[PeteD]

I've had my 99 F (now 71K miles) 3 years and have never really been happy with the handling. Bit of a long question, but its been troubling me for a long time!

On a flat surface the steering wheel aligns itself horizontally as it should but the car pulls to the left. In order to travel in a atraight line I have to hold the wheel a few degrees to the right but can constantly feel the wheel trying to level itself. I have just had four wheel alignment done at Micheldever, and I had the same issue when I had it done last year ie had to hold the wheel a little to the right to go straight so I dont think its tracking.

Its not the EPAS, it still does it with the fuse removed. The steering wheel moves more easily left than right even with the front wheels jacked off the ground and with the EPAS disabled.

I cant feel any play in any wheel.

It always pulls down the camber of the road very noticeably - I hold the wheel much closr to horizontal if the road slopes down to the right. Do they all do this?

So is it as if when moving the front subframe moves relative to the rear? So the fronts go straight but dont line up with the rear? Presumably if the subby was bent the 4 wheel alignment wouldnt have worked?

I've had the n/s rear wheel bearing go so I know what that sounds like, I also needed to have the n/s driveshaft replaced at the same time. I get uneven tyre wear (very rapidly!) but thats probably because I always seem to knock my wheel alignment out on potholes. The n/s front wheel took the brunt of a side impact collision with an Astra a year ago (repaired by local ex MGR garage but I dont have a list of what they did), and I also had a blow out on the same corner when I hit a brick in the road (although I've had a new wheel since then).

Anybody seen this? Is it anything obvious to anyone out there? I dont want to indiscriminately take things apart since that will screw up the tracking at best, and I suspect its the type of fault most local garages will see as a license to print money. While taking it to eg Techspeed might seem sensible, I live in Southampton and dont have any spare leave to get it there. So what can I try thats cheap and easy?

Pete

 

[wildmurphy]

mine does this too - not power steering problem and as far as i can tell not tracking etc either.

Anyone got a third thing this could be.

My left pull is only slight, but very very annoying.

 

[PeteD]

[Bump]

Yes, it is only slight, you dont worry about it on the twisties, but it really drags after 2 hours on the motorway.

Anyone?

 

[Mark.L]

I've had my 99 F (now 71K miles) 3 years and have never really been happy with the handling. Bit of a long question, but its been troubling me for a long time!

On a flat surface the steering wheel aligns itself horizontally as it should but the car pulls to the left. In order to travel in a atraight line I have to hold the wheel a few degrees to the right but can constantly feel the wheel trying to level itself. I have just had four wheel alignment done at Micheldever, and I had the same issue when I had it done last year ie had to hold the wheel a little to the right to go straight so I dont think its tracking.

Its not the EPAS, it still does it with the fuse removed. The steering wheel moves more easily left than right even with the front wheels jacked off the ground and with the EPAS disabled.

I cant feel any play in any wheel.

It always pulls down the camber of the road very noticeably - I hold the wheel much closr to horizontal if the road slopes down to the right. Do they all do this?

So is it as if when moving the front subframe moves relative to the rear? So the fronts go straight but dont line up with the rear? Presumably if the subby was bent the 4 wheel alignment wouldnt have worked?

I've had the n/s rear wheel bearing go so I know what that sounds like, I also needed to have the n/s driveshaft replaced at the same time. I get uneven tyre wear (very rapidly!) but thats probably because I always seem to knock my wheel alignment out on potholes. The n/s front wheel took the brunt of a side impact collision with an Astra a year ago (repaired by local ex MGR garage but I dont have a list of what they did), and I also had a blow out on the same corner when I hit a brick in the road (although I've had a new wheel since then).

Anybody seen this? Is it anything obvious to anyone out there? I dont want to indiscriminately take things apart since that will screw up the tracking at best, and I suspect its the type of fault most local garages will see as a license to print money. While taking it to eg Techspeed might seem sensible, I live in Southampton and dont have any spare leave to get it there. So what can I try thats cheap and easy?

Pete

From what you have said I doubt there is anything "Cheap and easy" that you 'Could' try..

Given that you don't have an EPAS fault and the tracking has been checked it could be that the steering camber is out of true, this would also fit with your uneven tyre wear (Given the ride height is correct) this may have been caused by one of the accidents you said you have had.

Also in many cases the standard 'Toe-in/out' settings don't allways produce the best results on every car, but you would need to speak to someone who is clued up on the F's suspenders to advise best on this...... Techspeed are a good starting point.

Don't know if you have seen Rob's superb site?, but the steering/tracking/camber details etc, etc are all explained below..

http://www.mgf.ultimatemg.com/

 

[dougwoolcott]

Steering probs 97 MGF

Having read all the previous posts and possible causes of "erratic" steering, I would like to know how many of you have successfully cured the problem ? I know steering geometry can be complicated but have there been faults fixed by just tracking adjustment ? I suffer from the same as many others ie. unexpected veering at speed, oversteer and pulling to the left at lower speeds. I removed the EAPS fuse and it improved slightly but not at speeds over 65 when it became scarey again !
Could someone with experience come up with an " A to Z" check list to try and find the problem please. I am having tracking checked next week, tyres and pressures are all OK so is ride height.
Cheers from Sunny Norway

 

[dougwoolcott]

anyone ?

anyone out there ?

 

[ORKHIS]

You don't say when you had the four wheel alignment carried out. Before or after your minor brushes with bricks etc and the work to the driveshaft.
Any of these things would throw out the alignment significantly. You also do not state the type of equipment used in carrying out the alignment. If the 4 wheel laser set up is used, the whole of the suspension geometry can be checked.
My guess is that either the geometry has altered since setting up or 4 wheel laser alignment has not been used. Many garages set up front and rear independently, some doing the job a lot better than others, but do not check camber for instance.

Cheers

Mike

Looks like I replied to the original thread.
Principles still apply though, make sure that the alignment is carried out properly preferably using a 4 wheel laser set up and get a print out of the results before & after.

 

[Rob Bell]

The fact that pulling out the EPAS fuse does not make any difference does, I agree, tend to rule out the usual EPAS torque sensor problem. Interesting that there is a difference from steering one direction compared to the other. This may indicate that the geometry is out one side. However, if the Micheldever geometry check was okay, then this may not be the problem either (do you have the print outs?)

Assuming at all of the above is okay, then I would be thinking about thrust angles. If the subframe (front or rear) is misaligned, then the direction of 'thrust' may not be parallel to the long axis of the car - in fact, it could be pushing the car to the left. Thrust angles may not be checked on a routine geometry measurement - and in fact, you may need to see whether the chassis datum points are correct across corners of the car.

Do you know anything about the history of the car before you bought it Pete?