Hello everyone. I have had a few 'quirks' with the steering of my Fabia estate since the day I bought it. It has always pitched to the left if you let go of the steering wheel. The wheel's off to the left, as well.

 

I went and  had the front wheels balanced (as I had a 'wobble' between 30 and 50) and the tracking done. The car still dips left and the steering wheel's even more to the left now! I'm at a loss as to why this is happening. I'm going to take the car back to have the tracking done again - should I rotate the tyres, as well? If the steering wheel's still out, should I attempt to whip the wheel off and manually adjust it myself? - I can't stand a wonky wheel! It is my pet hate!  

 

Also, even though I've changed the springs and dampers for uprated items, along with Meyle top mounts and droplinks (and cupra console bushes) the steering still has this odd 'jerk' at low speeds - it's really strange. Like a woolliness. Is this all connected? The brakes judder a little bit when applying them gently (again, even though I changed the brakes all round.......)

 

Many thanks in advance    

Just my experience with the pulling to the left and right etc, my old fabia used to pull left and even after getting it 'tracked' twice it still did it. I just learnt to live with it.

My current vrs pulls to the right and the wheel is also not quite straight, and that is after being 'tracked'.

My guess is a proper 4 wheel alignment needs doing not by your local tyre fitters.

Ive not looked into it properly but think it would be 70-£100 to get done properly. 

The type of road makes a big difference to which way/ how hard it pulls to the side, try moving to the other side of the road and see how it responds. (make sure there arent any cars on it though for obvious reasons)

As to the wobbly steering, my 1.2 used to jerk at slow speeds over bumps, just learnt to live with it

Reads like soemthing's misaligned or loose or bent.

 

Do you mean BTW... "The car needs the wheel turned left to drive straight but then dives left when not under power or under braking"?

17 hours ago, vindaloo said:

Reads like soemthing's misaligned or loose or bent.

 

Do you mean BTW... "The car needs the wheel turned left to drive straight but then dives left when not under power or under braking"?

 

That's exactly how the car is, Vindaloo. 

 

@ Clarendon - Luckily, I contacted a friend who works at a tyre fitters, and they do indeed offer a four-wheel alignment service - should only cost £45, as well - result! I'll let you know how I get on....... 

well my car has got steering on 1 o clock when driving forward and does steer to the right when not holding the wheel or braking guess it has been badly alligned before also I'll be following 

Bit of an update.......I've had the tracking realigned yesterday. I wanted four-wheel alignment, but I was told that there was only front adjustment on my car. In the end the car was out slightly, but after doing it, the garage said that the front wheels still point (just a tad) to the left! Is this normal?

 

Also, after a lot of stop-starting today, the steering wobble when breaking over 35mph, just got worse! Nearly shook the wheel out of my hands! Could it be that the brakes were too hot? 

 

What is going on with this 'nail' of a motor? It's like having another Wife!

 

Many thanks in advance :-)

 

 

Yes there is only front adjustment but that's irrelevant. Four wheel alignment involves taking measurements from all four wheels and not about whether the back is adjustable.

 

When they say they've done the tracking and the front wheels still point to the left it sounds like nonsense. When you do wheel alignment you make sure the rack is centralised before you adjust the track rods equally both sides. Failure to do this results in misaligned steering wheel and incorrect steering angles on lock - in other words, the track rods have been set at unequal lengths. It sounds like this garage doesn't really understand wheel alignment tbh. Some of them really are clueless.

 

The fact that it nearly shook the steering wheel out of your hands under braking means something is seriously amiss. Has it had new discs and pads on the front? Is there any play on the front wheels with it jacked up?

Edited 10 August, 20178 yr by TMB

Cheers, TMB. I honestly don't know what to do with the tracking side of things - two different places, two ****-ups! 

 

I've had new discs and pads, new dampers, springs, top mounts, Droplinks and console bushes on the front...... 

maybe a binding caliper causing the disc to heat up and warp. 

 

Edited 10 August, 20178 yr by clarendon462

@GeneralDogsbody - I find myself wondering if you have some badly worn bushes on the LHS which are allowing the LHF wheel to move back and forwards, in which case the tracking may never be correct except when driving at a steady speed in a straight line.

50 minutes ago, KenONeill said:

@GeneralDogsbody - I find myself wondering if you have some badly worn bushes on the LHS which are allowing the LHF wheel to move back and forwards, in which case the tracking may never be correct except when driving at a steady speed in a straight line.

 

He says he's fitted solid Cupra bushes though.

Have you ever checked the steering for free play?  With the key in the lock and the steering wheel lock released, try rocking the wheel from side to side, if you can hear or feel free movement, then it will either be the TRE(s) or the track rod inner joint(s) - I'd guess.

That would also make any toeing adjustment a bit random, though I'd hope a proper steering place would have told you about that if it was the case.

