UKKid35

Nope afraid not.

ErnestSw

Why is there a spring compressor on your spring?
Are you using stock drop links or adjustable ones. If you're using adjustables could you have preloaded the suspension?

hacker-pschorr

Is your left arm shorter than your right arm?

Earl Gillstrom

Paul,

Why don't you start with a proper alignment first.
The final numbers are wrong and not within tolarence.

The differance in front caster may be causing the pull. Or the difference in rear camber. Or the combination.
If the left caster won't come below 5deg 20', then make the right 5deg 20'.
If the left rear camber won't come below -1deg 10' then make the right the same.
For more info on wheel alignment, go to my web site. http://members.rennlist.com/captearlg/

UKKid35

Because the pin was seized, and I tried using a compressor just in case it helped. In the other pic you can see the degree of pitting caused by the rust that was preventing the pin from being extracted through the concave washers, which are a very tight fit. Hitting the pin with a hammer doesn't work because the washers simply bounce off the rubber on the bushings. It took 6 hours to remove the pin.

UKKid35

Hi Earl

Thanks for your write up, I've read it many times over the years. Unfortunately I don't have access to any level ground otherwise I would try one or more of your methods.

The after sheet from Elite 18 months ago is pretty close to perfect. The left right caster difference is less than 20' which I believe is within spec. However the car was virtually undriveable because of the pull. The only way to reduce the pull was to increase the left castor significantly.

I follow the logic about making sure the right left measurements balance, but the closer they get the worse the pull. Therefore there must be something else that is very badly wrong.

Earl Gillstrom

Paul,

I was going by the final numbers in your first post http://www.928.org.uk/~ukkid35/phot...BeforeAfter.jpg.
They are not the same as the numbers in the previous post.

I have aligned over 40 928s and never had one like yours. The only thoughts that come to mind are that something is bent or possibly a leaky valve in the steering rack.
Try removing the power steering drive belt and drive the car. If the pull reduces, then it's the rack. Be careful driving with no power steering.
One other thought. You can maladjust the front caster out to about 9 degrees on an S4. Try it on the side that reduces the pull while leaving the other side at the minimum. Minimum on most S4s is about 4 degrees depending on the difference in front to rear ride height.

I had a similar problem many years ago on a Honda. The tempory fix was to run the front tire pressure 4 pounds different side to side. The car then drove straight. The final fix was to replace the crappy Pirelli tires. Then the car drove straight with correct tire pressures.

Shark Attack

If all your other info is accurate, this is where i would put my money

marton

did you see the other thread about "My Car pulls after MM job "

funny coincidence because I think you said you had the problem after an engine repair - but I believe you did yours with the engine in situ?

It is almost like something does not settle back into place right after 928 has been up in the air for a while; maybe something in the steering rack area? Sorry no good ideas.

Marton

UKKid35

Thanks Marton, I think I'm going to try disconnecting the front droplinks to see if that affects the pull. It's the simplest and quickest check I can do.

Then the next check will be to remove the PS belt as Earl suggests, another quick and painless test.

UKKid35

I have just replaced the entire left rear hub, there was play between the axle and the bearing. I've only been for a very short drive but this has definitely changed the steering geometry, and I suspect it will be possible to align the car correctly now. It has also sorted out my spongy brakes - the wheel must have been moving quite alot! The weird thing is that there were no obvious signs of uneven tyre wear, although they never lasted very long...

This eluded me for two years.

Bill Ball

I never had any issue with pulling until a recent alignment at a new shop. Time to go back to the old shop.

Anyway, the brake pull you mention is noteworthy even if it pulls w/o brake application. When you say the brakes were "fully refurbished", did that include replacing the caliper seals? Does it still pull on braking slightly after the rear hub replacement? I guess all bets are off now until you align it again.

UKKid35

I had been pretty successful in cancelling the left pull by adjusting it out using the castor. Now immediately after changing the hub my steering wheel is 10-15deg turned to the left in order to steer straight ahead. It seems likely that when I get the alignment done the castor will return to normal and I'll be pointing straight ahead. I think there's also a good chance that the rear camber adjuster will return from the extreme back to nearer the center of it's range.

Bill Ball

Whoa! You replaced a rear hub and your steering is offset that much? Must have been toed funny in the rear. Let us know how the alignment goes. I'll bet you'll be fine and not have to do any whack caster settings to get it to track straight.

littleball_s4

Oh, man, this scares the hell out of me!

My car started pulling to the right after tire change without apparent reason and at the same time the steering wheel center point changed. (I mean if you let the car on its own it will describe right handed circles, but the steering wheel points straight ahead, while to keep the car straight ahead the steering wheel points to the left. Before the new tires it pointed straight ahead and run straight ahead when left on its own).

Extremly interested on your rear camber measurement now. (I plan to use it as a simptom)