My Fabia 1.4 MPI gas now officially been labelled THE CRAB after the local garage giving up on wheel alignment after fitting a new passenger side hub. I know the car was in an accident in 2011 on that side but they say the body must have been straightened with a bent hub in place.

Now it 'goes too far' when on full left lock and gives a wind-up symptom with a grating noise.

Does this make sense?

@PCshedman - More to the point, if their claim holds water, the car won't "run straight" when viewed from behind. Can you get a "trusted observer" to drive drive behind you, and see if they can see the LHS of your car.

So for 6 years since the accident has it been driving about,

passing maybe 4 or 5 mots, and then they replace a hub and now all is wrong and blamed on 6 years ago?

 

Best get a competent mechanic to check your car, and do an alignment check.

Exactly my thoughts. I have only had it about 3 weeks and knew it needed a CV joint and as it turned out a wheel bearing. These were fitted by the garage. But when they gave it me back it drove straight (with hands - off) but steering wheel is at ten-past.

On full left lock it loses it as it were. Think heard one of them mumbling about adjusted that side only track rod as other side was seized.

Reckon they just cannot be bothered with it and are using the past accident damage as an excuse. Surely they could replace the other track rod anyway!!

4 minutes ago, PCshedman said:

mumbling about adjusted that side only track rod as other side was seized

Aha.

Try another garage. Pretty much any other garage.

That is what I am going to-car passed an MOT 2000 miles ago with no advisories.

Please measure the exposed threads on the track rods on both sides to see if they're pretty much equal. You can do this without even jacking it up. Just put the steering on full lock for each side - full left lock to measure OSF and full right lock to measure NSF. If there is a difference the rack is not central and that is no good at all.

 

 

 

As far as I can tell they seem pretty even but the threads are hardly there anymore-they seem worn/rusted. Thy tyre tread on the inside edge  of the drivers side is worn down. I can envisage adjusting the rods could be difficult with worn threads on the rods,

40 minutes ago, PCshedman said:

 I can envisage adjusting the rods could be difficult with worn threads on the rods,

 

When I did mine I took the track rod ends off, wire brushed the threads on the track rods and lubricated them. They need to be easily adjustable in order to do the job properly otherwise it's just a struggle.

Yes that sounds a good idea, but they look not far from stripped so might be better getting the track rods replaced

24 minutes ago, PCshedman said:

Yes that sounds a good idea, but they look not far from stripped so might be better getting the track rods replaced

 

Nah, the threads are just full of rust.

IF some place ( Kwack or HFRAUD COMES TO MIND) suggest heating up up a seized track rod end to loosen /adjust it- FIND another place to replace track rod end. As the heat will make the grease in the joint come out.

too true- but car has sat on the drive for a week as am beginning to hate it

Of the outer track rod is seized it might be easier to replace the inner and outer track rod. The inner one normally just screws into the rack.