Pull to the left... (post alignment!)

[insanekiwi]

Hi guys!

I have had alignment done again (after I asked the dealer to do it for me prior to the purchase, I don't even know if this has been done) today.

I told it to the guy who was doing the alignment (very knowledgable guy..) and told me that in that case, the alignment is very unlikely fix the problem, and the problem lies with the camber.

He told me that Polos are not camber adjustable. Anyway, he put the machine on the car, and toe was only off by little bit, and camber was different by 0.8! (i think -0.28 and -1.0.

He took it for a drive, and said the pull to left is quite a lot. And looked underneath and recommended to call VAG and ask if Polos are 'cradle adjustable'.

He took the car down, changed the wheel from left to right on the front, also tyre pressures again (found a nail in one which was setting my tyre pressure sensor off every 3rd day). This improved the pull to the left, and when put on the machine along with some toe adjustment, reduced the camber finally to -0.28 and -0.68.

He said that's best he can do at this stage. Took it for a drive, and massive improvement. Now with the wheel centred, on flat surface (with almost zero camber on road), the pull to the left is very minimal with less need to fight or compensate it. This has now definately improved torque steer.

He reckons that he has seen many European cars being sold in NZ with 'pull to left problems' which would work fine in LHD roads!

Have you guys had these problems before? I had a Mitsubishi Airtrek Turbo-R which had a slight pull to right also.

He recommended to get tyre pressure checked regularly, and recommended that next time I get tyres get 'uni directional' as some directional tyres can worsen the problem.

Any solutions to this? Is Polo cradle adjustable?

Thanks guys!

(oh yeah I did search through forums prior to posting)

[DaveMack]

Hmm .. as a fellow Kiwi with a similar car ... can't say I've ever heard of it over here. Good luck with getting it fixed. The dealer told you it was common in Euros coming to NZ? Sounds like an excuse to me.

Dave

[insanekiwi]

Hi Dave,

it was the wheel alignment person telling me that a lot of euro cars come with left hand pull. I am going to see the dealer today regarding the rattle, I'll ask if they know anything there...



[no accident on this car by the way]

[JimmyVdub]

I had exactly the same problems with I bought my Polo in Brisbane - I had to take it back to the dealer THREE times to get the alignment done. In the end they told me they were having a problem with their alignment machine.

Mind you, once they did it right, it was pretty much perfect and has stayed that way for 5K, and I've had no other problems with the car.

I'd just keep taking it back and complaining until they get it right.

[insanekiwi]

Thanks guys. At the moment, on motorways (highways) the car is almost straight with hands off. It's usually worse on cambered road, there slight tilt on camber will signifity it's difference.

I've been to the dealer today, apparently these cars are cradle adjustable. So camber can be adjusted (not individually, but move left to right to compensate one other).

To get it done, I need to get another alignment done through the dealer so the mechanic can take it to alignment place, and adjust the cradle underneath.

Mine is almost perfect at the moment, so I just want to leave it for now. I guess in one year time, when it's time for alignment, I will get it done under warranty

So yup, answering my own question, it can be done.

[FLOSPOLOGTI]

Alignment

To add to the thread - its the castor setting that is causing the problems with these cars. Castor is adjusted (read as engineered) at factory to allow for camber of left or right cambered roads according to the vicinity that the car will end up in the world. The castor set by VW does not seem enough to combat a lot of Australian roads - drive on left hand side/camber to the left and hence the car will pull to left irrespective of toe and camber adjustment. In addition the lower control arm bush (rear) has so much 'play' in it its not funny !!.
Anyone here who has their cars on an alignment laser machine next - use a tool to manipulate this bush and see on the real-time screen just how much it throws the alignment settings - particularly toe, to a degree castor - you will not believe what you are seeing, considering most good alignments are set to 'minute' parameter and not 'degrees'.

[Jmac]

Ive just finished up at Porsche but had 14 years with Vw, mate we did the alignments and this includes porsches, when you have adjusted the camber and you are ready to adjust the toe, lock up the steering wheel with it pointing a poofteenth to the left like 1 tooth if you like. When driving you will corrcet not knowing it and this accomodates the camber on our roads mate. Trust me havent had a porsche with a problem yet. I did the same in the UK (same side of the road)
CHeers

[PeterHBne]

Speaking of bushings, has anyone ever looked into polyurethane replacements for some of the bushings? I replaced all these on my old Charade and it makes a hell of a difference to the precision of steering/handling.

[Giallorosso]

Sorry to bump an old thread.

My car has been pulling to the left for a while. It has always pulled to the left slightly but in the past couple of months it has gotten worse, to the point where if I take my hands off the wheel I end up straight towards the gutter in about 2-3 seconds!

Anyway, I fitted new tyres last week and this morning went for a wheel alignment to try and fix the problem.

The toe and camber was adjusted, but it still pulls to the left badly. Guy said that the caster is off and that they can't adjust this, is that true?

On the printout I have the caster is listed as +03.80 +04.46. He said this isn't normal...does anyone know the stock caster values for the Polo's?

He asked if I've been in an accident. No. He asked if I've hit a massive pothole recently? No. Said I should contact VW and try and find the stock caster values for these cars.

Really not sure what to do now. I know the dealer will rip me off for an alignment, but surely they can fix it? Otherwise perhaps I should go to a specialist suspension place in Sydney (Spinning Wheels?)

Anyone had a similar experience?

[noone]

I don't know the details, but yours does not seem to bad. Mine at one point was 5.18 and 5.30. They are not likely to be identical.

My recommendation would be to look for recommendations on a good tyre or suspension shop, I paid a premium for my last one, but he checked everything for me, silightly adjusted the subframe, etc.

Worth the spend to go straight and keep optimum traction / straight line tracking at speed.

[gavs]

So he loosened and repositioned the subframe did he? Because its the only way to adjust the camber. A couple of 6r polo owners have found the same thing and it can be rectified if the subframe is realigned. You cannot adjust camber on these chassis cars, the amount available on the oversized holes on the lower ball joint is negligible.