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ghost pulling car left ?


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fendertele
User

Apr 15, 2016, 7:55 AM

Post #1 of 8 (1302 views)
ghost pulling car left ? Sign In

No but seriously..... it seems like it can be the only explanation.Since no matter what i have checked my car pulls left.

I have been trying to get to the bottom of this for months! and got nowhere, my personal mechanic is old school and knows his stuff but even he is miffed and keeps coming back to recheck the alignment.... recheck the alignment with a different guy... and i feel like screaming.

I have had the car over a year now and i can't remember if it always pulled as bad or not.... i think it may have had the issue on sale but they had managed to aligned it in a way to counter it, and then when i put my first new tires on it and had it aligned to spec it was pulling from then on.

so had countless alignments with the newest tech and everything is in the green, every alignment guy told me it aint alignment causing pull it must be this or that causing it.....

i've had the tires replaced to make sure not a tire pull.... i am now on a new set again and it still pulls.... it would be very unlucky to keep putting tires on that pull..

no binding brakes or calipers...

had front springs and top strut mounts replaced...

checked for play, anything worn, any visiable broken stuff.... nothing he could see.

measured from ground to wheel arch to see if any ride height issues... all good.

measured from center of rear wheel to center of front wheel both sides to see if any difference but also all good.

and im sure he has checked a load of other stuff but all he talks about is we will let this other alignment guy see it.... surely after 5-6 different guys all telling me the car is aligned and the geometry of the car is fine... it would be safe to say the pull to the left aint alignment ?

when im driving it feels like the front left has a flat tire/leans left and the car pulls to that side... i can feel the steering wheel trying to turn through my hands... if i hold the steering wheel straight and grip it hard it will drive straight but there is a constant pull of the steering wheel..

if i hit any bumps on the road it will try to fly to the left....

if i just drive at 2mph and let go of the steering wheel it will begin to turn full lock right away...

any ideas guys ?


Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Discretesignals profile image

Apr 15, 2016, 8:02 AM

Post #2 of 8 (1297 views)
Re: ghost pulling car left ? Sign In

Year, make, model, and engine size?
Do you have an alignment print out you can post?
Has this vehicle been wrecked?
Does this pull on acceleration, deceleration, cruising, or all the above?
With the front wheels off the ground and engine running, does the steering wheel move by itself in any direction?





Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.

(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Apr 15, 2016, 8:03 AM)


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Apr 15, 2016, 9:17 AM

Post #3 of 8 (1287 views)
Re: ghost pulling car left ? Sign In

Just thoughts while you get back with what DS asked for:


New tires and new springs? OK - those change the existing alignment so you do that AFTER those things.


Question: If you hoist front wheels off ground and just start engine does the wheel turn by itself? Bet it does and have to think on what can do that when we know what this thing is,


T



fendertele
User

Apr 15, 2016, 12:10 PM

Post #4 of 8 (1277 views)
Re: ghost pulling car left ? Sign In

2011 chevrolet cruze 2ltr diesel
no i have had that many printouts that after a while i stopped caring what it said on paper as the car always kept pulling... i will ask my mechanic if he kept one of the recent ones... they were all done on the hunter hawkeye system and everything was in green.... caster,camber,toe,steer ahead etc... i'll get back to you on this one though.
not that i'm aware of
all of the above
haven't had this tested will ask mechanic to try this, i know when i park the car up holding the wheel central the moment i let go of the steering wheel to put on the handbrake the steering wheel moves to the 11 oclock position.


fendertele
User

Apr 15, 2016, 12:11 PM

Post #5 of 8 (1277 views)
Re: ghost pulling car left ? Sign In

had alignments done both before and after tires being changed and same for the springs... i've had 3-4 alignments done since springs were put on.


fendertele
User

Apr 15, 2016, 12:16 PM

Post #6 of 8 (1277 views)
Re: ghost pulling car left ? Sign In

if i left the engine running and lifted the car off the ground... and the steering wheel turned left what would be the cause of this ? as i am going to have this checked.


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Apr 15, 2016, 1:37 PM

Post #7 of 8 (1274 views)
Re: ghost pulling car left ? Sign In

This steering itself without touching the wheel should have been noticed by alignment tech IMO but so be it.
That's the rack and pinion taking pressure to assist a turn it's not being asked to do. Remote chance and you can check this that steering wheel isn't really centered at all.


Try this now: Roll straight ahead on even ground/surface with and noting wheel is pointing straight ahead. Stop. Now turn wheel to full left from center counting turns to stop but don't force it again the stop. How many turns and fractions wanted known. Now do the same the other way it should be identical or wheel isn't centered on shaft or other screwed up reason.
So if that's correct the rack and pinion which is taking your real prompt is passing pressure to assist when not wanted or required and is the likely culprit perhaps messed up with debris from some other issue along the way or not really known.
Strong bet a new (rebuilt) rack and pinion will stop this if I'm reading you right. I'd flush out PS pump totally just because in the fix as well,


T



Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Apr 15, 2016, 5:39 PM

Post #8 of 8 (1267 views)
Re: ghost pulling car left ? Sign In

The diesel cruze isn't sold here in the states, but the gasoline version sold here either has hydraulic or electric power steering. Is your equipped with electric power steering?

Also when you do alignments or change steering or suspension components, it is always good idea to do a steering angle sensor centering calibration if equipped. Should be a function on your mechanic's high end scan tool.





Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.

(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Apr 15, 2016, 5:56 PM)






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