That was my next thing diff !!!!

Only way to check is to strip and check :-(

Try loading up and see if diff is actually working

Wavetrac diff going wrong?

Noooooooo!

If it is,that's just about as bad as it could have been.....bo11ocks!

That was my next thing diff !!!!

Only way to check is to strip and check :-(

Try loading up and see if diff is actually working

 

So, find a nice flat bit of tarmac, and see if I can draw some number 11's ?

 

Wavetrac diff going wrong?

Noooooooo!

If it is,that's just about as bad as it could have been.....bo11ocks!

 

I really really hope not, but fast running out of other idea's now :(

Yes lol

Well I can draw some number 11's

 

So I guess the diff is working ok.

 

Is it worth disconnecting the track rod ends from the hubs, to check for play in the rack ?

yes i would check for play in the rack ends (both sides to be sure)

I had this problem on a Standard Octavia 1 Elegance 1.8  and noticed the tyre wear on the left front tyre. The individual tread blocks had a feather edge at the back so running a palm around the tyre surface was met with resistance. This was not present on other tyres.

The local garage talked about wheel alignment but I had a four wheel check done recently.

However the good news is that the local garage has cured it by swapping the front and rear wheel opn that side. I have not done enough miles to know if the tyre wear is changed in any way but it drives straight now. I haven't asked them yet what they did as the car is not finished yet.it has to go back for a timing belt and an engine warning light.

Peter

yes i would check for play in the rack ends (both sides to be sure)

 

There seems to be no play with it all connected up, i'm just wondering if disconnecting the track rod ends from the hubs, would help to detect any play in the rack or not ?

 

I had this problem on a Standard Octavia 1 Elegance 1.8  and noticed the tyre wear on the left front tyre. The individual tread blocks had a feather edge at the back so running a palm around the tyre surface was met with resistance. This was not present on other tyres.

The local garage talked about wheel alignment but I had a four wheel check done recently.

However the good news is that the local garage has cured it by swapping the front and rear wheel opn that side. I have not done enough miles to know if the tyre wear is changed in any way but it drives straight now. I haven't asked them yet what they did as the car is not finished yet.it has to go back for a timing belt and an engine warning light.

Peter

 

I have tried 2 different sets of wheels and tyres, and the tyres currently fitted are brand new (been fitted after this problem started), and also I have swapped the front tyres from side to side, just incase.

 

Nothing has changed, so it's not a wheel / tyre issue in my case (I only wish it was), also both fronts are on 32psi, and both rears are on 30psi.

Something else I also noticed yesterday, when I tried to take a long sweeping bend at speed yesterday, it did feel rather unsettled compared to what i'm used too.

 

However I am not sure if thats related to the issue, or the fact it's on almost new road tyres or both.

could be the new tyres need scrubbing in more.

 

Yes disconnect and check resistance against the rack itself, make sure its not got any play it shouldn't have and that it can keep the rod out when turned and required (if that makes sense).

I know its unlikely but is it possible your subframe has moved or been damaged? Could be possible based on the fact the bolt came loose and tightening it has lessened the problem. Might be worth getting a bit o' string out and checking its all in line.

Am I right in understanding its only under power that you're having steering issues ?

 

A worn out/broken engine mount can cause the extact symptons you've described in your 1st post

could be the new tyres need scrubbing in more.

 

Yes disconnect and check resistance against the rack itself, make sure its not got any play it shouldn't have and that it can keep the rod out when turned and required (if that makes sense).

 

The problem started on a different set of wheels and tyres, so it's not tyre related.

 

I will have to jack it up again this week and disconnect the hubs from the rack and check for play.

 

 

I know its unlikely but is it possible your subframe has moved or been damaged? Could be possible based on the fact the bolt came loose and tightening it has lessened the problem. Might be worth getting a bit o' string out and checking its all in line.

 

Subframe looks fine, if it has moved it's very slight, and the car tracks straight and true when the wheel alignment is done, the camber and caster is equal on each side also, which suggests the subframe is aligned correctly, and I haven't hit anything, so unless it's been damaged under extreme pressure I don't think it's that (pretty sure alteast 3 wheels were on the track at all times).

 

I am thinking I might just replace the 4 subframe bolts for the sake of £20 just incase 1 of them has an issue.

 

Am I right in understanding its only under power that you're having steering issues ?

 

A worn out/broken engine mount can cause the extact symptons you've described in your 1st post

 

Yes on light / part throttle, it drives as normal, very very slight drift to the left, but thats down to the camber and state of most roads around here, and to me that is normal.

 

It's only when on the power that the problem is there.

 

I had thought about engine mounts, but was told it wouldn't make the car drive like this.

