Funky steering issue

[ollieallen]

I seem to have a bit of a steering issue.

Basically, I can be driving in a straight line and any sort or road camber and even some bumps can cause my steering wheel to either jerk one way or even follow the road surface. Had a garage check my track rods which are fine, and same with the steering rack.

Recently had the driver side lower arm replaced so it isn't that and the wheel alignment has been checked and deemed within the ok zone.

Anyone got any idea what could be causing it? Car handles fine round corners and isn't jerky or hesistant. Just a really frustrating problem as I'm constantly having to correct the steering! Makes me look like a bloody drunk driver

 

[oscar]

that's nothing to be worrying about mate, it's called tramlining. this effect is much more pronounced in sportier cars with stiffer suspension and thinner / wider tyres. the effect is that you're going around a turn where there is camber in the road, in an ideal world the camber would pull you around without any steering input.... but, because your wheel alignment is set to have one wheel toed out further on turns (as seen in the image below) your car will naturally pull to one side on camber turns.

if this doesnt explain it, then start with the simple things. are tyre pressures equal? what about ride heights are those all equal? move onto checking the bushing in the wishbones, as well as the wishbone ball joints. any excessive play can result in wandering across straight roads! to check the condition of bushing, use a pry bar and lever the wishbone up and down and around so that you can see the bushing move, if it does move ... replace!

don't rule out simple things like one of your tyres may have a bulge. notice any uneven wear in the tyres, front and rear? if so, where? this is a good indication of the underlying cause of suspension / geometry faults

 

[ollieallen]

Ahhh ok, thanks! tyres are all fine, suspension is all standard currently so I would hope the heights are very spot on. Ball joints etc are all fine as I had them checked also.

Tram lining seems like the cause to me, so I'll stop worrying now! Just a pain being dragged all over the road :lol:

 

[oscar]

seems to be common with faster little hot hatches, especially when you take into account very light steering and far from flat road surfaces in our beautiful country haha

 

[LC]

As Oscar said this is very normal , makes life more fun especially with my tyres lol!

 

[oscar]

As Oscar said this is very normal , makes life more fun especially with my tyres lol!

you make me feel like a pupil at school, you know my names david oscar you call me dave, i'll stop calling you gay. deal?

 

[LC]

As Oscar said this is very normal , makes life more fun especially with my tyres lol!

you make me feel like a pupil at school, you know my names david oscar you call me dave, i'll stop calling you gay. deal?

get on kik *****

 

[ollieallen]

As Oscar said this is very normal , makes life more fun especially with my tyres lol!

you make me feel like a pupil at school, you know my names david oscar you call me dave, i'll stop calling you gay. deal?

get on kik *****

Now now ladies, handbags away :lol:

 

[ollieallen]

seems to be common with faster little hot hatches, especially when you take into account very light steering and far from flat road surfaces in our beautiful country haha

Yeah most of the roads around me are absolutely terrible!