Car Pulling Left Slightly

[Bomba]

Hi Guys,

I'm having an issue with the car pulling left. Even when I'm in a right cambered lane the car will pull left.

I just had my alignment checked at fulcrum and their answer was off centre castor bushes to correct it.

I'm no expert so please correct me if I'm wrong but my settings might be a slight cause.

left front toe +1.9mm

right front toe +2.2mm

left rear toe 0.0mm

right rear toe -1.5mm

Castor is +6.80 and +6.68 and I did see some play when they had it on the machine.

[Habler]

Wow, let me get this straight. Fulcrum checked your alignment and got the above read out then explained your problem to be in the castor and to buy bushes off them without first simply changing the toe?

Take it somewhere else and get them to correct your toe. The castor is fine. I hope you didn't pay too much for that "answer". Even if the toe does not fix it pulling (which it most likely will) your rear toe needs to be changed anyway. Tick off the simple solutions first.

Go to a independent joint.

[Bomba]

Yes they charged me $27 to give me a quote for $500 to fix a simple alignment issue!

There was alot of play in the castor bushes which I will probably rectify in the future.

I had an alignment done 5 months ago and it didn't solve the problem then either.

Is there anyway of doing the toe myself? can I fix it simply but turning the tie rod end in one turn on the right hand front and doing a similar thing to the rear?

On that note I am a bit confused by the rear setting, 0.0 seems good but -1.5 is weird! -ive toe on rear would mean it points out hey?

does the rear wheel steering work in the oposite to the front? ie turning right the rear wheels turn left?

[Habler]

It shouldn't cost $500 to replace castor bushes even if they do need fixing.

There are guides to adjusting the toe yourself and its not as simple as just turning some bolts. It has to be measured properly.

Your rear toe is out by a significant amount. Hopefully someone can give you a name of a reputable suspension joint in Brisbane that can sort your issues out.

[Bomba]

Thanks for the help gunmetalgrey,

The $500 was $100 for the alignment, $133 for the bushes and $200 for labour + GST + me rounding it up!

There is a place in Springwood called City Suspension who apparently do good work, my mate has taken his S15 there before and been happy so I'll try them.

Is the right rear toe the main issue here? Anything from 0.0 to +1 is good? same for the front? I'm after street specs and I do alot of K's so a sports set up isn't needed at the moment.

[Habler]

In that case $500 is not so shabby. Probably what most places will charge. I am not saying Fulcrum is no good it's just that have suggested your car is pulling left because of castor bushes but like you suggested it could well be the fact your toe is out.

If you feel your bushes are actually stuffed and need replacing than getting them to fix them and get your toe/wheel alignment done at the same time is probably a smart move.

Saves you paying for an alignment now then needing another when you replace the bushes in the near future. That is if they are stuffed.

[Bomba]

I wouldn't say they were stuffed. The car although a '99 model has only done 44,000k's although there's alot more play than new items and there is cracking in the rubber on the faces.

I intend on doing an entire suspension upgrade in the new year when I intend on doing some track work so hopefully they should be fine till then. Or do you think I should bite the bullet now?

Apparently Whiteline do a fully adjustable arm that might be on the list when I do the lot.

[Habler]

You would think after so little km's they would be ok until new year but I am not a suspension expert nor have I seen them.

There is a bucket load of information on here to help with your decision in suspension bits and plenty of time for you to research Can't remember if whiteline make an adjustable castor arm but they do make bushes.

[Wacky Dee]

just get the toe adjusted properly ..shouldn't be more than $50-60 and if it's still pulling to one side it could be a seized up caliper piston ..but it's probably just the toe

[stenve]

ive got the same problem on my r34 gtt.

had beaurepairs do an alignment. made zero difference.

new tyres on front because the old ones had massive camber wear. that improved things heaps. but still pulling to the left and slightly shaky steering at 100+kmph

was going to go to fulcrum to have another alignment done cause i dont really trust beaurepairs (was just close to work to try it quickly) but i might try this city suspension place.

let me know how you go with them if you go there

just get the toe adjusted properly ..shouldn't be more than $50-60 and if it's still pulling to one side it could be a seized up caliper piston ..but it's probably just the toe

[PIOTREK]

mate no change 200 labour i paid 80 for mine. bought adjustable caster rod bushes (ON CAR) from whiteline 180. With an allignement (only the front needed it) 300 all up u gotta shop around, the car feels SOOO much better. i would also look at your tie rod ends cause my car was pulling due to the tie rods been to warn down/slight split (bought them from pedders $70 for both, and fitted it myself- save on the double allignment costs )

[Bomba]

Took it down to a local joint and they'e readings were alot better than Fulcrums!

They had their alignment machine calibrated last week and the figures were very close to the alignment I had done 5 months ago.

Without any sugestion from me they came to same conclusion as Fulcrum that I needed to adjust the castor and therefore get the bushes.

I showed them Fulcrum's quote and they said that they would be getting the parts from Fulcrum and could still do it cheaper

Car is booked for Thursday........

[stenve]

What shop was that mate?

pm me if you like

Took it down to a local joint and they'e readings were alot better than Fulcrums!

They had their alignment machine calibrated last week and the figures were very close to the alignment I had done 5 months ago.

Without any sugestion from me they came to same conclusion as Fulcrum that I needed to adjust the castor and therefore get the bushes.

I showed them Fulcrum's quote and they said that they would be getting the parts from Fulcrum and could still do it cheaper

Car is booked for Thursday........

[Bomba]

Had a hold up today (my fault) so car is booked for tomorrow 10am.

$390 @ Driveline in Archerfield (Bushes, labor + alignment). I'm impressed with the service so far but I am reserving judgement untill I'm driving away tomorrow.

[stenve]

is that the one on colebard st?

might give them a call tomorrow. hence we have the same cars and are having the same problem sounds like the place to take it to

[Bomba]

Yeah that's them, I'll post up my results this arvo before you call them, just incase

[stenve]

Cheers for that mate,

got the car booked in at fulcrum on wednesday.

but if these guys do a good job i'll try them out

Yeah that's them, I'll post up my results this arvo before you call them, just incase

[Bomba]

Which Fulcrum?

The one on Fairfeild RD is where I went and they just did me up a big quote and charged me $27 for it

I'm a bit iffy with thier Alignment machine as the 2 other machines my car has been on came back with similar settings but Fulcrums was way off.

Car is at Driveline now, they even dropped me home and are picking me up when the car is ready

[stenve]

its the hillcrest fulcrum.

Its handy because its a 10min walk home from my place while i wait. whereas driveline is a 15 or so min drive.

but if they want to drop me home and stuff im all for it haha

I asked fulcrum about installing my hicas lock bar before the alignment and the guy was a little confused about it. had to explain it all to him, which makes me a little worried.

[Bomba]

OK car is back.......

STILL Pulling left!!!

They have done everything they can and there is no difference?

The bushes are adjusted to maximum.

They had a power steering expert look at it because sometimes racks can be the cause but it's fine.

Tyres are 5000k's old recently rotated and balanced.

Wheel alignment is spot on.

Car has never been in an accident.

The only thing I can think of is the HICCAS playing up?

Does anyone have any idea's?

P.S I was really happy with the sevice from Driveline, they even dropped the alignment charge.