MondeoGhiaX Posted June 24, 2007 Report Share Posted June 24, 2007 hi, can someone advise me please? sorry for this long boring story. when i bought this car (1998 mondeo) the steering wheel was always straight when driving on a straight road. recently i had to have both front lower arms replaced. the tracking was checked and adjusted as part of the job. after this, the steering wheel was then very slightly to the left, but not enough to bother me. i have just had 2 new front tyres put on at fast fit place. they checked and adjusted the tracking (said it was out). driving home, the steering wheel was now to the right about 5 degrees (maybe 2cm at rim), enough to be noticeable. the only thing i would add is that they did put the wheels back on the car on different sides to what they were (ie swapped the wheels round). i then thought enough's enough, i'll take it to what i'm pretty sure is a reputable garage and have 4 wheel alignment done. the rear wheels were apparently well within limits, but the front tracking was well out, so it was adjusted again. driving home, guess what, the steering wheel is still about 5 degrees to the right driving along just about any straight road. so why is this and what can i do now? is it the tyres? they both have the red line in the same place on the tyre (near inner edge). is there any harm in swapping the wheels round to see if it makes any difference? can i just adjust the tracking myself (equal amount each side) to centre the steering wheel? thanks in advance for your help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted June 24, 2007 Report Share Posted June 24, 2007 Hello MondeoGhiaX welcome to wim.... To confirm you say both the tyre lateral drift lines match (both inside) Without straightening the steering wheel does the car pull either direction? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MondeoGhiaX Posted June 24, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2007 hello tony, thanks for the welcome. the front tyres are Dunlop SP Sport Fast Response. they actually have 2 red lines and a blue line, about 2mm apart like this | | |, about an inch from the inner edge. both tyres exactly the same. for the record, the rear tyres are Dunlop SP Sport 01. they dont appear to have any coloured lines. they have done about 8,000 miles, and still look like new. the car doesn't pull to either side. if i let go of the wheel the car does tend to drift to the left a little, but i would assume that's down to the camber of the road? its not like i have to make a concious effort to keep the car in a straight line. hope this info helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted June 24, 2007 Report Share Posted June 24, 2007 hello tony, thanks for the welcome. the front tyres are Dunlop SP Sport Fast Response. they actually have 2 red lines and a blue line, about 2mm apart like this | | |, about an inch from the inner edge. both tyres exactly the same. for the record, the rear tyres are Dunlop SP Sport 01. they dont appear to have any coloured lines. they have done about 8,000 miles, and still look like new. the car doesn't pull to either side. if i let go of the wheel the car does tend to drift to the left a little, but i would assume that's down to the camber of the road? its not like i have to make a concious effort to keep the car in a straight line. hope this info helps. Obviously we need to eliminate as many possibilities so we can help... Not dismissing pneumatic drift the next area is targeted at the work previously undertaken.... Have you read this thread? http://www.wheels-inmotion.co.uk/forum/ind...p?showtopic=118 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MondeoGhiaX Posted June 24, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2007 thanks tony. yes i have read that thread, but i do not know which of the 1-4 is the reason. poor workmanship on the suspension work? alignment still not correct? i have to say, throughout my motoring life, i dont think ive ever had a car back after suspension work (or just tracking done) with a straight steering wheel. you just know when you drive away it isnt going to be right. if you take the car back they may eventually get it right by trial and error. this is what i am faced with again, unless i do it myself perhaps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted June 24, 2007 Report Share Posted June 24, 2007 thanks tony. yes i have read that thread, but i do not know which of the 1-4 is the reason. poor workmanship on the suspension work? alignment still not correct? i have to say, throughout my motoring life, i dont think ive ever had a car back after suspension work (or just tracking done) with a straight steering wheel. you just know when you drive away it isnt going to be right. if you take the car back they may eventually get it right by trial and error. this is what i am faced with again, unless i do it myself perhaps. The reason is every time you have the car set it's by laser. Probably only across the front axle so disrespecting the thrust angle. Manually correcting the front wheels is easy but not necessary in the 21st century. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MondeoGhiaX Posted June 24, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2007 ok, so what should i do? im sure the man said the rear was ok. i have the alignment report if its any help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted June 24, 2007 Report Share Posted June 24, 2007 ok, so what should i do? im sure the man said the rear was ok. i have the alignment report if its any help. The report speaks volumes... Can you make this visible to us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MondeoGhiaX Posted June 25, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2007 ok, hopefully you can read this. if not i will try something else. http://mysite.orange.co.uk/toffeeandfudge/.../2-picture3.jpg or 2 sideways pics (sorry about this). http://mysite.orange.co.uk/toffeeandfudge/.../4-picture1.jpg http://mysite.orange.co.uk/toffeeandfudge/.../4-picture2.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted June 25, 2007 Report Share Posted June 25, 2007 ok, hopefully you can read this. if not i will try something else. http://mysite.orange.co.uk/toffeeandfudge/.../2-picture3.jpg There is nothing wrong with that report so you can move away from Geometry as a course. My next move would be to swap the front wheels side-to-side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MondeoGhiaX Posted June 25, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2007 that was quick. i worry i am taking too much of your time! i am going to swap the wheels back to their original positions. but i am starting to wonder if it may just be road camber that is causing this. driving in to work today it seemed that on certain stretches of road, the wheel seemed to be central, more or less, and the car not drift to the left at all. but its hard to find a completely flat, straight road, and look at the steering wheel for too long. maybe i should test in a car park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted June 25, 2007 Report Share Posted June 25, 2007 that was quick. i worry i am taking too much of your time! i am going to swap the wheels back to their original positions. but i am starting to wonder if it may just be road camber that is causing this. driving in to work today it seemed that on certain stretches of road, the wheel seemed to be central, more or less, and the car not drift to the left at all. but its hard to find a completely flat, straight road, and look at the steering wheel for too long. maybe i should test in a car park. I really feel the problem is pneumatic. Geometric camber and road camber do have a relationship.. Both deform the tyres sidewall. Geometric camber assuming both front wheels are similar in position deforms the tyres circumference conically so there is no drift. Road camber deforms the circumference independently and can generate a drift in varying increments subject to the severity of the road crown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 As Tony said if the geo is ok then it's the tyres. I noticed my steering wheel sat at a funny angle after having new tyres on put on. Played with the pressure and swapping them around and the steering wheel changed position...but now I have me new wheels on the steering wheel is dead centre :rolleyes_anim: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MondeoGhiaX Posted June 27, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 i swapped the front wheels round yesterday evening and, wait for it............... the steering wheel is now centered again! it may be a fraction to the left as it was before (havent driven it enough to be sure yet), but near as damn it in the middle. so its the tyres then? also, am i right in thinking: 1) swapping the wheels round will have no effect on the wheel alignment i have just had done. 2) wheels arent balanced to run in a certain direction. any other conclusions to be drawn (apart from dont have tracking done at a fast fit garage)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 Cool glad it's sorted Swapping the wheels won't have any effect on the geo and no they're not balanced for a certain direction... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 Good for you. I'm glad it's sorted. What you experienced in your thread was nothing more than logical elimination..... It's very satisfying when you find the criminal isn't it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MondeoGhiaX Posted June 27, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 thanks tony and all. i can find something else to worry about now. but what does this prove, that two matched tyres are not in fact matched? or is there something different about the wheels maybe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 thanks tony and all. i can find something else to worry about now. but what does this prove, that two matched tyres are not in fact matched? or is there something different about the wheels maybe? Nope just tyres.... Time to relax now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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