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Author: Subject: Tin Top (clio) steering - pulling hard left
Kriss

posted on 30/1/10 at 05:26 PM Reply With Quote
Tin Top (clio) steering - pulling hard left

My girlfriends Clio is driving me mad, and also left.

Its a low milage car looked after well. However, the car pulls left hard. or the wheels shakes lots.

Lowish speed the wheels shake, and at any speed it wants to turn left.

Got the tracking done today on some whizzkid machine and its not that. Also the wheels are nice and tight. The shake is far too much to be wheels weights.

just stuck as to what it could be.

Its a 2003 clio 1.4 petrol

guys at the garage who did the tracking (refunded too as it didnt help) said it could be the steering rack as its electronic???

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RichardK

posted on 30/1/10 at 05:27 PM Reply With Quote
Has it always done it or just started?





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Danozeman

posted on 30/1/10 at 05:32 PM Reply With Quote
Doubt its the rack. Binding brakes, wheel bearing even crap tyres. Jack it up and have a spin of the front wheels. Try the front wheels on the back and see of that helps.





Dan

Built the purple peril!! Let the modifications begin!!

http://www.eastangliankitcars.co.uk

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will121

posted on 30/1/10 at 05:32 PM Reply With Quote
was it laser four wheel alignment check? did they check movement/wear on all suspension bushes etc before doing it, if so thats another thing ruled out like wish bone bushes
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jacko

posted on 30/1/10 at 05:34 PM Reply With Quote
Has it got one direction tyres Is one on the wrong way around ?

A mate of mine had this problem and it was the tyres

Is the bearings / bushes /track rod ends all ok

is the left hand brake sticking on after used
Is any thing Bent arm's etc
Jacko

[Edited on 30/1/10 by jacko]

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speedyxjs

posted on 30/1/10 at 05:35 PM Reply With Quote
Sounds like exactly the same as what happened when my caliper seized.





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UncleFista

posted on 30/1/10 at 05:42 PM Reply With Quote
First thing I'd do is swap front/rear wheels and see if it changes owt





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Which suddenly flips, pinning you underneath.
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fesycresy

posted on 30/1/10 at 06:03 PM Reply With Quote
Clio's use track arms as opposed to track rod ends, they are common wear problems, check this, I've done quite a few.

Do you have / can get an infra red thermometer? This is the easiest way to check the siezed caliper.

Are the tyres worn? As mentioned an uneven tyre will pull you over too (Vectras suffer badly with this).

I can't remember if the Clio has a strut top bearing, I know the Meganes have, this could cause a pull, but you should also notice this in tyre wear.





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Mike S

posted on 30/1/10 at 06:33 PM Reply With Quote
Hmm interesting.

Whilst I was doing some research into electric power steering for another of my projects, I found that the Clio and Vauxhall Corsa that use this type of electric power assistance can get the position sensor go out of adjustment.

This apparently gives exactly the kind of problem you are having.

Do a Google search for electric power steering problems.

Seems that power steering specialist know of the problem but charge a fortune to fix it.

Found a site that explained the fix, and it seemed very simple to do. Sorry, don't remember what site it was though.

Try taking the power steering fuse out and drive it without the power assistance. It will be quite heavy on the steering, but will show if it still pulls. If it steers straight without power assistance, then it is definatly the power assistance issue.

Hope this helps

Edit to say that it is not an electric steering rack, it's a powered column. The electric assistance motor and gubins is all under the dash.

Mike

[Edited on 30/1/10 by Mike S]





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COREdevelopments

posted on 30/1/10 at 10:19 PM Reply With Quote
agree with mike s. have had a few corsa suffering with this problem and has turned out to be electric column, which can make it pull really badly.

Rob






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mangogrooveworkshop

posted on 31/1/10 at 09:49 AM Reply With Quote
Mine never had any crap like that.
Ps Start saveing for a new sump or clean and paint the one you have.....they have a bad habit of going
Rusty.....and holy
Why a clio needs pwer steering on such a light car is well beyond me.
Good luck






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Danozeman

posted on 31/1/10 at 10:08 AM Reply With Quote
The colum wouldnt make it shake though.

The colums on corsas have to be calibrated everytime you have the battery off.





Dan

Built the purple peril!! Let the modifications begin!!

http://www.eastangliankitcars.co.uk

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omega 24 v6

posted on 31/1/10 at 10:39 AM Reply With Quote
quote:

TextThe colums on corsas have to be calibrated everytime you have the battery off.



At which age?? and can you do it yourself?? Sons car is pulling to the left it is a 51 plate.





If it looks wrong it probably is wrong.

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Kriss

posted on 31/1/10 at 04:30 PM Reply With Quote
It's goi g to a local engine rebuilder and general repIes guy Monday. If still no joy I will get it up in the air at the weekend and have a wiggle of Everything

seized caliper sounds crap to deal with. But so does this rack resetting

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Peteff

posted on 31/1/10 at 05:09 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Danozeman
The colum wouldnt make it shake though.

The colums on corsas have to be calibrated everytime you have the battery off.


Never heard of that and we've done it with no problems after changing batteries. I have had to weld the sump on one though.
Only reason for the car pulling to one side on our Clio was the slider seized on the caliper. I fitted new discs and pads and freed all the lot up and it transformed the braking. It was so good someone stole it





yours, Pete

I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.

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