New Wheels, vibration and pull

foxtrot · 04-10-2006, 05:02 PM

Just got my new 18's on my car and had a wheel alignment at the same time... car seems fine until around 90kph + gets real bad above 110

Feel slight vibration through the wheels just doesn't feel balanced and letting go of the wheel it will go straight then suddenly pull slightly left and keep heading left.

My mates AU1 pulls to the left even after wheel alignments he can't get it fixed same as his mums AU1

Mines a S2....

Should i just tell the guys at Quickfit to re-do the alignment or could the problem be something else?

TheSneakiness · 04-10-2006, 05:13 PM

There was a thread a little while ago about this, and steering rack was mentioned... I'll do a search...

EDIT - Clicky

JC · 04-10-2006, 06:14 PM

Whhel vibration is generally blanace, but could also be that your brakes need machining (sounds silly, but at those speeds, the wheels are rotating fast, and an out of balanace rotor will make a difference).

Pulling could be camber of the road, or it could be a worn steering rack, or low power steering fluid.

TwistedEL · 04-10-2006, 08:44 PM

Also could have got a dud wheel - not perfectly round
When you say new do you mean new or do you mean new to you (2nd hand)?

foxtrot · 05-10-2006, 09:57 AM

Nah brand new 18 inch wheels as per my signature, when the guys painted my break calipers the dickheads sprayed everything including the disc and the brakes were sticky for a while when you took off it would make a loud noise as the pads unstuck!

thats stopped now...

Well Im thinkin call quikfit and tell him my problem?

foxtrot · 05-10-2006, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AUII_SE_Ute

There was a thread a little while ago about this, and steering rack was mentioned... I'll do a search...

EDIT - Clicky

Oh and cheers for this, good help im going through it now

:

Edit: God dammit all problems exactly as i have...

feels kind of like steering a boat on the highway very non direct floaty feeling... What am i looking at for a new steering rack *sigh*

HLC · 05-10-2006, 10:30 AM

my AU ALWAYS pulls to the left after several wheel alignments. ive brought it down to the cambre of the road.

Casper · 05-10-2006, 10:32 AM

Check your shock absorbers. Had the identical problem on the EF wagon and it was the front shocks... they simply died and above 100kph were letting one of the front wheels "bounce" on the road.

foxtrot · 05-10-2006, 10:37 AM

But if i take it to a professional to find out EXACTLY what it is.. he'll either tell me IT IS the shocks and get me to buy new ones..
then if that does nothing im screwed

Or I get a new steering rack and that DOES NOTHING

Then i'll be pi**ed off as well!

Bah!

Can't wait for my payrise.. then i will get new everything..!

and nolathane suspension enhancement kit
ba hahaha

JC · 05-10-2006, 11:12 AM

Go to Pedders and get the 29 point safety check. There is no obligastion to buy anything, and it will give you a good diagnosis of your entire suspension system.

Steering rack is not cheap. About $300 plus labour for a reco one.

BAFalconXT · 05-10-2006, 11:25 AM

I put XR6 wheels on my car, was getting vibrations because the nuts kept coming loose. I lowered(springs/shocks/camber kits) it about 1 or 2 months ago, now I am getting rattling noises from the wheel arches over pot holes etc, if the wheel is straight it moves to the left, when I brake it moves to the right. And the steering feels spongy. I am waiting for new tyres(about 1 week) before I try to sort things out. The thing is, if its the suspension/workmanship, that should be covered under warranty. If its the steering rack, it will be covered under factory warranty. Does anyone have any ideas what it could be? Or does it have afew problems? I think I might have one of those Pedders suspension checks, as they will think I will get it fixed by them, and actually find whats wrong.

foxtrot · 05-10-2006, 11:52 AM

Car is booked in saturday morning for pedders 29 point suspension test, $14 :P

OzJavelin · 05-10-2006, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JC

Steering rack is not cheap. About $300 plus labour for a reco one.

