Car pulling to left under acceleration?

[ProjectZS]

Just changed my n/s front lower arm on my fiesta. I had to remove the subframe in the process to do this, I have refitted, torqued everything up and checked for play. There is now no play in any of the suspension components other than a bit of top mount movement on both sides. Could this cause my car to pull? I understand it needs alignment as a result of changing the bottom arm but at the moment it is pulling under quite light throttle, more so when I rag it a bit. It pulls enough for me to need to counter steer to the right to keep it in a straight line, once off the throttle it will then drive straight if the wheel is straight. Could this be caused by bad tracking or is there something I'm missing? Tire pressures are spot on, the only adjustment in the alignment is toe, it seems to be doing it after I've changed the arm? Any help appreciated

[ProjectZS]

I've done all bolts to ft but ideally need the torque settings. Will definitely be getting it aligned as soon as my top mounts arrive and I've fitted them, just don't want to be replacing unessessary bits :/

[ProjectZS]

ADEuk said:

Alignment out will not cause the issue here. It will be a worn LBJ or not tightened enough pinch-bolt. OP was it a new arm? There are two sizes of ball joint pin on some Fiestas

Brand new n/s arm with balljoint. O/s had no play whatsoever hence why I didn't replace that side, it's a mk3 if that makes any difference

[ProjectZS]

It's a mk3 fiesta, it has one subframe dowel to locate into the chassis, subframe is correctly fitted but might try genuine lower arm/balljoint bolts if need be?

[ProjectZS]

Didn't replace o/s arm cause it looked new but will replace that when I get paid, like I say no play at all on any of the components I can see other than the top mounts, it's pulling quite badly so just hope that new arms sort it. I had made another post about knocking from the front end when slow turning/stationary turning but it was doing this before anyway. Just seems that now I've changed arm it's all driving by itself, I'm wondering if maybe the o/s is a bit worn and is lagging behind when I accelerate. Will try a brand new set of bolts aswell from ford

[ProjectZS]

PositronicRay said:

How long have you had the car and when did the symptoms appear? If the other side looked new why was it changed? Has someone stuffed the car into a kerb at speed?

Had it 2 months and appeared literally the minute I changed the lower arm. The n/s lower arm was changed because the balljoint had excessive play, the o/s looked new so wasn't changed. When I refitted everything, the steering wheel was of centre and now pulls. I'm not sure if it just needs alignment, or the other arm, or bolts retightened etc. I've swapped all wheels round, even put my other wheels on to no avail. Seems to be a huge coincidence something has failed after fitting arm, or arm has knocked it all out

[ProjectZS]

PositronicRay said:

Steering wheel off centre? That's a clue to alignment.

If it were me I'd recheck the work done, fit new top mounts, the other arm and then alignment.

It won't cost you much more than £100 and give you some peace of mind.

Edited by PositronicRay on Monday 12th October 17:43

Yeah that's probably best way about it, will try get it aligned in work first see if that sorts it

[ProjectZS]

PositronicRay said:

Steering wheel off centre? That's a clue to alignment.

If it were me I'd recheck the work done, fit new top mounts, the other arm and then alignment.

It won't cost you much more than £100 and give you some peace of mind.

Edited by PositronicRay on Monday 12th October 17:43

Yeah that's probably best way about it, will try get it aligned in work first see if that sorts it

[ProjectZS]

Centurion07 said:

If you didn't have the wheels dead straight when tightening the nut on top of the strut on a MK2 Escort, it was possible to "wind" the rubber top mount into a twisted position meaning the steering pulled.

Could you have inadvertently tightened something up when it wasn't in the correct position IYSWIM?

Possibly, I haven't touched the strut though, just the subframe and lower arm. I had lowered the coilovers before hand which is how I found the arm was bad in the first place but it still wasn't exhibiting this problem. It might be to do with the fact I did a quick "diy" alignment just to make sure I wasn't going to goose the tires before a proper alignment. One thing I have read since fitting the arm though, is that the bolts are stretch bolts and should be replaced and also it's best practise to actually torque them when the car is on the ground, both of which I haven't done because I didn't know. Hopefully top mounts and alignment can sort it, seems to be one of them hard to diagnose things.

[ProjectZS]

Hol said:

Do you have a smart phone?
If so, you can download a clinometer for free and check the camber on both sides, to make sure they are the same.

Have you tried turning the steering lock to lock, without the engine running (no power steering assistance) to hear/feel if anything is binding?

If you park the car tight against a straight kerb, with the steering straight ahead does either front or rear wheel look off straight?

Yeah, I asked a question on the forum yesterday to see if anyone had any suggestions to this noise I'm hearing when turning lock to lock. I think it's the top mounts but it's done it since I bought the car and hasn't caused what I'm experiencing now :/ I'll upload it shortly

[ProjectZS]

This is the noise/knocking I'm getting, whether this has anything to do with the steering Issue I'm having I don't know, it's done it since I've owned the car

http://s938.photobucket.com/user/JoeyBoyden/media/...

[ProjectZS]

The part is supposedly correct as at first I ordered a non power steering part, then they told me in fact I'd ordered the wrong one so sent me the right one. I still have the old arm and they look exactly the same, I put the old one on top of the new and they are identical. Think the top mounts are bad but I think I'll replace the other arm aswell if that's best?