WTF is going on...

BadSax

BadSax

enjoys 3 martini lunches
Ok, the new grey car has all new delrin everything in the rear (thank you Doug) and all new everything suspension related in the front. Literally the only thing that hasn't been replaced are the bags...

Also the car has a locking rear dif (I don't know if that matters, but it's worth mentioning I guess).

So, after getting a full alignment today, with all my new everything installed, when I accelerate the nose of the car still pulls to the right.

Sometimes if you catch it just right, it will change direction so much that if you don't immediately correct by turning left you'd drive off the road.

WTF is going on here?

The car drives tight as a drum, there doesn't seem to be any play in anything. It goes around corners better then any other MK8 I've ever driven.

The only thing I can think is that it's the tires? But I really don't see why acceleration would cause that. Anyway I hope to get a lot of drive time in tomorrow and see how it feels at speed etc.

Any thoughts of wise Lincoln people?
 
BadSax said:
Ok, the new grey car has all new delrin everything in the rear (thank you Doug) and all new everything suspension related in the front. Literally the only thing that hasn't been replaced are the bags...

Also the car has a locking rear dif (I don't know if that matters, but it's worth mentioning I guess).

So, after getting a full alignment today, with all my new everything installed, when I accelerate the nose of the car still pulls to the right.

Sometimes if you catch it just right, it will change direction so much that if you don't immediately correct by turning left you'd drive off the road.

WTF is going on here?

The car drives tight as a drum, there doesn't seem to be any play in anything. It goes around corners better then any other MK8 I've ever driven.

The only thing I can think is that it's the tires? But I really don't see why acceleration would cause that. Anyway I hope to get a lot of drive time in tomorrow and see how it feels at speed etc.

Any thoughts of wise Lincoln people?
Click to expand...

Sounds like the rack...but I don't have direct experience.
 
logres said:
Sounds like the rack...but I don't have direct experience.
Click to expand...

I thought about that, but there is no play in the steering, everything seems nice and tight...

before all the bushings and other assorted squishy things were replaced I though the reason the car drove like that was because it desperately needed new bushings. Some of the ones in the front had been compressed flat, like paper thin flat...
 
Roadboss said:
I wonder if you don't have a caliper hanging up. It could be front or rear.
Click to expand...

I'll check to see if any of the wheels feel real hot after the next time I drive it...

BTW, the rear tires were only at about 20lbs, so I filled them back to 35, we'll see if that helps anything...
 
BadSax said:
I'll check to see if any of the wheels feel real hot after the next time I drive it...

BTW, the rear tires were only at about 20lbs, so I filled them back to 35, we'll see if that helps anything...
Click to expand...

They need to be 30 PSI, but having the tires inflated properly will help.
 
Ok one other thing to check, make sure the axle nuts are tight. (no pun)

When my rear end was changed up and the rear half shafts had to come out, one of the bolts wasn't tight and the car kept on wobbling around. I don't know if that could be the case but its worth a shot and its free and easy to check yourself.
 
Ok, I think I've figured this out... I'm 99% sure it's tires...

after setting the rear to 35 and the front to 38 the car drives great. I think at this point any squishy feeling is the tires themselves flexing. They aren't performance tires and they are new so they've still got like 3/4" of tread.

When you push it around corners you can see that you've been driving on the sidewalls a little...

My guess is that because everything else in the car is so tight, you really feel movement with the tires.

Anyway, airing them up seemed to have solved the power on shifting to the right...
 
SERGMARK said:
Did you check the air in the tires they may be low...:D:D:D

Sorry I couldn't resist :wink:
Click to expand...

The problem now is to figure out if they are leaking... (I mean, clearly the air must be going somewhere) So that's today's pre-carlisle mission... :D
 
I suffered for over a year with tires that leaked around bead of the rims. The final solution was to dismount the tires and give the wheels a good brushing around the beads where there was some rust and debris. Since doing that the y leak no more, I also had leaky tire valves in the past as well.
 
Roadboss said:
I suffered for over a year with tires that leaked around bead of the rims. The final solution was to dismount the tires and give the wheels a good brushing around the beads where there was some rust and debris. Since doing that the y leak no more, I also had leaky tire valves in the past as well.
Click to expand...

Yeah, my tire place is good about stuff like that, if they find a problem, they'll break the tire down and remount it, I'm actually about to go there now... :D
 
maxmk8 said:
Ok one other thing to check, make sure the axle nuts are tight. (no pun)

When my rear end was changed up and the rear half shafts had to come out, one of the bolts wasn't tight and the car kept on wobbling around. I don't know if that could be the case but its worth a shot and its free and easy to check yourself.
Click to expand...

His rear axle nuts are torqued to spec.

Joe, I didn't see anything in the suspension that would account for what you're experiencing, I think you're on the right track with your "tires".
 
My mustang with a detroit locker will do exactly what your describing if the tire pressures on each side of the rear are not equal, its about the circumference of the tire. Put a single drop of oil on each tire, then move the vehicle until the tires have rotated at least one revolution, then measure the distance between the oil spots on the ground, I bet there is a difference. When you get the distances equal, this problem will go away, and it WILL reduce ET at the track.

Randy
 
Joe....I bet 10 bucks one of the rear spindle bolts were left loose!! (on accident :))

When I first bought my car it was doing the exact same thing!! Only on acceleration (more than normal driving) the car would start steering to the left.

Turns out, the front bottom bolt on the right rear spindle was missing its nut and just chillin there. It had been that way for a long time because the spindle hole was oblonged out. I cut the bolt off (to avoid having to remove the other ones) and installed a new bolt and lock washer and that fixed it.

Basically, when I would accelerate it would push the front of the right rear wheel out causing the alignment to change and essencially I had rear wheel steering. :)
 
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