Car Pulling to Side After Alignment

[Kristeun]

Had coil overs installed yesterday and then an alignment was done. It now pulls to the left when driving city speeds and to the right when on the freeway (may have mixed them up but I assume it doesn't matter). Now, my tire situation is all messed up. I have a nearly bald one in the front right and 85% one in front left. Same thing in the rear except different sides (waiting for spacers so I can fix this). I know this would usually cause this issue but it was fine like this for over a week before the alignment Also, the steering wheel doesn't straighten back out by itself anymore when taking a corner like it used to. I know my rack is fucked, but again this only started now and it's been like that for a while.

Update:
Yea I think I messed up the terms. And are you sure the steering rack wouldn't cause this? Because two people that looked at the car today said that's most likely the problem. Noticed today that the puling changes directions sometimes due to bumps and when taking a turn in that direction. Also doesn't always return to the 12:00 position easily or at all, and steering was super heavy at times. So I'm assuming the whole rack needs to be replaced? How expensive is this job, and could I do it myself? Don't have much experience but have a bentley manual and plenty of time.

Also, looking at the tires closely today I noticed there not really that different in the front. My rear right is really the only bald one.

[87e30]

Had coil overs installed yesterday and then an alignment was done. It now pulls to the left when driving city speeds and to the right when on the freeway (may have mixed them up but I assume it doesn't matter). Now, my tire situation is all messed up. I have a nearly bald one in the front right and 85% one in front left. Same thing in the rear except different sides (waiting for spacers so I can fix this). I know this would usually cause this issue but it was fine like this for over a week before the alignment Also, the steering wheel doesn't straighten back out by itself anymore when taking a corner like it used to. I know my rack is fucked, but again this only started now and it's been like that for a while.

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I had the sticky steering problem. Look through my thread in the suspension section and that should help you out there.

[AndrewBird]

It's your tires. Get new ones and you should be fine.

Or at least put the two bald ones on the same side of the car.

[Kristeun]

Yea I would have except one of the bald ones have weights on the inside of the wheel, making it not clear the struts in the front. I'll borrow some spacers until mine come in the mail and see if that fixes the problem. But why would this happen just now? Could lowering the car increase the effects of the tire situation?

And I just took it for a drive. Really weird. Sometimes it's rolls straight, sometimes to the left, sometimes to the right. The steering will feel like it did before one minute, and the next it will be heavy and not straighten out as easily as it should

[e30nub]

I had the same issue and it was because of mismatched tires. If you don't have mismatched tires, then I don't know what to tell you.

[AndrewBird]

You didn't notice it before because the tires were worn in to the alignment specs before you had the car aligned. Now that you have it correctly aligned, the tires don't sit correctly in relation tot he ground.

[Kristeun]

You didn't notice it before because the tires were worn in to the alignment specs before you had the car aligned. Now that you have it correctly aligned, the tires don't sit correctly in relation tot he ground.

Makes sense. thanks! Hopefully this is the problem.

[jlevie]

Did you also install camber plates along with the coil overs? And by chance are the GC race plates? Until they wear in, you will notice the car wanting to pull to one side after a hard turn.

[Kristeun]

^Nope

[Brew]

Did you also install camber plates along with the coil overs? And by chance are the GC race plates? Until they wear in, you will notice the car wanting to pull to one side after a hard turn.

Whats the logic behind this?

[Kristeun]

Took a quick look under the car a min ago and noticed the tie rod boot is a little torn and leaking (not sure if that's what it's called). Definitely wasn't like that at the shop Would this be causing the problem? Will jack it up tomorrow when putting in the spacers and check it out. Hope this isn't just an additional problem now.

[jlevie]

Whats the logic behind this?

The GC race plates are very tight and bind just a bit. When you make a hard turn the upper ends of the springs don't fully return to the neutral position, causing the car to pull to side of the last turn. As they wear in most of this goes away.

[Brew]

Ah ha, makes sense.

Took a quick look under the car a min ago and noticed the tie rod boot is a little torn and leaking (not sure if that's what it's called). Definitely wasn't like that at the shop Would this be causing the problem? Will jack it up tomorrow when putting in the spacers and check it out. Hope this isn't just an additional problem now.

Yeah, a loose tie rod end could cause excess toe out while driving which will make the car follow the crown in the road noticeably. Or are you talking about the steering rack boot?

[AndrewBird]

I think he means the steering rack boot.

That wouldn't cause your problem, but you should get it fixed before dirt works it's way into the rack and destroys it.

[Kristeun]

^Yea I think I messed up the terms. And are you sure this wouldn't cause this? Because two people that looked at the car today said that's most likely the problem. Noticed today that the puling changes directions sometimes due to bumps and when taking a turn in that direction. Also doesn't always return to the 12:00 position easily or at all, and steering was super heavy at times. So I'm assuming the whole rack needs to be replaced? :( How expensive is this job, and could I do it myself? Don't have much experience but have a bentley manual and plenty of time.

Also, looking at the tires closely today I noticed there not really that different in the front. My rear right is really the only bald one.