Just wondered if anybody has has a simular issue.

Since Ive had the car ive had a small issue with the steering, nothing major and doesnt bother me really.

Tracking is perfect, had it checked out twice and also at the service. Will point it out at next MOT to check all the steering bushes.

Its very sensitive to the camber on the roads. I think its the very cheap tyres on the car thats causing it.

Here what happens. Please dont laugh at my pic.

When in the red, left camber or on a flat, my steering is slightly of centre, when in the blue, steering is central. If i let go of the steering wheel in the red it turns to the left past centre. If i let go of the steering wheel in the blue (right camber) it carrys on in a straight line.

I would like to change all the tyres as today in the wet, they are terrible, but need a little more saving and cambelt is being done next week.

Any thoughts ?

I keep meaning to swap wheels with someone to check to see if it is the tyres.

Might be a safety measure? Not a vRS, but mine drifts fractionally left "hands off" on a flat surface.

Might be a safety measure? Not a vRS, but mine drifts fractionally left "hands off" on a flat surface.

I had read this before and could well be. Ive not driven another Octavia so i cant compare it.

Tyre pressures too low on the n/s would also do this

Tyre pressures too low on the n/s would also do this

I always keep an eye on the pressures and have played around with them to, but still reacts the same.

Might be a safety measure? Not a vRS, but mine drifts fractionally left "hands off" on a flat surface.

The whole "drifting off" thing's been discussed on here many times, and I've just learned to live with it on mine and my wife's Fabias. Both have been checked and passed OK, but one thing I noticed when crawling through roadworks on an off-camber section of motorway recently was that the car was drifting to the RIGHT, and that the wheel also settled slightly right of straight-ahead. This is obviously contrary to what I'm used to, but makes me think that Skodas are just extremely sensitive to the camber in the road...

/\ Possible, particularly if, given what you're saying, the Fabia's sat higher than the equivalent Polo (although Mark has a vRS).

I'll agree on that one

Mine's terrible mind I don't think crappy (bald) tyre's help or wet conditions

what sort of tracking did you get?

you can get tan all wheel one that costs anything from £80 up

I had it done on my old MR2 and worked a treat had the same problem.

what sort of tracking did you get?

you can get tan all wheel one that costs anything from £80 up

I had it done on my old MR2 and worked a treat had the same problem.

Don't know about the Octy, but the Fabia's rear suspension is only adjustable using a lump hammer and/or crowbar - had mine 4-wheel aligned a few months ago, but all the wheels were well within tolerance. Goodness knows what they'd have done if the rears had been out any! Does beg the question what I geined over and above the bog-standard tracking check I got done on SWMBO's car at the local tyre place for about 1/3 the price...

Just had normal 4 wheel alignment done to date.

I will try and get the name of the tracking I got done, the car was put on a ramp and was checked up in the air with a load of equipment and lasers, checks all the alignment, balancing and cambers I think.

I will try and get the name of the tracking I got done, the car was put on a ramp and was checked up in the air with a load of equipment and lasers, checks all the alignment, balancing and cambers I think.

Was it a geometry check ?

I had my tracking done by Ats Euromaster, On a ramp with lasers and gauges. Tracking is perfect. I had trouble with slight off centre "hands off" driving until it was tracked properly. Tracking was £20 and took about 30 - 40 mins

Tried the laser tracking, its perfect.

We dont do "trackings" we do alignments...Full geometry check to boot as well:rolleyes: Bengie, DaveU,Q and vrssi are all happy customers of mine:rolleyes:

We have just replaced our Hunter system with a John Beam set up made for Snap On, it measures camber castor toe wheel turn in/out and is 99.9% sure to alighn your steering wheel straight....Rear cross beam axles on the Octy can be centralised

HTH

Phil

Rear cross beam axles on the Octy can be centralised

Out of interest, what would be the benefit of having it centered Phil, or what would be the symptoms if it wasn't........If that makes sense

Back axle is taken as the thrust line... If the rear end is not straight (or close) there is no way the car will ever drive straight in my opinion:) Just look at old Minis when they crab:DHowever if you imagine the back axle toeing + one side - the other then it CAN be centralised... If its + + or - - then it cant be done

Make sense?

Phil

Yes that does make perfect sense even to me.

I spent a few years following my mate in his crabbing Mini, oh how we used to laugh ........Nice one for that

I've had exactly the same problem as mluton for a year now and it is driving me mad.

Thing is I've had the alignment done three times now, with no improvement. Proper laser alignment at that.

Car's just had 40k service and they replaced front arb, hoped that might have some effect, but it hasn't really.

One think I do have in common is cheap tyres at the front, and the wheels are corroded and do drop pressure. I keep them pumped up though and it doesn't seem to make a difference.

I dumped a set knackered Yokos (cheap one's) recently and my problems seem to have vanished. So you may well be onto something.

I also noticed my bottom arm bush was dead again so I had to change that on wednesday. I only changed it this time last year !!! Mind you that was 20k ago, this made the car feel healther as well so may be worth investigating.

My steering still knocks though........lol

I've now sorted this issue. I'd been playing around with the tyre pressues for a while.

I think its still down to cheapo tyres, but set the rears to 35psi and the fronts to 38psi and its spot on.

Pin point steering, woo hoo!

I run the Elegance (on Proxes T1-Rs) 2psi up on standard, but that's mostly to stop shoulder wear, rather than improve turn-in.

Mine also pulls slightly left when hands off but also the most annoying thing is that the steering wheel is not straight always off central.

Any body know somewhere near Cambridge they can recommend, somebody that knows their stuff rather than the Kwik fit Coshers?

Cheers Chris

Glad you bought this thread to light as I couldn't find it, even though I started it.

Just to update again, It was the crappy tyres that caused this issue, as now I have new tyres on the front and its the best its ever been.

chris2470, I'm sure someone from the area will recommend someone soon.