Cayman S Tracking Problems?
Discussion
I've owned a 2007 Cayman S for 4 years now and it's been a great car. The only problem I have is with the tracking. For at least the past 3 years, it has had a very slight bias to the left.
I don't notice it too much in town but on the Motorway, it will pull to the left all day long. If I hold the steering wheel perfectly in the middle, I go left. I have to hold it fractionally to the right to go in a straight line.
Over the years, I have taken it to three different (Porsche or Porsche "specialist") garages and none of them have solved the problem. I've just been given excuses about uneven tyres and camber of the road.
The camber of the road argument is ridiculous because it never pulls to the right and during a 200+ motorway trip the car will, without fail, pull left the entire time.
The tyres excuse I can kind of understand but they're never more than a couple of millimetres difference either way and I doubt they would cause the same problem for three years straight across multiple sets.
Whilst we're on the subject of tyres, I should point out that the tyres never wear unevenly as a result of traditional tracking problems i.e left side down to the thread and right side several millimetres remaining. The front tyres have always worn evenly.
Has anyone else experienced such problems with the Cayman (or Boxster) and know of a genuine reason/fix for this problem? I'm beginning to think it's just stuck this way.
I don't notice it too much in town but on the Motorway, it will pull to the left all day long. If I hold the steering wheel perfectly in the middle, I go left. I have to hold it fractionally to the right to go in a straight line.
Over the years, I have taken it to three different (Porsche or Porsche "specialist") garages and none of them have solved the problem. I've just been given excuses about uneven tyres and camber of the road.
The camber of the road argument is ridiculous because it never pulls to the right and during a 200+ motorway trip the car will, without fail, pull left the entire time.
The tyres excuse I can kind of understand but they're never more than a couple of millimetres difference either way and I doubt they would cause the same problem for three years straight across multiple sets.
Whilst we're on the subject of tyres, I should point out that the tyres never wear unevenly as a result of traditional tracking problems i.e left side down to the thread and right side several millimetres remaining. The front tyres have always worn evenly.
Has anyone else experienced such problems with the Cayman (or Boxster) and know of a genuine reason/fix for this problem? I'm beginning to think it's just stuck this way.
whatxd said:
I've owned a 2007 Cayman S for 4 years now and it's been a great car. The only problem I have is with the tracking. For at least the past 3 years, it has had a very slight bias to the left.
I don't notice it too much in town but on the Motorway, it will pull to the left all day long. If I hold the steering wheel perfectly in the middle, I go left. I have to hold it fractionally to the right to go in a straight line.
Over the years, I have taken it to three different (Porsche or Porsche "specialist") garages and none of them have solved the problem. I've just been given excuses about uneven tyres and camber of the road.
The camber of the road argument is ridiculous because it never pulls to the right and during a 200+ motorway trip the car will, without fail, pull left the entire time.
The tyres excuse I can kind of understand but they're never more than a couple of millimetres difference either way and I doubt they would cause the same problem for three years straight across multiple sets.
Whilst we're on the subject of tyres, I should point out that the tyres never wear unevenly as a result of traditional tracking problems i.e left side down to the thread and right side several millimetres remaining. The front tyres have always worn evenly.
Has anyone else experienced such problems with the Cayman (or Boxster) and know of a genuine reason/fix for this problem? I'm beginning to think it's just stuck this way.
Sounds like you need to take it to a geo specialist. We used to spend a lot of time getting rally cars to track perfectly straight, and it can be a tiresome process. If the car has the correct amount of front toe, and if it's tracking to the left, then you should be able to make equal adjustments to both steering arms to correct this. This will also centre the steering wheel. Presumably you've checked tyre pressures..? amazing what a small difference can make.I don't notice it too much in town but on the Motorway, it will pull to the left all day long. If I hold the steering wheel perfectly in the middle, I go left. I have to hold it fractionally to the right to go in a straight line.
Over the years, I have taken it to three different (Porsche or Porsche "specialist") garages and none of them have solved the problem. I've just been given excuses about uneven tyres and camber of the road.
The camber of the road argument is ridiculous because it never pulls to the right and during a 200+ motorway trip the car will, without fail, pull left the entire time.
The tyres excuse I can kind of understand but they're never more than a couple of millimetres difference either way and I doubt they would cause the same problem for three years straight across multiple sets.
Whilst we're on the subject of tyres, I should point out that the tyres never wear unevenly as a result of traditional tracking problems i.e left side down to the thread and right side several millimetres remaining. The front tyres have always worn evenly.
Has anyone else experienced such problems with the Cayman (or Boxster) and know of a genuine reason/fix for this problem? I'm beginning to think it's just stuck this way.
Sorry I can't offer more specific help - your car doesn't sound right, but it can be corrected.
whatxd said:
Over the years, I have taken it to three different (Porsche or Porsche "specialist") garages and none of them have solved the problem. I've just been given excuses about uneven tyres and camber of the road.
The camber of the road argument is ridiculous because it never pulls to the right and during a 200+ motorway trip the car will, without fail, pull left the entire time.
Mine did the same always pulled a little to the left and after full geo set-up it was still slightly there, the guy who did it was an alignment guru he said the car was set bang on but to swap over the front tyres as the road has a slight camber to it and wears the tyres uneven, my thinking was like yours but I tried it and it was perfect now tracking straight a die...amazing.The camber of the road argument is ridiculous because it never pulls to the right and during a 200+ motorway trip the car will, without fail, pull left the entire time.
+1
Swap the wheels left to right - assuming they aren't directional; if they are you'll need them swapped by a tyre fitter to keep them running the right way. We have seen a few issues with Cayenne/ Panamera doing the same; down to the fact we do a lot of hard right cornering (roundabouts mainly) and a general bias due to the road camber it profiles the tyres over time. Back in the day you would rotate the tyres on a service but with unequal sizes and or a change in Service times it isn't done any more.
Swap the wheels left to right - assuming they aren't directional; if they are you'll need them swapped by a tyre fitter to keep them running the right way. We have seen a few issues with Cayenne/ Panamera doing the same; down to the fact we do a lot of hard right cornering (roundabouts mainly) and a general bias due to the road camber it profiles the tyres over time. Back in the day you would rotate the tyres on a service but with unequal sizes and or a change in Service times it isn't done any more.
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