Ok front to rear movement doesn't seem too bad, but there is a reasonable amount of side to side movement, which is mainly noticeable in the lhs engine (gearbox) mount.

 

There is probably twice as much movement compared to the LCR engine mounts.

 

This is just rocking by hand, i've not tried it with the engine running and handbrake on yet.

Ok small video.

 

First car is my LCR, to show the front - rear movment in that, compared to the vrs.

 

The final part of the video is me rocking the engine side to side by hand (sorry not very clear, but you get the idea).

 

OK I have now found out what the garage did to stop my Octavia from pulling left and putting a scallop or cupping pattern on the tyre.

They changed the Near Side Front lower suspension arm as the rear bush in it was worn and actually split.

They told me the bush was not available as a separate item, and it had to be the whole arm. The part number on my invoice is FCA5866 but not sure whose number that is.

Anyway, that was the cure. I have another thread about this from February so will update that one as well.

The switch of the slightly cupped from tyre to rear was to rotate the tyre with the less oddly worn tread tread to the steering end.

PeterGAH

Yeh the bushes on mine are only a few weeks old and uprated so it shouldn't be that, that is the problem.

Ok I give up.

 

Had the car on a ramp again this afternoon.

 

I replaced the 4 main subframe bolts with new ones (£21.73 for 4 fookin bolts) and that made no difference.

 

I checked the subframe bushes whilst I was there, and they seem to be ok.

 

I also re-checked all bolts (lower arms, steering rack, rear beam etc etc), the n/s/f arm front bolt was slightly looser than I would expect, but it was by no means loose, I managed to tweak it slightly, and the same with the dogbone mount main bolt to the gearbox.

 

But nothing has changed, so it's safe to say there are no loose bolts.

 

I also put it on an MOT ramp and used the shaker plates, so see if there was any movement in the ball joints, trackrod ends etc, when the car has some weight on it.

 

Sadly nothing showed up still (so atleast it would pass an mot like this).

 

So the only things left are either A ) a cv joint failing, but there is no noise, and can't feel it in any way, or B ) gearbox mount, but again there is little movement in it, and nothing that would be considered excessive.

 

 

So I guess i'm just gonna have to take it to combe on Sat and do a session or 2 at ADI and wait for whatever is wrong with it to break completely, and hope that it doesn't put me in the barrier.

 

 

So I guess i'm just gonna have to take it to combe on Sat and do a session or 2 at ADI and wait for whatever is wrong with it to break completely, and hope that it doesn't put me in the barrier.

That's exactly what I did with my mk1,gave it a good spanking,then ripped the bottom arm off...result...there's the fault!

Just go careful...

And if that doesn't work...there's always a box of matches....

(Joke)

And if that doesn't work...there's always a box of matches....

(Joke)

 

There is no interior left, so it wouldn't burn anyway lol

just a thought but perhaps the car has been in an accident and is out of line, might be worth getting it checked on a jig

just a thought but perhaps the car has been in an accident and is out of line, might be worth getting it checked on a jig

 

I've owned the car for nearly a year, and the problem only became apparent on the 2nd track session of the last action day.

well dont rule it out, could have been repaired in the past (plenty of cars have), then something you replaced/moved/changed has highlighted it.

 

as said...just a thought

well dont rule it out, could have been repaired in the past (plenty of cars have), then something you replaced/moved/changed has highlighted it.

 

as said...just a thought

 

Even if it has been, I don't think that is the problem.

 

The subframe, arms, hubs, steering rack, etc are all from an LCR, and were fitted in feb / march this year.

 

I have also done a few track days since then with no problems.

 

The only thing that was done between the last trackday and the one where the issue's starterd, were changing the bushes from the knackered standard ones, to the powerflex black series, and the fitting of an R32 farb, and replacement of the n/s driveshaft.

 

Even after all that was done, the car still drove fine, even the first track session it was ok, it was only during the 2nd session that it started to play up.

 

I am now wondering if it could be a cv joint thats the problem, but there is no noise and no other issues (i.e the wheel doesn't feel like it's about to fall off).

A few wild guesses here dude.

 

Things I would possibly check

 

- Lower wishbone ball joint. Replace is suspect. This was the cause of tram lining on mine

- check wheel alignment , get 4 wheel alignment and this will fix and camber related issues that a wrongly adjusted wishbone ball joint may of caused.

- Could Suspension top mounts and bearing be worn or seizing one side and forcing a pull on load.

- Could suspension be adjusted different on one side?

- Could one side of suspension be wearing slightly different allowing car to dip more one side when under load and cause steering to pull  

- track rods ends or inner steering rods worn