Steering pulling to one side

**DiverDave** · 19-01-2007,10:53 PM

Hi Guys

Ive got a Bora and for quite a while now it has been pulling to the left. Ive had the tracking done, checked the tyre pressures, swapped tyres back to front, checked all the bushes but its still pullin to the left!!

Can i just add, that to drive in a straight line i have to turn the steering wheel to the right, letting the wheel go it returns to the central position where i start drifting to the left, thats why i still think its the tracking, but maybe im wrong?? Also, i realise that many roads camber to the left, its more than that!

Any help to solve this mystery would be great!! Nobody i know can think of what could be causing this.

Thanks, Dave.

**RickT** · 20-01-2007,02:20 AM

i know you said you had the tracking done... however when the streeting wheel is in the center are the wheels facing perfect forward??

also.. i guess you have checked for play in the steering rack

RiCKT

**Eshrules** · 20-01-2007,03:28 PM

as Rick has mentioned, check the steering rack for play, the track rod ends are renowned for failure/wear on these m8. also, check your wishbones/bushes, these too, i have been informed, are a common MOT failure. my wishbones need doing, i dont think these tend to make your car 'pull' to one side though, more like making the car dance a little on the road over bumps etc. id go with Ricks suggestion,if its pulling to one side, its definitely something to do with the steering rack,

**DiverDave** · 20-01-2007,11:25 PM

Sorry, but maybe im a bit thick here, when the steering wheel is in the central position how will i know if the wheels are running straight?? Surely you cant see this by the naked eye?

Also, how can i check for play in the steering rack when it has power steering? I have tried to check for play with the engine off, and there is a bit of play but wouldn't that be expected?

Thanks for the quick response!

Dave

**Eshrules** · 21-01-2007,12:47 AM

Originally Posted by DiverDave

Sorry, but maybe im a bit thick here, when the steering wheel is in the central position how will i know if the wheels are running straight?? Surely you cant see this by the naked eye?

Also, how can i check for play in the steering rack when it has power steering? I have tried to check for play with the engine off, and there is a bit of play but wouldn't that be expected?

Thanks for the quick response!

Dave

i think what rick is asking you, is as you look at the car from the front, with the steering wheel dead centre, are the wheels straight as they ought to be, or does one wheel seem slightly out of line to the other? best way, compare the distances from the outside of the wheel with the body of the car.

as for checking for play in the steering rack.....

try this http://www.aa1car.com/library/tire_wear.htm

**Eshrules** · 22-01-2007,12:08 PM

how did you get on with this?

**DiverDave** · 22-01-2007,08:18 PM

Well ive measured the gaps from both front wheels to the body of the car and they appear to be equal on both sides. Being a novice im not sure if the bushes are all ok, but they appear to be in a reasonable condition.

As for the steering rack, im still unsure how much play there should actually be. Ive had the girlfriend sit in the car, engine off, rocking the stering wheel, and although the steering wheel moves its moving the wheels at the same time so i doubt there is excessive play there.

I have looked at the condition of the tyres and the left tyre outer edge is wearing faster, i would expect that as the car is pulling to the left, but the right hand side tyre looks ok.

Any thoughts??

Im going to be booking my car in for a dreaded cam belt change as its due every 40k, (its done 79k) along with water pump as recommended by others on this site so may ask the mechanic to browse over the steering/suspension as well.

Thanks for the advice so far, much better than going to a *******!

**onzarob** · 22-01-2007,08:19 PM

Originally Posted by eshrules

i think what rick is asking you, is as you look at the car from the front, with the steering wheel dead centre, are the wheels straight as they ought to be, or does one wheel seem slightly out of line to the other? best way, compare the distances from the outside of the wheel with the body of the car.

as for checking for play in the steering rack.....

try this http://www.aa1car.com/library/tire_wear.htm

Good article. I would like to say eshurles that the 3/4 of a degree setting for toe in would not be visable by the naked eye. you need to measure it. even if its out you still wouldn't need much difference to cause pulling but still not visable by the naked eye. (If you could see it the car would be alsmost un-drivable!)

Get it checked at a garage if the tyres are wearing incorrectly, also ask them to look for play in the bushes and steering knuckles. They shouldn't charge you for this as they would need to do it to quote on the work.

Hope you got it sorted.

Rob

**Eshrules** · 23-01-2007,12:03 AM

i doubt the bushes alone would cause the pulling to one side? i know they can cause the steering to be a little erratic and cause a rather annoying noise, but i would have thought something as serious as the car actually pulling to one side would be something a little more major...

as mentioned above, get the garage to have a look and give you a quote, i cant see any garage having a complaint about pricing up potential work ....

let us know how you get on!

**devonutopia** · 23-01-2007,12:13 AM

Mine pulls a bit. Been told it's just something VW cars "do". Camber of the road also is a little bit of a factor. I wouldn't really say it is a pull as such, just more of a drift when you let go of the wheel. I never have to fight it and have a laser alignment chart showing my wheels are straight.