Mystery pull, need help (REALLY solved)

[snakeye]

So I've got a very annoying issue with my car. The alignment is perfect, but it pulls slightly to the right most of the time. Sometimes the problem goes away on its own, before coming back again. Drove across Canada and that cost me half the tread on the front right tire.

All steering/suspension parts are pretty much less than a year old on the car. Only thing that's not done are the rear axle bushings.

Brakes are all new, everything is greased up and sliding properly. Installed a new master cylinder and brake booster a few months ago, flushed the whole system incl. ABS module.

Where would you guys look next? I'm suspecting two things, and I hope it's the first : I noticed that there's a lot of wiggle on the rear passenger side top carrier pin, which could maybe lead to the caliper being loose and causing the inner pad to drag on the rotor. Does this sound like a plausible theory?

The other one is a bad ABS module, but I feel like this would cause more drag and heat that would be easier to notice. I also want to try anything before even thinking of touching this.

Any suggestions?

 

[jmodge]

Get a cheap IR gun and take temps of anything that can heat up from friction. Check on all four wheels to see if you have an extreme temperature difference anywhere. But if you’re wearing a tire you have something loose that doesn’t show up all the time, such as an inner tie rod, look again, something is loose and causing a misalignment

 

[PakProtector]

I have no absolutes, but pulling and wearing say 'mis-alignment' to me. Going away from time to time is most curious.

Rear beam bushings are easy with an air hammer and a bushing splitter chisel. Bigger is better, but a .401" Chicago Pneumatic 715 should do the trick. Not sure the rear stuff would cause front tire wear though...my Golf had absolutely toasted/worn ones and I never had it do anything untoward to the fronts.
cheers,
Douglas

 

[2002_auto_tdi]

Tire tramlining perhaps? Has happened to me a few times on different vehicles. Meh, you did mention substantial uneven wear. Nevermind.

 

[tgray]

It sounds like a sticking caliper to shred that much rubber. When they get hot the brake will free up and you think it is fine when really it is just hot. Go out drive a mile or 2 and do a couple of hard stops and then get out and feel the rim. If one rim is warmer than the other you have a problem with a caliper or collapsing brake line hose. I had a similar problem once but not common was the brake booster was sticking on. I could pull up the pedal with my foot and the brakes would free up. Mismatched tires can cause pulling. Mismatched tire pressure can cause pulling but it sounds like a brake problem or you are missing something loose or broken on the front end somewhere.

 

[snakeye]

Thing is I checked for heat coming from the brakes, and there is none. Nothing is loose, there's no play anywhere in the suspension or steering and the car IS aligned.

Feeling the rear left rotor, it seems like there's a little more wear on the inside, which might be normal, but I'm still suspecting that loose pin. Just ordered a new carrier, we'll see what the does.

The pull really isn't that bad, but it's annoying. If the FR tire is worn it probably has more to do with they speeds I was driving at. Also I did get the tires balanced and rotated, but it didn't change anything.

 

[Stupendous60]

A shifting belt inside a tire will cause your symptoms-comes and goes/irregular wear

 

[2002_auto_tdi]

Thing is I checked for heat coming from the brakes, and there is none. Nothing is loose, there's no play anywhere in the suspension or steering and the car IS aligned.

Feeling the rear left rotor, it seems like there's a little more wear on the inside, which might be normal, but I'm still suspecting that loose pin. Just ordered a new carrier, we'll see what the does.

The pull really isn't that bad, but it's annoying. If the FR tire is worn it probably has more to do with they speeds I was driving at. Also I did get the tires balanced and rotated, but it didn't change anything.

Switch the front 2 tire/rim combo out (unless directional) and see if the pull changes direction. I bet it does...half the time it stops the pull altogether. Many times it will pull in the other direction but not as much.

 

[Metal Man]

I would try another alignment shop. Let them know the full situation before hand.

 

[KrashDH]

Wasn't mentioned (that I saw), if all your slide pins are good pull calipers and make sure you don't have any stuck pistons.

