Technical Wheel alignment

[jim cooper]

A couple of queries re wheel alignment on my 1.4 active aircon:

If wheel alignment is correct is it normal for a car to tend towards the kerb on a straight road that is cambered slightly down to the left if you take your hands off the wheel?

If the steering wheel is slightly off centre can the wheel alignment still be OK?

Thanks for any help.

 

[flyingdutch]

1 yes it normal
2 if your steering wheel is offset from centre but you didnt do any repair works that would require to take the wheel of or similar check the alignment
Good luck

 

[Ralf S.]

The steering wheel can only fit one way on the column, so you know that's in the right place... but when you align the wheels you do it by adjusting the track rod ends on each side by the amount needed to get the respective wheel pointing straight ahead (+/- the factory toe settings).

You obviously ought to do that with the steering wheel at the straight ahead position but a careless garage might not make absolutely certain the wheel is at 12 o'clock, so you do often see the wheels aligned but the steering wheel pointing 5 minutes left or right.

If you have to hold the wheel slightly right to stay on your slightly cambered road, then that might indicate it's worth an alignment check. Tyre places often have "free" checks if you buy tyres from them, so if yours is just faintly left-biased then it's probably not worth spending money investigating, if you're going to change the front tyres soon. On the other hand, if your front tyres are new, get the alignment checked to avoid uneven wear of your new tyres.


Ralf S.

 

[jim cooper]

Thanks flyingdutch and Ralf for your help. I've just had new tyres fitted and they aligned the front wheels at the same time. Car seems to drive mostly in a straight line but on a motorway there would be a slow veering to the left when I take my hands off the wheel.