Thanks everyone. Something's definitely amiss. I drove my Wife's 07 reg 1.4  Polo today (same umderpinngs as the Fabby) and the steering on hers was RHS down slightly as well, but with none of the notchy feel to the slower movements of the wheel and no shaking of the wheel when braking over 40 mph. Bit at a loss....getting my mechanic mate to have a look at it soon. Not holding out much hope, as he didn't see anything when he fitted all the other stuff! 

10 minutes ago, GeneralDogsbody said:

Thanks everyone. Something's definitely amiss. I drove my Wife's 07 reg 1.4  Polo today (same umderpinngs as the Fabby) and the steering on hers was RHS down slightly as well, but with none of the notchy feel to the slower movements of the wheel and no shaking of the wheel when braking over 40 mph. Bit at a loss....getting my mechanic mate to have a look at it soon. Not holding out much hope, as he didn't see anything when he fitted all the other stuff! 

sounds like something is seriously worn or not right to be causing this. A good mechanic should have spotted what was wrong when he did the work previously. Maybe take it elsewhere if he cant diagnose the problem. A vw specialist might be a good shout as they 'know' the cars well enough to be able to find what might be the cause.

 

Thanks clarendon. I've been thinking about this - could the over exaggerated movements be due to the car being on stiffer springs/dampers and the uprated console bushes etc?  

unless they are faulty or bent they should make everything feel better although you will notice more imperfections in the road through solid bushes although not excessively.

Since the new bushes have been fitted, I can definitely feel more through the steering wheel. I'd liken it to walking down a cobbled street with no shoes on, compared to wearing hiking boots! I could still feel things in my Wife's polo, just fair gentler and less pronounced.... 

thats what i'd expect, but there must be something significantly not right to make it handle like it does

I've just had a look at my two front brake discs and both have a light groove in them - the same happened to my rear one when the cailper was sticking.......the alloys are nowhere near as hot though (after 'spirited' driving) 

Back again! I have been chatting to a mate today who's having the same problems as me, just with an 53 reg Fiesta. He's been told that it's to do with his 'bottom wishbones/bushes'? Could this be what's wrong with my car?

 

I have noticed that if I accelerate quite hard the steering will 'snatch' out of my hands a little bit. It also feels like the suspension is moving back and forth a small amount, if I take up the clutch quickly......

 

Many thanks  

 

Edit - Does anyone know of a decent bushes kit that would sort this out? (AXR engine 07 reg Fabia estate) 

Edited 15 August, 20178 yr by GeneralDogsbody

The console bushes are the main wishbone bushes. There is the small wishbone bush at the front but they don't usually give any trouble.

 

You can get them in poly, however  http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-x-Skoda-Fabia-MK1-Front-Wishbone-Front-Poly-Polyurethane-Bush-1999-to-2007-/172566049107?fits=Model%3AFabia&epid=1534200757&hash=item282dbcf153:g:QhkAAOSwuxFYwp0R

 

Beware that the bolts go through the bushes and into the aluminium consoles and the console threads can strip meaning a new console would be needed. It doesn't always happen but it's a known problem.

 

Edited 15 August, 20178 yr by TMB

Thanks. TMB. I emailed Darkside who I bought my uprated console bushes from earlier, and I got this reply;

 

Quote

We had a similar issue and this was resolved when we changed the bottom arms. The car had previously been in a crash and I think one of the arms was bent or damaged slightly, It was a while back now so can't remember exactly. New arms will slot straight into the console bushes. 

 

These aren't something we stock, you will be able to pick them up reasonably cheap at a local motor factors.

 

Regards Rob

 

What a nice bunch they are. Now, where's the best place to get 'bottom arms'? Should i go for the uprated poly bushes, as well?  

 

EDIT: One other thing, I noticed that the caster was different for each front wheel when the car was having it's tracking done - could this be caused by a bent bottom arm? The bloke who did the tracking said even though the tracking was spot on, my wheels pointed left! 

Edited 15 August, 20178 yr by GeneralDogsbody

new arms can be had off ebay with a ball joint and the front bush for around £25 each.

there you go

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/POLO-MK4-FOX-CORDOBA-IBIZA-FABIA-FRONT-RH-WISHBONE-SUSPENSION-ARM-QSA1951S-NEW-/172735947806?hash=item2837dd641e:g:E6QAAOSwbiFZRTuV

you might only need 1 if thats the side its messed up on. As for replacing them in pairs, they are only bits of steel so not like most suspension parts which wear out and need replacing in pairs

edit: just added the link for one arm

Edited 15 August, 20178 yr by clarendon462

Thanks, clarendon. As I've got the uprated console bushes on it already, would I need the front bush, as well? Or am I looking at it back to front? (What a surprise!) Could the bottom arms really make that much difference? 

front bush is the one pressed into the wishbone and generally doesnt wear out so isnt ever replaced. you console bushes are the big ones which are fitted to the car. 

Yes a bent wishbone will put the wheel further forward or back in the arch and mess up the geometry of the suspension.