pull to the right

[Mullet Bullet]

camber will not cause a pull. only caster and toe will cause a pull.

glad you got it sorted.

[davem]

Well if anyone cares, the culprit was not the trailing arm. I had it replaced with another one, fresh new bushing (again) and the car pulled exactly the way it did before. I would be choked if I hadn't finally found the issue.

It was my 2 month old Falken 512s. The reason I ruled them out earlier is because a front-to-back rotation did not change anything (it should if there is a defective tire causing radial pull according to tirerack.com) and swapping all for wheels/tires with a friends' (who happens to drive a slammed e30 on tires purchased used...) did not change anything. Good thing my mechanic recommended trying another set of tires with no pulling issues.

[davem]

You have essentially no toe-in on the right side and more camber on that side. That will definitely make the car pull to the right.

ah okay, thanks as always Jim

I figured that the car rear was acting like a rudder but and that the right rear had excessive toe in, but the opposite is true when you look at the spec sheet

[jlevie]

So we sure that the toe spec in the rear is the issue? because some pple are telling me that it's not out enough to pull the car, swapping a trailing arm is a lot of work, i have one to try out though...

You have essentially no toe-in on the right side and more camber on that side. That will definitely make the car pull to the right.

[davem]

So we sure that the toe spec in the rear is the issue? because some pple are telling me that it's not out enough to pull the car, swapping a trailing arm is a lot of work, i have one to try out though...

[davem]

The right rear wheel is way off and will cause the pull. That could be because the rear trailing arm bushings are bad, or that trailing arm could be bent. If the RTAB's are new, the answer (and solution) is easy, just replace that trailing arm. But if the RTAB's aren't new you can't say which is the cause. In that case I'd replace the trailing arm bushings (and subframe bushings) and then see what the rear alignment looks like. If still off, replace that trailing arm.

hmmm all new oem bushings in the rear, look's like I need a new trailing arm!

[jlevie]

The right rear wheel is way off and will cause the pull. That could be because the rear trailing arm bushings are bad, or that trailing arm could be bent. Since the RTAB's are new, the answer (and solution) is easy, just replace that trailing arm.

An alternative to replacing that trailing arm (it isn't bent much) would be to install weld in camber/toe adjusters. If you are going to track that car that would be the best solution as you'd then have the ability to adjust the rear alignment.

[davem]

Yeah the difference is suspect. There aren't any adjustments in the rear.

New trailing arm bushings should equalize the toe.

Right before the alignment, got new rtabs and subframe bushings...

[KenC]

Yeah the difference is suspect. There aren't any adjustments in the rear.

New trailing arm bushings should equalize the toe.

[davem]

A very small difference in rear tow can cause a pull. That's what I would have guessed the whole time.

Why are the rear numbers different on before/after? The rear has no adjustments. Unless you have adjustable RTABs?

Don't have adjustable rtabs, not sure why it's different?

[KenC]

A very small difference in rear tow can cause a pull. That's what I would have guessed the whole time.

Why are the rear numbers different on before/after? The rear has no adjustments. Unless you have adjustable RTABs?

[davem]

Update:

Aside from front and rear sway bar bushings and front sway bar links, everything in the suspension is new. Had it realigned and we still have the pull... so I guess the suspension is fine. Caster seems to be back to normal, front toe is where it should be... rear toe is out, is the difference enough to cause a pull?



Car is on H&R sport springs.

[davem]

How hot should the rotors be if they are sticking enough to cause a pull? I did a freeway blast and pulled off the exit without using the brakes and both of the fronts weren't hot at all to the touch.

how likely is it that I have a bent control arm?

[davem]

Yep... That'll do it too. If the tires were mounted the wrong way on a directional tire, sometimes there's more rolling resistance in that direction and would cause a pull. It's also extremely dangerous in the rain as it will pool up the water under the tire instead of dispersing it to reach the tar. Glad it all worked out for you and it was cheap!!

lol I haven't fixed anything unfortunately :(

Well the tires were mounted correctly by the tire shop, but the mechanic I went to noticed that switching the front tires so that the direction was wrong eliminated the pull. So they remounted the front tires so that the direction was correct. The pull returned.

Yesterday I tried doing the same thing, and putting the front tires on so that the "direction" was backward eliminated the pull... but switching the fronts to the back made no difference.

I'm going to fiddle w/ the brakes today after work...

[warmsquash1]

Yep... That'll do it too. If the tires were mounted the wrong way on a directional tire, sometimes there's more rolling resistance in that direction and would cause a pull. It's also extremely dangerous in the rain as it will pool up the water under the tire instead of dispersing it to reach the tar. Glad it all worked out for you and it was cheap!!