Try $800 for a new one .. I asked Ford dealer to "check" mine 'cos it was weeping oil. They called me a couple of hours later and said it was changed - $800 thanks. I then explained to them that the vehicle had a Ford extended warranty .. ha, ha, ha!!!

Racecraft · 05-10-2006, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by foxtrot

Car is booked in saturday morning for pedders 29 point suspension test, $14 :P

Post up the report, I always enjoy a good giggle

Casper · 05-10-2006, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Racecraft

Post up the report, I always enjoy a good giggle

I'm betting $2000+ worth of "Pedders" repairs.. and they will encourage you to fix it straight away, not to even leave the shop for fear the whole car will implode.

Of course, I'm a bit of a cynic these days, never mind me.

GleeV8wgn · 05-10-2006, 02:02 PM

I bought a set of brand new tyres on my 17"s, about $320 each. THey did a wheel alignment as well. The result: steering wheel sits off centre to the left. When driving i have to steer to the right to keep it straight, let go of the wheel and it veers left even at low speed. What a pain in the backside. Tyre joint reckons something wrong with the suspension etc.

My XD had a front suspension overhaul 2 years ago at Pedders steering was perfect. I recently put new tyres on at a well known tyre place, got the tyre doods to do an alignment, and guess what, steering veers to the left, steering wheel sits to the left. I think that the tyre joints dont know how to properly align a car. I'll go to pedders and see what they can do and let yez know if my suspension is screwed or if the job was not done right.

foxtrot · 05-10-2006, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GleeV8wgn

I bought a set of brand new tyres on my 17"s, about $320 each. THey did a wheel alignment as well. The result: steering wheel sits off centre to the left. When driving i have to steer to the right to keep it straight, let go of the wheel and it veers left even at low speed. What a pain in the backside. Tyre joint reckons something wrong with the suspension etc.

My XD had a front suspension overhaul 2 years ago at Pedders steering was perfect. I recently put new tyres on at a well known tyre place, got the tyre doods to do an alignment, and guess what, steering veers to the left, steering wheel sits to the left. I think that the tyre joints dont know how to properly align a car. I'll go to pedders and see what they can do and let yez know if my suspension is screwed or if the job was not done right.

Yep they are dickheads,

i asked them to look at a few things and some they ignored after aknowledging that they WOULD have a look.

(plastic shroud came unclipped still is)

Jeeepers · 05-10-2006, 02:19 PM

Pedders?? Should be renamed "Peddlars" I went in for lowering quote a few years ago. And that was all I wanted. Dude at the counter had me lookin' at coil-overs and anything in the 4 figure range. I said dude, I just want to lower it. Needless to say, it got lowered elswhere.

james22 · 05-10-2006, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OzJavelin

Try $800 for a new one .. I asked Ford dealer to "check" mine 'cos it was weeping oil. They called me a couple of hours later and said it was changed - $800 thanks. I then explained to them that the vehicle had a Ford extended warranty .. ha, ha, ha!!!

hahaha ford shafted themselves for a change lol.....

_2: hahahahah

Dauphin · 05-10-2006, 02:29 PM

When I had all-new tyres fitted, I had the same issue on my AU II. A re-balance of the wheels fixed it.

foxtrot · 05-10-2006, 04:23 PM

great now i have... rebalance, shocks, and steering rack... the balance is probably the most correct mmmm

GleeV8wgn · 27-10-2006, 06:00 PM

Took the car in for an alignment, at a Bob Jane store and they straightened it all up. Looks as though the original guys that fitted the new tyres and alignment did such a poor job ( i believe it was deliberate) that the front tyres are badly worn on the inside. Ironically, it was a Bob Jane store at another location that did the crap job and the Bob Jane i went to after being recommended by a friend did a good one. It is not so much the place, but the guys that work there. The guy taht originally did the original alignment had a large bruised/black eye. Maybe i should've gone back and aligned his other eye, lol!!!

