, or does it just steer towards the left when the steering wheel is held at the "straight ahead" position? I've had a car that did this before and it was just the steering wheel that needed to be re-aligned.

I assume you have checked the tyre pressures etc.

Thanks for responding. I should have mentioned this, the steering wheel is aligned with the wheels OK, hold the wheel straight and the car runs dead straight, but you have to hold it with a small of force to the right. The alignment has been checked 3 times by various tyre dealers and 3 times at the dealership!

Oh and the 'pull' is not my imagination or the camber of the road. I've driven many miles on the same roads comparing my car to others. Even my wife's Daewoo Lanos has a better feel!

Paul

I noticed when changing the wishbones on mine that where the balljoint connects to the lower arms it is held in place with 3 bolts and a lock plate. The holes in the lower arm are not round and allow the bolts to be positioned where you want within about 2-3mm for each bolt. There are no markings for the correct position. Where these bolts are when tightened will effect the geometry, so in theory you could adjust (which most places can't/don't) to the correct geometry.

Big K got any thoughts on this?

I haven't actually done any testing with it (don't see the motorway too often), but I think mine does pull a wee bit to the left too. Following this thread with great interest therefore...

Quentin, Some cars tend to pull slightly to the left due to the natural camber of the road, its more noticable on B roads.

Spc, Suggest you try & find a specialist with full & accurate 4 wheel allignement equipment if you havent already done so. The average Tyre company IMO havent got a clue. We had an Escort that came back after a light rear end tap & it just wasnt right, took it to a specialist & the REAR tracking needed adjusting. After that I swear it was the best it had ever been.

Your Skoda dealer should be able to supply all the figures for camber, castor, toe in etc.

If you are anywhere near Cheltenham try Powerstation, they have very complex allignment equipment. On my Scoob they found the Top of one front strut was 10mm out of position (transpired it had a bent inner wing from someone elses previous over enthusiasm)

I have the full list of settings at home, I'll scan them in tonight if that'd be of any use to you. Your dealer will have them as well (mine are copied straight from the workshop manual). If you get on well with your dealer, ask him for a copy.

Jon

SPC,

Fairways VW in preston did the alignment on a friends MK4 golf the other week - is a 1 1/2 hr labor charge but they found it way out and it now doesnt pull / corners miles better...

might be worth calling them...