 

[tgray]

Just a crazy thought is maybe something in the power steering rack causing uneven pressure. Maybe try pulling the belt and running down the road with no power steering and see if anything changes. If tires are good and alignment is correct and suspension components are all tight and solid the car should run straight with no pulling on the wheel. Something can be bend on your car but a proper alignment/check should reveal this. Try measuring wheel to wheel on each side of the car and see if there is a difference.

 

[snakeye]

So... My car was out of alignment, but i fixed it without getting it realigned.

Basically when I installed my ball joints prior to getting an alignment, I made sure to push the wheels all the way in before tightening the 3 lower bolts, so that if a ball joint shifts or is loosened for whatever reason, I'll know exactly what position to place it back into. So since my car was pulling to the right, I loosened the driver side ball joint and pushed the wheel back in.

It was loose due to a pothole I hit last winter.

"but you idiot, why didn't you admit to this or take a look at the ball joint earlier?"

BECAUSE: when this happened, it didn't make sense to do this, cause my car was pulling the other way. WHY?? Because my rear left caliper was bad, and jammed up when i slammed on the brakes to try and avoid the pothole, basically countering the pull caused by the ball joint. When I changed this caliper I didn't realize the pull had switched from one side to the other, until I thought about it, at which point it became pretty obvious the ball joint was in fact the culprit.

 

[Diesel Fumes]

A 4 wheel alignment costs 100 bucks where I live. It's definitely something I wouldn't try doing myself because that's the cost of 1 tire. I guess it is possible to do it yourself. Some shops still do it the old school way

 

[jmodge]

I

So... My car was out of alignment, but i fixed it without getting it realigned.

Basically when I installed my ball joints prior to getting an alignment, I made sure to push the wheels all the way in before tightening the 3 lower bolts, so that if a ball joint shifts or is loosened for whatever reason, I'll know exactly what position to place it back into. So since my car was pulling to the right, I loosened the driver side ball joint and pushed the wheel back in.

It was loose due to a pothole I hit last winter.

"but you idiot, why didn't you admit to this or take a look at the ball joint earlier?"

BECAUSE: when this happened, it didn't make sense to do this, cause my car was pulling the other way. WHY?? Because my rear left caliper was bad, and jammed up when i slammed on the brakes to try and avoid the pothole, basically countering the pull caused by the ball joint. When I changed this caliper I didn't realize the pull had switched from one side to the other, until I thought about it, at which point it became pretty obvious the ball joint was in fact the culprit.

was going to tell you that but I had faith you were going to figure it out

 

[snakeye]

A 4 wheel alignment costs 100 bucks where I live. It's definitely something I wouldn't try doing myself because that's the cost of 1 tire. I guess it is possible to do it yourself. Some shops still do it the old school way

I feel like on these cars, if everything goes back in the exact same position, and the tie rod lengths stay the same, there's no reason for the car to be out of alignment after changing components.

 

[Andyinchville1]

If you're going to do the realignment route I would try to seek out a Firestone location because they offer free lifetime alignments.

I think I paid $185 to get the lifetime alignment package and so far I've had it re aligned twice just because it was free ...not that it was pulling their anything... just routine check/ minor adjust if needed.

They don't have a fire stone in my town so I have to Drive 60 miles next town over to get it done ...

if you plan on keeping your car a while I think it would be worthwhile because Normal alignments around here go for about $110 each time so it can and will in theory pay for itself in the long run.

Good luck with your pulling issue

Andrew

 

[Zak99b5]

If you're going to do the realignment route I would try to seek out a Firestone location because they offer free lifetime alignments.

I think I paid $185 to get the lifetime alignment package and so far I've had it re aligned twice just because it was free ...not that it was pulling their anything... just routine check/ minor adjust if needed.

They don't have a fire stone in my town so I have to Drive 60 miles next town over to get it done ...

if you plan on keeping your car a while I think it would be worthwhile because Normal alignments around here go for about $110 each time so it can and will in theory pay for itself in the long run.

Good luck with your pulling issue

Andrew

Only problem with this is the “techs” Firestone hires. If you find a good shop, you should be fine. My local Firestone seems staffed by stoners. Like the McDonalds of car care.

I am lucky to have a truck spring shop near me (Watkins Spring for those in the area). People who do suspension work all day every day and know what they are doing. Just a satisfied customer.

