Here are the before and after alignment sheets from 18 months ago





The left - right caster is within the 20' allowed

Both before and after this alignment the car pulled wildly to the left. I had to increase the left castor massively to reduce the pull, this was done by trial and error, after the alignment, without measurements.

I have now fitted Bilsteins all round and raised the ride height back to spec.

Here is the new alignment sheet



The car is still pulling to the left slightly, to try to cancel the pull I will have to increase the castor on the left again.

Just to clarify what I am doing when I say increase the castor - I am adjusting the left suspension eccentric (the one nearer the middle of the car) so that the ball joint swings the wheel towards the front of the car.

What is going on? What is causing the car the pull to the left so that I have to cancel it out by over adjusting the castor? The car has been checked several times on a Hunter DSP 400 without anyone picking up any problems.

The only thing I can think of that might have contributed to this was that a couple of years ago I fitted the wrong drop link (one from an S2 rather than S4) and this stayed on the car for about two months before I realised. I can't believe it could have permanently twisted the roll bar - or could it?

 

Have you checked the left side brakes?

 

Brakes are fully refurbished and not dragging at all. But a light braking action at walking pace is enough to make the car turn sharply.

 

I, too, can't help but think it's the brakes. I'd pull the front pads and look for un-even wear.

 

I did the same work-up for a similar problem with my 88, when I switched tires from Kuhmos the problem resloved. Nicole reported a similar issue with Kuhmos in a previous post when I searched the archives. Ed M

 

Just checked front pads, all show very similar wear.

 

I have had many many different pairs of tyres on the front, in fact I just swapped the fronts with my spare set today. The degree of pull does differ between brands and wear, but it's always there.

 

You may have loose bushings on one side that allow the geometry to change when braking. Have someone get in and stand on the brake while idling and shifting from D to R and back. See if the front wheel seems to move more than the opposite side when under load.

 

I'll have to fit an auto box first...

Thanks though, I'll give it a try. I would expect some significant brake judder if the bushings were worn, and there's none, nor is there any judder under hard cornering. So it seems unlikely, but well worth checking.

 

Whoops, overlooked the fact you have a manual. You get the idea though...

 

a) Where does it pull to one side? Always at the same place or everywhere? Could be ruts in the pavement.
b) Wheel bearings.

 

Really doesn't seem like an alignment issue, but a nuts and bolts problem. I had a similar problem on a car years ago, and it was a bushing on a rear trailing link. It was noticably worse under braking as the rear wheel was steering the car. I think you need to go over every suspension part on the car. My problem eluded me for a year because it was something I never suspected in a location I never inspected. I think you may need a new alignment shop as well, or at least fresh eyes. I'm sure you have read enough posts to know that the car must be aligned without jacking the front end, at normal ride hight. LOL

 

a) when accelerating, coasting and braking along flat roads.
b) wheel bearings replaced since pull first appeared 2 years ago

 

Thanks Daniel, I think you are right, but I'm not sure how I'm going to locate the part(s) that are responsible.

However, I think I've worked out when it first appeared: after I'd completed my engine repair. During the six months it was off the road I jacked it sideways up and down several times, and I think this is when one of the front droplinks failed. I replaced it with one from an S2 by mistake and didn't correct this until a couple of months later. I think something else may have failed when I jacked the car sideways.

Since then I have replaced the front tyres several times, replaced the shocks twice, replaced the wheel bearings, refurbished the brake calipers, and had the alignment adjusted several times. The pull has always remained, although the brand and degree of wear on the tyres does affect the degree of pull.

I'm not really sure how to check for failed components, so any advice would be welcome.

 

I wonder whether you've gotten the concave washers wrong that go on the long bolt through the lower A arm in the rear.