Ninehigh
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| posted on 14/3/09 at 11:58 PM |
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Pulling to the left, car trouble (hope not)
My mondeo has been pulling to the left for ages now, and recently it's been getting worse. This afternoon I noticed a bald ring on the front
right tyre. Normally this suggests the alignment is off but it's only on one side. Anything else I should have checked?
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Simon
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| posted on 15/3/09 at 12:02 AM |
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Tyre pressures is obvious one, then get alignment check - yes, this causes pulling to one side.
While they're doing that, get them to check suspension bushes etc to make sure that the bits that make it run true are doing just that.
I know it's slightly different (rwd) but my old SD1 had trailing arm bushes that were so knackered, that I could hold steering wheel firm and
accelerate/decelerate and car would change direction as rear axle twisted
ATB
Simon
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handyandy
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| posted on 15/3/09 at 12:04 AM |
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i,d say your tracking is out, tho that usually shows wear on both front tyres, so maybe bottom steering joint out, or front suspension failed on that
corner.
andy
like Simon said ref suspension bushes
[Edited on 15/3/09 by handyandy]
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Ninehigh
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| posted on 15/3/09 at 12:07 AM |
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When it was mot'd they did mention rear subframe bushes but then they wanted to replace the whole frame so I left it to get a second opinion.
Could that be the cause?
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handyandy
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| posted on 15/3/09 at 12:11 AM |
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possibly, cos if the rear bushes are really shot then the car will not run true even if front alignment is correct, sort of crabs along, extreme cases
on minis i believe.
i might be wrong tho.
andy
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Ninehigh
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| posted on 15/3/09 at 12:15 AM |
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I'll ask about that one too when I take it in.
Anyone recommend a mechanic in Ellesmere Port?
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ashg
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| posted on 15/3/09 at 12:21 AM |
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will be the front wishbone bushes or the lower ball joint in my experience
Anything With Tits or Wheels Will cost you MONEY!!
Haynes Roadster (Finished)
Exocet (Finished & Sold)
New Project (Started)
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Ninehigh
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| posted on 15/3/09 at 12:24 AM |
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Is that expensive?
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rusty nuts
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| posted on 15/3/09 at 12:50 AM |
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Mondeo's suffer with badly aligned front subframes . Get it checked before doing any lower arms , tracking etc. Well known fault
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Ninehigh
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| posted on 15/3/09 at 12:51 AM |
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Well this is the thing it's always pulled to the left a little but now it's quite a lot, so it's probably a combination of things
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BenB
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| posted on 15/3/09 at 01:09 AM |
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When you say pulls to the left is that under power, under breaking or all the time?
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Ninehigh
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| posted on 15/3/09 at 01:15 AM |
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All the time
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Paul TigerB6
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| posted on 15/3/09 at 02:12 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Ninehigh
Anyone recommend a mechanic in Ellesmere Port?
How come we dont know about you?? I am in Great Sutton, 001Ben is near Whitby Park, Jabbahutt is on Stanney Oaks, Richard Quinn is in Eastham Rake!!!
Tomlinsons near Hooton station have always been great with me. My dad will now trust nobody else with his cars. Ben knows a guy on Thornton Ind Estate
near the greyhound track too
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Ninehigh
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| posted on 15/3/09 at 02:14 AM |
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I've heard of all those places, I'm near Whitby high school...
I've only lived there a few years now so I only really know Asda, Shell, chippy etc lol
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Paul TigerB6
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| posted on 15/3/09 at 02:25 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Ninehigh
I've heard of all those places, I'm near Whitby high school...
I've only lived there a few years now so I only really know Asda, Shell, chippy etc lol
Ben is 5 mins walk and i am 20 mins walk from Whitby High!!
Have you checked for a binding front caliper by the way??
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Ninehigh
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| posted on 15/3/09 at 02:28 AM |
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Hmm, really wouldn't have thought of that, a bit of a cryptic thing to cause a problem. Brakes seem perfectly fine, no abnormal wear on the pads
(done about 35k miles in past 12 months)
Looks like I'll have to turn up to the meetings then lol. You might end up being one of SWMBO's kid's parents!
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Paul TigerB6
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| posted on 15/3/09 at 02:42 AM |
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We need to sort a local meet-up soon - maybe celebrate Richard Q passing his SVA in a couple of weeks or so.
Jack the front up and spin the front left wheel. You will soon know if its binding and pulling the car to the left. Also check all of the bushes and
wheel bearings for play etc.
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Ninehigh
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| posted on 15/3/09 at 04:15 AM |
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Oh now I have to find the jack lol. Oh well it gives me something to do on monday. How do I check the bushes? I can give the wheel a wobble but
that's for the hubs isn't it?
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Richard Quinn
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| posted on 15/3/09 at 08:27 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Paul TigerB6
We need to sort a local meet-up soon - maybe celebrate Richard Q passing his SVA in a couple of weeks or so.
Or commiserate a fail!?!
You could try Lloyd Motors (Poole Hall Industrial Estate) but they are generally busy and you will have to book it in. Or try Port Tyres &
Autocare (Flatt Lane) who are pretty good with most things running gear related (as well as good prices on tyres!)
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speedyxjs
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| posted on 15/3/09 at 08:33 AM |
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Check your tire pressures first. I Normally only use my tintop round town but when i went to brands i notice my car was pulling to one side. One of
the tires was at only 10 PSI  And a bald ring round the outside.
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Mansfield
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| posted on 15/3/09 at 09:04 AM |
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My late Mk2 Mondeo had one tyre (offside front) which was always slowly deflating and impossible to balance. Once it got down to 28psi it really
pulled to the left and I wouldn't go over 60 due to the wheel imbalance. Put 34psi in and it was a different car, steered fairly straight and
hardly shook. I put the spare on eventually - it is like a proper car now.
I would swap the front tyres around, it costs you nothing and I think it would isolate the problem. If you cant be arsed with that stick 35psi in the
offside front and see if it makes a difference. You can always let the air out if it makes it worse.
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britishtrident
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| posted on 15/3/09 at 10:44 AM |
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On the Mondeo spulling to one side due to subframe alignment problems are very well known, they were often out of alignment when new and
any major engine transmission job such as clutch change knocks it out.
The special tools for setting up the subframe aligment are fairly cheap less 20 pounds or less see
http://www.justoffbase.co.uk/Subframe-Location-Pins-for-Mondeo-Fiesta-Clutch-Pair-Sealey-VS013
[I] “ What use our work, Bennet, if we cannot care for those we love? .”
― From BBC TV/Amazon's Ripper Street.
[/I]
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britishtrident
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| posted on 15/3/09 at 10:47 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by rusty nuts
Mondeo's suffer with badly aligned front subframes . Get it checked before doing any lower arms , tracking etc. Well known fault
If anything an understatement :-)
Ford even had BBC TV Watchdog Anne Robinson on their case because of it.
[I] “ What use our work, Bennet, if we cannot care for those we love? .”
― From BBC TV/Amazon's Ripper Street.
[/I]
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Ninehigh
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| posted on 15/3/09 at 06:00 PM |
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Checked the pressures and they're the same all round, gonna have to jack it up tomorrow, then find them mechanics 
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Ninehigh
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| posted on 16/3/09 at 02:06 PM |
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Bump...
Pressures check out ok, brakes don't appear to be binding, or wobbling, no play whatsoever.
Anyone know if any of these recommendations you lovely people have given me will set me back over £150?
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