Steering Wheel never straight

POLOZ · Post by **POLOZ** » Fri Jun 10, 2011 10:43 pm

With other creaking noise from the polo

I have never been able to get my steering wheel sorted

Basically beganning of this year I got a set of tyres for the front (silverstone = s**t). So straight after I got
my wheels aligned and I must say they were done on a computerised system not the usual lazer one.

Anyhow, without any notice I drove the car for 3 days and realised that the steering wasnt perfectly central.
So took it back to the place where I got my alignment done. He re did the whole alignment for me but still
didnt improve. So this time took it to a another branch where they had a different machine. This
time they were able to sort the steering a bit. So still not being 100% satisfied I said leave it probably
I was being too fussy.

But till now it has been bugging me mad that I want to get it fixed. I have noticed that if somebody is on the passenger
side the steering is worse but if I am traveling alone it is not too bad. I am not sure what exactly is the problem?!?!

Btw I am not fat so that can be ruled out

MODDED9N · Post by **MODDED9N** » Fri Jun 10, 2011 11:41 pm

yeah my one has some sort of weird fixation with the gutter and i can barely take my hands off the wheel without it trying to put me in a fence. Been tracked. No change.

rasA4 · Post by **rasA4** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 9:55 am

I know you had the tracking done some places don't adjust the camber. May be look at that?
Has the car been lowered?

BennoGTi · Post by **BennoGTi** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 11:54 am

Take the steering wheel off and put it round to the next tooth on the spline

POLOZ · Post by **POLOZ** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 5:23 pm

rasA4 wrote:I know you had the tracking done some places don't adjust the camber. May be look at that?
Has the car been lowered?

IIRC camber cant be adjusted on the polo? Car is lowered on H&R spings.

POLOZ · Post by **POLOZ** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 5:24 pm

BennoGTi wrote:Take the steering wheel off and put it round to the next tooth on the spline

I thought the steering wheel on the polo's could not be moved and had a fixed point?

Gillen · Post by **Gillen** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 5:44 pm

I think the camber on the camber on the front can be adjusted, the rear can't though?

You can alter the steering wheel mate

JoshGTI · Post by **JoshGTI** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 10:16 pm

What about a blown shock or worn bushes causing the car to pull to one side? Just an idea. Ask the garage to inspect the suspension, they should be able to sort you out.

POLOZ · Post by **POLOZ** » Sun Jun 12, 2011 12:30 am

Gillen wrote:I think the camber on the camber on the front can be adjusted, the rear can't though?

You can alter the steering wheel mate

Hmm interesting the guy in the shop told me only the toe in/out could be adjusted but the camber cant be.
Whereas I know about the rear cant be adjusted anyhow.

About the steering wheel, how do I go about removing the airbag? also what size spline socket would I need.

POLOZ · Post by **POLOZ** » Sun Jun 12, 2011 12:37 am

JoshGTI wrote:What about a blown shock or worn bushes causing the car to pull to one side? Just an idea. Ask the garage to inspect the suspension, they should be able to sort you out.

I replaced the arb bushes and drop links last week to cure soom noises I was getting whenever I turned right. The replacements
somehow reduced the noise but I do get the 'creaking' noises the odd time.

Also this may be interesting, in the rear I have dunlop sports so thinking the pull could be caused by the new tyres(thread pattern etc), I swapped the rears with the front and guess what! I was driving with the steering at an angle of almost 45 deg

. I dont know what could cause the steering alignment to go so wrong
with just swapping the tyres over? Again the steering is more effected if there is somebody on the passenger side.

Gillen · Post by **Gillen** » Sun Jun 12, 2011 1:09 pm

POLOZ wrote:
Gillen wrote:I think the camber on the camber on the front can be adjusted, the rear can't though?

You can alter the steering wheel mate
Hmm interesting the guy in the shop told me only the toe in/out could be adjusted but the camber cant be.
Whereas I know about the rear cant be adjusted anyhow.

About the steering wheel, how do I go about removing the airbag? also what size spline socket would I need.

I may be wrong buddy, but I think I remember being told when my GTI had 4 wheel alignment that they can make slight adjustment to the front camber...I may be wrong though. Probably worth asking at another garage just to be sure?

I can't remember the size of the socket I'm afraid. As for the airbag, turn the wheel a quarter of a turn and there's a little slot at the back of the wheel/airbag, put a flat blade screwdriver in and you have to 'un-hook' the airbag so to speak. Then turn is half a turn the other way and do the same. It's very easy once you've done it once, but can take a bit of fiddling about the first time!

I'd also disconnect the battery too if removing the airbag, best to be safe

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