Steering Wheel Problems: Wobbles & Pulls

Hello,

"A few months ago, I had a flat tire on the front right side due to a pothole hidden by fresh snow. Since then, the steering wheel vibrates with the road imperfections, and the car pulls slightly to the left or right. When driving straight, the steering wheel is slightly tilted to the left. When I'm stopped at a traffic light in a slight rut, the steering wheel turns more than 45 degrees to the left."

Last week, the tie rods and ends were replaced in the workshop (as they were also worn out), and a wheel alignment was performed (using a measuring stand). Unfortunately, the symptoms described above persist, although the car now tracks straighter, meaning the steering wheel doesn't pull as much as before. The tires are wearing evenly. The steering wheel only drifts to one side now when driving over ruts, unlike before, when it would happen even when driving with one tire over a heavily painted pedestrian crossing.

The ÖAMTC (Austrian ADAC) tested the vehicle on a shaker table yesterday, but the technician found nothing wrong.

What could be the cause of this?
All the rubber bushings look okay. Why is the steering wheel still slightly misaligned after the wheel alignment?

Regards,
macro

The crooked steering wheel is easy to explain.

The surveyors didn't re-align it (perhaps because they were afraid of the airbag).
They attached it incorrectly.
2. It's not easy to attach, because the interlocking mechanism only allows for "steps," while the track adjustment needs to be "continuous."

My truck has become much more resistant to track grooves since the rubber bushings on the control arms were replaced. The replacement after 220,000 km was not a luxury, but a necessity.

m,

Wheel alignment has certain tolerances. Often, it's the case that you can't get the steering wheel perfectly straight, in which case the alignment (under warranty) needs to be redone.

Depending on the width of the tires, some pulling on the steering wheel is normal, for example, when driving in a straight line. I had the alignment checked again just to be sure, hopefully it will improve.

@dieselmartin
Reattaching the steering wheel is a makeshift solution (the extent to which you can turn the steering wheel changes). A proper measurement is done without removing the steering wheel!! Lazy technicians (like those at ATU) simply reposition the steering wheel briefly (if there is no airbag) because it's faster than measuring. They don't care that the turning radius changes. How many customers will even notice that

EDIT:
Since I don't know what kind of vehicle it is, I can't say whether there's an adjustable toe setting. If there is, it should be adjusted. It could also cause pulling, especially when braking.

@ Antje

Not quite .

Regarding the G3 and possibly later models, that might be true (I overlooked that).

"With the Golf2 (which I once had measured), it *must* be like this because only one tie rod end is adjustable. The other is pressed in. This means that the steering wheel cannot be "centered" if the alignment is to be correct."

If you have 2 adjustable heads, then of course it works, and changing the steering wheel can be seen as laziness.

m;

dieselmartin wrote:

@ Antje With the Golf2 (which I once had measured), it *must* be like this because only one tie rod end is adjustable. The other is press-fitted. This means that the steering wheel cannot be "centered" if the alignment is to be correct.

I learned something new . For years, I didn't even have a driver's license, so I didn't know about the GII. When I bought my first cars, I couldn't afford a German-made vehicle (a Nissan Micra from around '83 and a Mazda 323 from around '84). Both had adjustable tie rod ends on both sides (the Mazda even had independent rear suspension, which was ahead of many German brands?).

I had definitely never heard of something like that existing before today.

It was also new to me, but the GII was sometimes sold even without a timer, as a kind of special model called "Sparta."

Special model 'Sparta'.

Did I ?

Besides the clock, the center console was also missing (which made getting in and out very convenient!).
'These came with black faux leather upholstery! Hot in the summer, cold in the winter (that was my experience back then).'
'Flamme was always complaining, but she was extremely easy to take care of...'

Best regards,
Rudi

Yeah!!!

Golf 2 C - I used to own one too. And I upgraded the center console for 92 Marks!

Therefore, I appreciate the fun with the rods.

m;

Stay on topic .

My tires are 205 wide, nothing special.
The winter tires are size 195, but there's actually no noticeable difference in handling compared to the summer tires.

Okay, I'll express my concerns to the workshop and "ask" them to check and, if necessary, correct the wheel alignment (with the steering wheel in the 0° position).

Here's an example of tilting:

In Vienna, there are a few places where approximately two checkered stripes have been applied to the road surface using rubber. It's difficult to describe, but it looks as if you've cut two stripes, each two squares wide, from a chessboard. The lighter squares then protrude about 1-2mm. These raised squares (with a side length of approximately 30cm) are positioned so that there is a lower square directly opposite them, within the tire track width.
(I hope everyone understands this now.)

When I drive over it, my steering wheel vibrates exactly 8 times rapidly from side to side, precisely following the slight bumps. The steering wheel angle is approximately 5 degrees on each side!

When I place the right side of the front axle on a board (2cm thick), the steering wheel already turns 30 degrees to the left.

That definitely can't be due to the alignment, right?[/list]

Quote:

Surely, it can't really be due to the alignment, can it?

The front axle can only be properly assessed if a reasonable measurement protocol is available, which includes all measurable parameters, even if the manufacturer does not provide specifications for them.

Everything else is just cold coffee .

Please provide your vehicle's data and measurement logs so we can proceed.

Unfortunately, there are still too many individuals who, in reality, don't know what they're doing.
It's possible that the control arms or suspension knuckles, or the shock absorber or even the axle assembly (depending on the vehicle), may have been damaged, and someone tried to compensate for it.
For example, if the total angle of a suspension strut is incorrect, it changes the steering radius, or the size of the disturbance force lever, which then causes different forces to act on the steering on the left and right sides.

If, after the alignment, the steering wheel is more than half a tooth off-center, that indicates to me a measurement error (e.g., wheel imbalance compensation was not performed).

Quote:

It's nice to stay on topic icon_smile.gif

like at a coffee klatch - it's probably due to the heat .