Pulling to the left

[Jonesy]

OKas most of you know my car had a crunch

All fixed and looking lovely but........

when I accelerate hard it pulls to the left quite quickly.

Motofix say they have done a full geometry test and all was OK,
bearing in mind the whole front left was changed, including new alloy and tyre which is the same make but not the same model and new steering knuckle, power steering unit etc etc.

As I'm no mechanic, what could this be, so I can arm myself with some info when I take it back???

Cheers in advance

 

[Ruddmeister]

You have different tyres / treadpatterns accross the front 'axle'?

 

[Jonesy]

You have different tyres / treadpatterns accross the front 'axle'?

They put a Michelin Pilot Sport 225/45 ZR17 on the right
and I had a Michelin Pilot HX 225/45 R17 on the left

Would this make a massive difference

 

[mark sheerin]

I have had 2 leon cupras and both have pulled to the left....I just drive around it..and remember not to accelerate with my hands off the wheel

 

[Jonesy]

I have had 2 leon cupras and both have pulled to the left....I just drive around it..and remember not to accelerate with my hands off the wheel

It drives Ok, it's just one of those niggly things that I know it didn't do before

 

[Ruddmeister]

They put a Michelin Pilot Sport 225/45 ZR17 on the right
and I had a Michelin Pilot HX 225/45 R17 on the left

Would this make a massive difference

If the tread pattern is different it won't help, may accentuate they problem Mark is talking about.

Best bet would be swap front wheels to rear and vice versa and see if it has an effect.

 

[Jonesy]

Rang Motofix and they said
"give it a week or so to see if it settles down, if not bring it in"

so if it doesn't i will get THEM to change the wheels round or change the tyre to exactly the same as the others then

Would it be anything to do with the tracking etc

 

[Ruddmeister]

Would it be anything to do with the tracking etc

Process of elimination i'm afraid.

Tyres first as it's obvious and cheap
Then maybe tracking and alignment
Then further investigation of suspension components (something bent?) etc etc

As Mark said there is a little pull to the left anyway but in my experience this is negligable under normal driving....maybe sometimes noticed on a motorway etc

 

[mark sheerin]

All you have to do to generate a pull on a Leon is catch a kerb exiting a roundabout or a bit of clumsy parking..
the subframe with the wishbones moves back on the side it has been hit so even if the wheels are all aligned properly by laser etc you will still have a geometry imbalance....
Park your car...wheels straight as poss and then measure the distance back from the edge of the wheel to the wheel arch at the level of the centre of the wheel...if you have a quarter of an inch of difference roughly 5 to six mm then thats why you are pulling not the wheel alignment..you need the subframe on that side readjusting.

 

[Jonesy]

I get my lenght out then

Cheers guys for your help

 

[stpete]

Wow Mark never thought of that! Cool idea!!!!

 

[225]

I seem to recall most of the LCrs pulled to the left, mine did slightly as well.

 

[muttly]

mine does under hard acceleration.. i think its jus torque steer!

 

[jc2k]

Yup mine has since I got it brand new. Been back several times, no change..Not a dramatic pull, more a gentle list..I've got used to it now.

 

[RikH]

LC slightly drifts to left
doesnt seem to when booting it though
then again never really take hands totally off the wheel when your giving it the beans

 

[Cupra_power]

I had exactly the same tyres on the front. Once they started to wear, I would get torque steer towards the left, once replaced them with same make and size tyres on the front without tracking done, Torque steer is gone, so tyres seem to play a big part in it.

 

[NumberoftheBeast]

Muttly - You beat me to it. Sounds like torque steer. Just hold the wheel and brace yourself.

 

[muttly]

Muttly - You beat me to it. Sounds like torque steer. Just hold the wheel and brace yourself.

yup i pretty sure alot of high power cars do it!..nothing to worry about..think u only have to worry if its doin it when ur driving normaly.

just hold on tight..when ya boot it!

 

[Jonesy]

Thanks for all you replies but the thing is
it never did it quite so much before

 

[mark sheerin]

Thanks for all you replies but the thing is
it never did it quite so much before

have you measered your wheels fore aft alignment each side?