Answer This.

[DaveEssex]

My XFR was recently involved in a RTC, when A.N.Other ran into the rear passenger-side corner. Damage was evident to the rear door, and rear quarter panel. The rear wheel also took impact. The car has been repaired under the direction of my Insurer, and looks fine. However, the steering wheel is 20 degrees from straight-ahead. As an obvious first step, I have quickly had the tracking checked by my normal tyre fitters, and all is OK. There was definitely no impact forward of the rear door, so expected the tracking to be OK, and of course it was. I am now baffled.

[marmitemania]

Maybe they have had the car on a Jig and have knocked the tracking out and then re tracked the car without locking the steering wheel in the straight ahead position. They also could have checked the tracking as a matter of course and it may have been out, and then they reset, again without locking the steering wheel.

[Superhoop]

Tracking checked, or 4 wheel alignment checked?

If something at the rear was/is still bent, the car will be trying to steer from the back, and to drive straight, you'll be correcting it by turning the steering to counteract this

If it was 4 wheel alignment and all is aligned correctly, then I'd say it was just done badly

[McWigglebum4th]

Do you want a clue?

[DaveEssex]

Tracking checked, or 4 wheel alignment checked?

If something at the rear was/is still bent, the car will be trying to steer from the back, and to drive straight, you'll be correcting it by turning the steering to counteract this

If it was 4 wheel alignment and all is aligned correctly, then I'd say it was just done badly.

I'm beginning to think that you are correct, and that a 4 wheel alignment check will reveal the problem. So, tomorrow it's to the local specialist?????????????????????????????????????????

[anonymous-user]

So, let me get this right. Your car was involved in an crash, the insurer "repaired" the car, and yet they left the handwheel completely on the skew? This isn't your problem! Ring the insurer and ask them to come a get the car and only bring it back when it's fixed!

[Disco You]

Max_Torque said:

So, let me get this right. Your car was involved in an crash, the insurer "repaired" the car, and yet they left the handwheel completely on the skew? This isn't your problem! Ring the insurer and ask them to come a get the car and only bring it back when it's fixed!

Exactly. This bread baffles me.

[anonymous-user]

rear camber can affect front toe

basically if its bent at the rear then it could explain why the wheel is off centre

[Davie]

Is it not the case that the front wheels are set off the rear wheels when using the older 'tracking' gauges and thus if there rears are out, the front will never be right. Likewise, if the front's are checked on their own using half of laser alignment rig then it could report all is well. Done right, a four wheel geometry check will highlight any issues in black and white but to echo what has been said, this isn't your issue. Take it back, refuse to accept the car until it's 100% right.

[DaveEssex]

Back to the repairer, of course, as suggested here. I was merely curious about the the likely cause. Interesting info on the frailty of the front wheel check, when the rears can have such an influence on steering.