 

[snakeye]

Ok I don't know what to do at this point. I gave up looking for the issue and got an alignment, and got it realigned a second time because it still didn't feel right (and it still doesn't). Here's the before after:



When I'm driving straight on the right side of a crowned road, I feel like I'm turning the steering wheel left too much, whereas when I drive on the other side, I can almost steer perfectly straight and barely need to turn the wheel at all. Otherwise, the car tracks straight and doesn't pull. Went for a drive with the guy from the shop before getting it realigned, and he said it was fine, which only speaks to the subtlety of my issue, cause I can 100% tell something is off, but I don't know what.

Where do I go from here? Front end is perfect, brakes aren't dragging. Should I change the rear beam bushings? If one is worse than the other, could it shift and throw the alignent off while driving/turning??

 

[PakProtector]

One is likely worse than the other. This due to the outboard side being exposed to rougher road surface. No idea if this is the case, but having gone from beyond shot, to adequate, to pretty good EO bushings and then on to Cupra R's, I say just change 'em...
cheers,
Douglas

 

[Zak99b5]

Your toe is still off. It’s basically the only adjustable setting. Get it done right first.

But yes bad Lca busheswill cause problems

 

[jmodge]

Toe, caster, and camber are all adjustable. The ball joints slide in and out for camber and twist for caster

 

[jmodge]

While you’re in there check the rubber bushing on the steering rack. Check out Whiteline Industries for a real simple rear axle beam bushing set. They also sell the steering rack bushing. Synthetic rubber, smooth and firm, holding up well on both our cars

 

[Diesel Fumes]

My alignment shop told me the only adjustments are toe in and out with tie rods and slight adjustments via subframe shifting. When I changed my ball joints, they seemed to go in one way and one way only so I assumed we couldn't make adjustments there?

 

[jmodge]

Look at the ball joints again. They have 3 slots that are not parallel. Twist the body one way and the pin moves forward setting caster positive, twist the other way the pin moves back, negative

 

[snakeye]

Your toe is still off. It’s basically the only adjustable setting. Get it done right first.

But yes bad Lca busheswill cause problems

You sure you're not looking at the rear? The front is 0, dead center, and the rest is the measurements seem to all be within spec. I've actually never had the caster in spec as well before so I'm surprised.

While you’re in there check the rubber bushing on the steering rack. Check out Whiteline Industries for a real simple rear axle beam bushing set. They also sell the steering rack bushing. Synthetic rubber, smooth and firm, holding up well on both our cars

Everything in the front is around one year old now. All that's left to change is the axle bushings, and if that doesn't solve it then it's a slight pull from somewhere. How long have you had whiteline bushings? I read that they need to be able to twist, and that solid ones aren't ideal.

 

[Zak99b5]

Edit: I was misreading—I was going across (left to right on the top set. Then I clicked on the pic and realized I should just pay attention to the right sheet of. Paper.

Your “after” alignment printout has the front toe total as ok, but the right front wheel it’s.elf is toed out still past spec.

Unless I am misreading it.

Slight adjustments to caster and camber are available at the ball joints as noted, but there’s not a lot of range of motion there.

 

[snakeye]

Lol sorry for the confusion... Those two papers are two different alignements. The one on the right is the most recent one of the two, with the bottom half of the page being the current/after measurements.

Really it just shows the car is aligned. Toes are 0.00, should steer straight... "should".

I know but the ball join adjustments, but this is most certainly a non factor in my case, everything's within specs.

 

[jmodge]

I would have to check my logs for Donna’s, but mine have been in since I put the car on the road, 2017 I believe

 

[JB05]

Was your steering wheel ever removed? If so, maybe it is not aligned properly with the markings provided?

 

[tgray]

It could be your steering rack is not lined up right with the steering wheel. Did the alignment shop set you to zero toe in? I always run these cars with a slight toe in. But, I do know if the steering wheel is not tracking right with the straight ahead direction of the car, it will want to move back to where it is supposed to be. I know you said you swapped tires around but are the tires on each side of the front the same brand AND tread. Any difference in a tire can cause a pull. If you still find a pull after everything checks out I would really check for movement somewhere on a joint. Sometimes the rubber bushings can look good and things line up right but then when you get the car under a load or a drive, things move around.