last week I changed inner track rods and steering boots.

then I went to a shop for laser wheel alignment.

all went well and toe angles are 0.

but today I felt there is something wrong with maneuvering for parking.

it is about how many turns I can rotate the steering wheel from wheels straight forward to maximum left, respectively to maximum right.

 

I can rotate to LEFT exactly 2 full turns (720 degrees)

but

I can rotate to RIGHT only 1 3/4 turns (630 degrees)

 

is this normal??

 

PS

my car has not power steering and it is LHD.

If you are driving and turning, does the steering self centre on it's own?

yes, it does.

perhaps other Felicia owners could tell me if their steering wheel is turning an equal number of turns to the left and to the right from straight forward.

it takes 30 seconds to check, please.

Mine is just over one and a half turns each way, but mine is a 1.6 with power steering. But it does show that it is the same both ways. I realise this doesn't really answer your question but I thought I'd go and have a look since you asked. Perhaps someone with a non PAS car could have a look.

I don't think it's that unusual, I've had cars before with a better turning circle in one direction than the other.

It "should be the same each way, you need to centre the rack again by figuring which side needs winding in and which out by the same amounts, then you will have to reset the steering wheel to straight again.

Yossarian G

thank you for checking. 

common sense tells me there has to be a symmetry.

right now I have a fear that my car is going like a crab.

I post below an exaggerated illustration.

 

felicia16v

is it true that some part of suspension is now under stress?

what part?

I hear a noise like a groan for a short time when I go in reverse.

is other danger involved?

Edited 18 July, 201312 yr by dohnjoe

No, it'll be ok, it's just that the rack will be further across to one side when the wheels are dead ahead. You could look at it as a way of avoiding wear on the central area of the rack.

Solution is exactly as felicia16v says.

Possibly adjustments have always been made on one side then someone has removed and re-positioned the steering wheel to get that centred.

so all i lost is the ability to steer more at extreme right, right?

that got my attention when going forward and parking 90 degrees on the right side.

it was like having a too big turn radius.

 

that being said, please advice if my correction plan below is OK.

any tips to get toe angles bang on without going again to alignment shop (expensive) will be appreciated.

 

- I will start with wheels straight forward

- then I will steer the steering wheel exactly 45 degrees to the left.

- I will lock the steering wheel

- I will bring the wheels straight forward by rotating accordingly both left and right track rods

- last I will take out and reinsert steering wheel to be horizontal.

Edited 19 July, 201312 yr by dohnjoe

You could mark the track rods, adjusting nuts, lock nuts before you start. That way you should be able to be sure to tighten one side by the exact same number of turns as you loosen the other side. Hopefully you should then end up with the same tracking as at the start.

mark the steering arm and count right side in 2 complete turns and left side out 2 complete turns, as long as you make the mark accurately you will be right.  then just keep adjusting until you have equal steering each way.

It is important in a way as it will effect the way the bump steer is set in a straight line and you may feel the car steers slightly over a bumpy straight road as it is now.

as long as you do one in and the other out the same amount of turns all will be fine.

thank you for advice.

the only problem I felt on bumpy roads was not in straight line, but in curves.

if I hit a bump in a curve, the car 'jumps' to the exterior of that curve.

but I put that on not having a rollbar.

or am I wrong?

My car does the same in quick bumpy turns and it's definitely because it lacks an ARB. So it's not steering related.

 

Now about your steering asymmetry. The real danger is not the lack of manoeuvrability when turning to the right, but the excessive stress on all suspension links and steering itself when turning to the left in full swing. Wheels are overturned to the left beyond factory specifications.

 

Skoda Felicia steering needs 3 3/4 (3.75) turns from full left to full right. That's 1350 degrees. So you need to adjust your track rods (as you described) to get a symmetric 675 degrees of steering wheel turning both left and right.

Edited 23 July, 201312 yr by adurer

all sorted out.

everything is centered now.

I park easier and the steering wheel centers OK after a turn.

thank you all for support