**Mechan1k** · 27-10-2006, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dauphin

When I had all-new tyres fitted, I had the same issue on my AU II. A re-balance of the wheels fixed it.

Same here ... needed a rebalance only ... alignment was good (except for slight off-centre steering wheel ... but got that sorted later).

wesomc · 27-10-2006, 07:41 PM

Balance is definately the go, (unless it's only happening under brakes in which case the front rotors probably need machining) Cheaper tyres can cause vehicle to pull (esp. left due to road camber), if they are non-directional you can swap the fronts left to right and see if it makes a difference. Also, it makes a difference where you get your car wheel aligned. Alot of places only do front toe adjustment which won't do bugger all if the car is pulling left. Need to make sure they are adjusting the front camber and caster aswell (this can be set to compensate for the camber of the road, may need fitment of a camber/caster kit to get enough difference between these steering angles so as to drive straight)

GK · 27-10-2006, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JC

Go to Pedders and get the 29 point safety check. There is no obligastion to buy anything, and it will give you a good diagnosis of your entire suspension system.

Steering rack is not cheap. About $300 plus labour for a reco one.

Absolutely. The safety check is a good idea!

If that turns up nothing, then ask the guys to do another wheel balance and alignment.

If that does nothing, get the front rotors checked out. My wagon went haywire after having new tyres fitted in September and it was the discs in the end. Took the car to Brakes Plus, fronts machined, $65ish later and all is good!

I can get a recoed rack fitted for $320-$350.

GK

Au2falcons · 27-10-2006, 08:18 PM

One of my employees had a similiar issue with new wheels. Turns out the new rims were oily from the manufacturing process. It had the stick on type weights, so they weren't adhering properly and had moved during driving, which then threw the balance out, I would check this out!

With the pulling to the left, my AU had a major issue with this after replacing tyres at Bob Jane (which included alignment). I took it to pedders and they said I needed a castor camber kit, because the camber is non adjustable on the AU's and the new tyres have different geometry cause the pulling to the left. By fitting the kit & adjusting the camber they could stop the pulling. I wasn't happy with this so I went to a local steering guy.

For $40 he re aligned all four wheels and fitted a 1.5mm shim to the lower control arm to adjust the camber, much better then a $300 kit. No pulling anymore.

xr8man83 · 28-10-2006, 01:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OzJavelin

Try $800 for a new one .. I asked Ford dealer to "check" mine 'cos it was weeping oil. They called me a couple of hours later and said it was changed - $800 thanks. I then explained to them that the vehicle had a Ford extended warranty .. ha, ha, ha!!!

hahaha thats tops

duaned · 28-10-2006, 08:04 PM

These issues seem all to familiar. When I dumped my ride, and fitted 18's (with MAXXIS tyres) the steering wheel was pointing at 2 oclock to drive straight. And even after the wheel alignment, it pulled to the left to an extent which was truely dangerous. Couple of wheel alignments later, ( i dont have a castor/camber kit, was not needed) no luck. Changed the tyres again to TOYO non directional tyres and the car is the best it has ever been! So don't discount your tyres!

HLC · 28-10-2006, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ddarby

These issues seem all to familiar. When I dumped my ride, and fitted 18's (with MAXXIS tyres) the steering wheel was pointing at 2 oclock to drive straight. And even after the wheel alignment, it pulled to the left to an extent which was truely dangerous. Couple of wheel alignments later, ( i dont have a castor/camber kit, was not needed) no luck. Changed the tyres again to TOYO non directional tyres and the car is the best it has ever been! So don't discount your tyres!

MAXXIS tires are crap IMO.

scrubbed out a set on my dads XR8 (BA) in under 5000 kays cause after 6 or so wheel alignments, still couldnt get it right. we trust the shop that did the work, as the work on my car is always fine, so no idea why they couldnt align properly.

AEF_Silver94 · 28-10-2006, 09:01 PM

very informative thread, now i know what to do if this happens to my AU