Just replaced both front shocks on my 1.2tsi 2016 Rapid Spaceback Sport as the front passenger side one was completely shot. The front end looked like Uncle Bucks car wallowing as it drove along. Anyway, only things bar the shocks themselves that have been removed are the anti roll bar links. Pushed the hub assembly far enough down to release the shocks, swapped the springs over and then refitted. Nothing else has been loosened / removed but my steering veers to the right when I keep the steering wheel centred. Car drove straight as an arrow before, and I was under the assumption that struts only adjust the camber and caster, not the toe? Just want to understand why as I'll need to get a wheel alignment done now.

Put the car on the ground before tightening it up? 
 

I say this because i had a complete lower arm replaced and they didn’t lower the car onto the wheels to torque it up and it drove absolutely crap lol

Even the wheel alignment didn’t correct it 

 

or the cheap ebay arm was the problem 

 

 

18 hours ago, TheWalkertron5 said:

Nothing else has been loosened / removed but my steering veers to the right when I keep the steering wheel centred. Car drove straight as an arrow before

 

That is very odd, did you replace the top mount bearings as these often fail?  Whether old or new the top mounts must be refitted in the correct orientation.

 

Did you fully engage the struts into the steering knuckle on both sides?

 

Both of the above can be visually compared side to side.

18 hours ago, TheWalkertron5 said:

Just want to understand why as I'll need to get a wheel alignment done now.

 

Nothing you have done would have changed the relationship of the steering track rod ends to the steering knuckles (hubs) I would definitely not have any wheel alignment done as it will be trying to compensate for an error in the strut geometry.

 

Does the car drive in a straight line with your hands off the wheel? When you say

18 hours ago, TheWalkertron5 said:

my steering veers to the right when I keep the steering wheel centred

do you actually mean when I drive the car in a straight line (hands on or hands off) the steering wheel is no longer centrally aligned?

On 27/12/2024 at 12:37, J.R. said:

 

That is very odd, did you replace the top mount bearings as these often fail?  Whether old or new the top mounts must be refitted in the correct orientation.

 

Did you fully engage the struts into the steering knuckle on both sides?

 

Both of the above can be visually compared side to side.

Yes they are both fully seated into the hubs, they have a stop on the strut which indicates they have been fully seated. When you release the wheel on some level road the car doesn't pull, it's just the steering is off. Holding the wheel straight it then pulls you to right. Anyway, I took it into my work as we have a Lazer 4 wheel alignment system, set it all up and the camber was within tolerance, as well as the caster. Toe was out about 3 degrees. I am absolutely boggled as to what happened there, but I've tracked it straight and it's been golden since. Really racked my brain as I have touched absolutely nothing to do with the steering system, didn't even drop the lower arms out !!!

I'm surprised that you got away with just pushing the lower arms down to get the strut out of its socket on the RHS, any of these Polos and Ibiza I've had to take the struts out of, I've had to  take the RHS drive shaft out  as it ends up fouling on the lower arm before the RHS strut has come out of its socket.

 

Unless you used a version of the sort of dangerous trick of using a "2 X 4" .

1 hour ago, rum4mo said:

I'm surprised that you got away with just pushing the lower arms down to get the strut out of its socket on the RHS, any of these Polos and Ibiza I've had to take the struts out of, I've had to  take the RHS drive shaft out  as it ends up fouling on the lower arm before the RHS strut has come out of its socket.

 

Unless you used a version of the sort of dangerous trick of using a "2 X 4" .

It was more of a struggle but wasn't bad enough for me to remove the driveshaft! In the past on other VAG group stuff I've dropped the 3 nuts out the lower arm, popped it off and swung the hub out the way and it works a charm. I do have a tool I've used that works a treat and stops you fighting with said shock, id highly recommend it if you're working on these things on the regular. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/186709251060?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=fjaug73ls8w&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=Kdy6VqIFTWS&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

I've got the simpler sort of egg shaped 1/2" SQR DRV tool, it works well, though in recent years I just couldn't resist buying the type that you linked to, even bought one of these Y shaped things that might make manipulating lower arms of all types a bit easier when working by myself - not used yet!

I've somehow lost my elliptical shaped one, it was the best, simpler and took up less room than the speader type I have now although its size was probably how I lost it.

On 12/01/2025 at 10:55, TheWalkertron5 said:

Yes they are both fully seated into the hubs, they have a stop on the strut which indicates they have been fully seated. When you release the wheel on some level road the car doesn't pull, it's just the steering is off. Holding the wheel straight it then pulls you to right. Anyway, I took it into my work as we have a Lazer 4 wheel alignment system, set it all up and the camber was within tolerance, as well as the caster. Toe was out about 3 degrees. I am absolutely boggled as to what happened there, but I've tracked it straight and it's been golden since. Really racked my brain as I have touched absolutely nothing to do with the steering system, didn't even drop the lower arms out !!!

I’ve tried doing my wheel alignment on a 1.2 with 17 inch wheels but it’s showing as two cars on the computer. I don’t know which one to select. Do you know what the readings should be please?