jinglebuddy
23-02-2010, 07:51 PM
Hi,
I'm looking all over the relevant places for insight and advice on this issue. If you have any input, I will much much appreciate!
During the recent snow storm, driving back from work, I slid off on ice under the powder at shallow downhill corner, and hit a curb with the left front wheel, the driver's side that is. It was such a slow speed, no more than 10mph, but I guess I just hit it just so to cause the most damage to the car. The hub bearing and the lower control arm were damaged. I had them replaced, as well as the wheel, and the car was realigned, but it's just not perfect, and I need help figuring out what's going on.
Here's the detail:
1. It pulls, ever so so so slightly to the left, but the alignment rig is telling me it's all square.
2. There's a slight vibration in the steering wheel, can be felt mostly at highway speed (70-80). Not a very strong kind, but a bit like a very good electric shaver or, even an electric toothbrush, you know, and it pulses, as if something is gently oscillating. It's a soft vibration and it's barely noticeable, but enough to numb my hands a bit after a couple of hours of highway driving. The pulse, I can feel it through the floor, too, only if I pay really close attention, it's that subtle.
3. This is the weirdest thing. It seems like there now is this weird "vague" spot in the steering, at the slightest left side of the dead center. It's as if the rack and pinion gears have a slightest slack at that spot. Turning right and there's no such issue at all. This slop is so small, once past that, it feels just fine, but it's wicked noticeable while driving straight at highway speed.
I pointed out these issues to the dealer's tech, and he re-balanced the tires and swapped them around, and took a test drive together. We also drove another GTI back to back, and he acknowledges the problem(s) but he just can't seem to figure out what's wrong with it. And the more I drive, the worse it seems to be getting, the vibration is notably worse, so is the "slop" in the steering wheel. The car was booked to go back into the shop tomorrow, but I had to reschedule it for next week due to my work constrains. In a meantime, I'd like to get as much technical advice from people as possible. Please let me know if you have any ideas!!
I'm looking all over the relevant places for insight and advice on this issue. If you have any input, I will much much appreciate!
During the recent snow storm, driving back from work, I slid off on ice under the powder at shallow downhill corner, and hit a curb with the left front wheel, the driver's side that is. It was such a slow speed, no more than 10mph, but I guess I just hit it just so to cause the most damage to the car. The hub bearing and the lower control arm were damaged. I had them replaced, as well as the wheel, and the car was realigned, but it's just not perfect, and I need help figuring out what's going on.
Here's the detail:
1. It pulls, ever so so so slightly to the left, but the alignment rig is telling me it's all square.
2. There's a slight vibration in the steering wheel, can be felt mostly at highway speed (70-80). Not a very strong kind, but a bit like a very good electric shaver or, even an electric toothbrush, you know, and it pulses, as if something is gently oscillating. It's a soft vibration and it's barely noticeable, but enough to numb my hands a bit after a couple of hours of highway driving. The pulse, I can feel it through the floor, too, only if I pay really close attention, it's that subtle.
3. This is the weirdest thing. It seems like there now is this weird "vague" spot in the steering, at the slightest left side of the dead center. It's as if the rack and pinion gears have a slightest slack at that spot. Turning right and there's no such issue at all. This slop is so small, once past that, it feels just fine, but it's wicked noticeable while driving straight at highway speed.
I pointed out these issues to the dealer's tech, and he re-balanced the tires and swapped them around, and took a test drive together. We also drove another GTI back to back, and he acknowledges the problem(s) but he just can't seem to figure out what's wrong with it. And the more I drive, the worse it seems to be getting, the vibration is notably worse, so is the "slop" in the steering wheel. The car was booked to go back into the shop tomorrow, but I had to reschedule it for next week due to my work constrains. In a meantime, I'd like to get as much technical advice from people as possible. Please let me know if you have any ideas!!