Pulling to Left - Help!

[Macaroon]

A question for all you mechanically-minded members:

I've got a Vauxhall Astra 2 litre diesel estate on a V plate, 120k on the clock and mechanically in good nick, clean as you like underneath and no signs whatsoever of welding, certainly no
sign of a prang. I've had three sets of tyres on the front now, new brake pads all 'round and had the tracking checked, it's 100% correct. All the oils and fluids are at correct levels and are the recommended ones for the car, tyre pressures are always checked and correct. No sign of any problems with the CV joints, I'm told they're as they should be..................

But the car pulls to the left, has done for the last 10k miles, same drift left when there's power on or off; not enough to make it dangerous, I compensate for it without thinking now and the car stops in a straight line under heavy braking so safe enough, but it's bugging me that I can't find the reason for it!

Anybody out there got any ideas? I'm stumped and I can't afford to put this in the hands of a garage, it'd be like writing a blank cheque! TIA,.......................atb mac

 

[Robbi]

should read the OP fully before commenting !

 

[Gaudette]

I would get a second opinion on the tracking as a first step. Unless you really trust the person who did it.


Sent via Tapatalk V2.0.3

 

[drliamski]

Camber as well?

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk 2

 

[Nomad]

If it isn't brakes or tyre pressures, it's tempting to suspect geometry somewhere. I'd agree with getting a second opinion on the tracking. I might also wonder if a bush or bushes are a bit worn, but not enough for things to be floppy at MOT time. Has the drift increased over the 10k miles? Does it happen on dead flat surfaces like car parks, rather than on the open road where there is usually a camber to the left? How about on single track roads, or driving on the right hand side when there is plenty of clear view ahead and no oncoming traffic?

 

[Johnnyboy1971]

Have you got a weak spring on the suspension if so it's going to be softer on that spring maybe making it pull slightly.

 

[nuggets]

track rod ends ?? Any play in the steering wheel when at rest ???

 

[johnnytheboy]

Cars steer from the back, you really need a 4 wheel laser alignment check as the fault might be from the rear and not the front!

4 wheel alignment will check all four wheels, caster camber and toe, plus the rear axle thrust angle!

Its the the only way to know everything is where it should be!

You will need to hunt about for someone todo this as most just check tracking, the four wheel alignment will give you a print off and show you all the angles and where your car is In relation to this!

We do roughly three per day at my work on accident damaged cars and find all sorts non-accident related issues, if we can we usually sort if foc, if you have any questions fire away!

 

[Macaroon]

Thanks for the replies, all..................I've had the full four wheel laser check done at two different places, and each time have been told all's 100% well. The car pulls to the left on a dead flat surface, and the pull is the same with/without braking and power, but it doesn't pull when driven on the opposite camber. Wheel bearings have been checked and track rod ends replaced............still the same.

The only thing that hasn't been checked by a "specialist" is the suspension, but three different guys who come recommended have told me it's fine; the car also stops in a dead straight line with fierce braking from 60mph.
Also, the pronounced drift to the left is exactly the same as when it started - neither better nor worse...............just can't get my head 'round it at all??????????????????? atb mac

 

[JAG009]

Does this happen just under acceleration ,if so it could be torque steer some Vauxhalls have suffered with this .

 

[Macaroon]

No mate, it's the same with power on/off, and braking doesn't affect it either...............

 

[drliamski]

Got a different set of wheels to put on it? Or rotate. Have you balanced them all?

 

[Macaroon]

All balanced properly, and wheels rotated every possible combination; This is a higher than normal spec. estate and has mag wheels which have been spun on a machine of some sort and found to be correct.........

 

[Gaudette]

Got to be honest I'm at a loss. How big was the prang? Could the chassis be out of line.


Sent via Tapatalk V2.0.3

 

[Macaroon]

No prang at all in the time I've had it, and the underside of the car is pristine, no welds or creases nor any signs whatsoever of knocks - it certainly hasn't been "doctored up".

Looks as though I'll have to live with it, I can't afford to scrap it!

Thanks for all the replies, people!.......................................atb mac

 

[johnnytheboy]

Are they the same tyre on each axle? We had a car that handled very funny as it had a mix of tyres on the front! But that was a rarity!

To to be honest if your driving on the other side of the road and the car isn't pulling up the camber then it can't be much of a pull, on a 100k Astra I wouldn't be bothering to much about that!

If your mega fussy get the back thrust angle offset to counterbalance the pull!

I take it your hands are of the wheel when it's pulling? What happened 10 k ago that started this?

 

[Macaroon]

There wasn't anything remarkable - it just started (or I just started noticing).........You are right of course, it's not the end of the world on such a car, but I don't have the knowledge to figure whether it could be potentially serious or an indicator of something else; but judging from the response here I don't think there's anything to worry about otherwise the collective knowledge bank here would have mentioned it by now.

I'll just live with it; but thanks a lot to all who took the time to reply!...............................atb mac