Steering Issues

[Rojer]

Hi guys, hope you will be able to help me! At motorway speeds i have to hold my steering wheel slightly to the right to keep it straight. Now i know the first thing would be alignment, which i have had done today and previously at TTShop. I can post a picture of the results here. The car has new front tyres and good rears. It has done this almost as long as i have had the car.

The only other thing i can think of is when the steering wheel came off to have cruise fitted. Anyone else had this problem or can suggest anything before the wheel comes off?

 

[ch1z64]

Hi guys, hope you will be able to help me! At motorway speeds i have to hold my steering wheel slightly to the right to keep it straight. Now i know the first thing would be alignment, which i have had done today and previously at TTShop. I can post a picture of the results here. The car has new front tyres and good rears. It has done this almost as long as i have had the car.

The only other thing i can think of is when the steering wheel came off to have cruise fitted. Anyone else had this problem or can suggest anything before the wheel comes off?

 

[ch1z64]

It might be worth dropping a pm to either off these members as they fit cruise control and could maybe advise better @NHN or @Ash187

 

[Ash187]

sounds like the steering wheel wasn't fitted on properly straight. can be refitted one notch to the right to fix the issue.

 

[Rojer]

I spoke to NHN yesterday and he told me the steering wheel was put back on 100% in the correct place. So if its not the steering wheel or alignment then im not sure what else it could be. Tyre pressures are bang on, just weird and annoying. Also since the tyres have been fitted i have such a roar/drone from 30mph upwards really. Any idea if the issues are linked?

 

[Ash187]

Was the issue there before you had the cruise fitted?

 

[Rojer]

I believe it was a little off yes due to tracking, it was a while ago tho so trying to remember. If it was the same before the wheel came off then what?

 

[Ash187]

Then it is the alignment/tracking and or tire issue is that is causing that

 

[Rojer]

This is what i don't get then because the tracking is pretty much bang on, i will post up the results later and you can see, only issue is the right side caster which is non adjustable. Could that be the cause?

 

[c_w]

The tracking might be "bang on" but you also want the steering wheel to be straight too, so something's out somewhere. How far off-centre is it? If it's tiny amount that might be not enough to be a spline out on the steering column (so if you moved it one splin, you may end up with off-centre position the other way).

Easiest way to change it, if you think the wheel alignment is ok, is to move one side toe-in half a turn and the other side toe-out half a turn, to maintain the alignment but move the steering wheel. If it's currently off-centre to the right,when you centre the steering wheel you can imagine the driver's wheel has toed-in a touch, and the passenger wheel is now pointing left and toeing out. So toe the passenger side in half a turn and the driver's out half a turn. I have done this in the past when the car has had alignment but they don't centre the steering wheel properly (probably looks centred from outside the car when the lock it down, but it's just that little bit off which can be annoying)

 

[Rojer]

So here are the pictures of the alignment when it has been done twice, as you can see the caster is off on one side. Not sure if this would be the problem? I would say i have to hold the steering wheel 5-10 degrees to the right to keep it straight. If i let go off the steering the wheel slightly goes to the left and then the car moves to the left. If i hold the wheel directly centred the car moves to the left. If i brake and let go of the steering it generally goes straight (if the road is decent).

Any help on this would be great. If i have to move the steering wheel so be it, but i have been told it was put back spot on.

 

[Rojer]

So today i had a look in the arches and at the tyres and underneath. The Arches look fine and no evidence of any rubbing occuring. The tyres themselves look like they are wearing evenly also. Had a look a the suspension and underneath and can't see anything obvious that would cause the issue.

I might speak try and get the steering sensor re-calibrated or take the wheel off. Think i might go back to the tracking place tomorrow and watch it being done.

 

[Rojer]

Went back to STS today and had the car tracking checked. I shadowed the technician and watched him set it up on the Hunter and select the correct settings etc. We centred the steering and checked it and the tracking was pretty much the same as the last time. We de-adjusted and then re-adjusted anyway for peace of mind. Whilst i was underneath i checked the suspension and the bushes look good. Nothing untoward underneath. The next option is to swap the two front wheels around and see if that helps. As the technician was talking about run out. If that doesn't work then steering wheel off.